A sharp gasp and a short snort echoed through the room as the young woman startled awake. She wobbled in her chair slightly; unable to regain her balance, she fell down onto the ground with a rather loud thud. Thankfully the office chair was cushioned, though that didn’t stop her back from aching any less. And thank the Gods that none of her books or samples fell from the tall bookshelf.
It took her a moment to gather herself, her thoughts, and eventually the look of shock left her face. Instead, it looked more downcast, like she was troubled over the dream she had. It was understandable. She had been plagued with nightmares since she was a child--since that fateful day. “Get up.” She muttered to herself and so she did. She fixed her lab coat and the clothes underneath before getting her chair up off the ground. Looking at her watch, she could see exactly why she had fallen asleep. It being the middle of the night with the wind howling in the air, the rain being slammed against the window panes, it reminded her a lot of her home. It gave her a feeling of ease, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.
The university’s lab, or at least the one she provided her with, was settled in a quiet corner of the facility. A private little place to conduct her research without much of anyone bothering her. And that was probably a good thing. The lab was filled with plants of all kinds, microscopes and messy piles of paper strewn about her desk, even dark red samples and sparkling silver littered the bookshelves. She had gotten so caught up in her own goals that she hadn’t even realized she hadn’t slept in days at times. Sometimes even the growling of her stomach would go unnoticed. Though, coffee did seem to have a nice filling effect. Perhaps it was time for another coffee run, actually. She was close to something, some sort of discovery. She just knew she was. Just a few more hours, then she could properly rest. Though, with those nightmares, who knew for how long she’d be able to sleep. Regardless, she shuffled her way out of the room and down the halls. Hopefully there was still a fresh pot left in the cafeteria.
