The alarm wasn’t supposed to go off yet. We were not ready.


Everything around us stopped moving.


I looked over to the machine, contemplating if we have enough time to even finish it, but everything else needs to be reorganized. We were too confident. Too cocky. We do not have a plan B.


I don’t think a plan B is even possible at this point. I’m aware of how much time is passing while I am trying to figure out the next move, but I don’t see anyone else moving.


I have never seen this many people so still at the same time.


Finally, Eric moves. He shuts the alarm off. I didn’t even realize it was still on.


The silence now is deafening.


I mean, what now? I don’t think anyone knows what comes next. Can we even make it with the machine, when we never even got to check if it’s working?


I think everyone is waiting for someone else to say something.


I can’t think of anything to say. I cannot think of anything that will get us to move. It has to be done. We cannot fail now! We have been working day and night, barely sleeping, risking our whole lives for this! Of course, we thought we were going to finish it, when we have put all of our efforts into it. When we have sacrificed so much for it. When you believe in something so much, and you put the work in, it *has* to be possible! I do not take no for an answer! I refuse!


I got dragged out of my thoughts by clapping and shoutings of “I agree!"


To what? What did I miss? Who was speaking?