Must Not Sleep

Up front, the teacher drawled in a flat tone as she lectured about ions. Down in the back, Rashard's vision was dimming rapidly.

Must not sleep, he told himself.

He was so drowsy he could hardly keep up his head. He was struggling hard to open his eyes, but the lids were so heavy. They insisted on falling down. He shook his head.

"Ions are atoms which have..." the teacher droned.

Oh good. She wasn't looking. Yawning hugely, Rashard lowered his head onto the desk. He must not sleep...he must not sleep...

Sleep...

No! He whipped up his head.

His eyes seemed to roll backwards.

He needed sleep. So badly. He hadn't slept last night...maybe he could catnap here...his eyes slowly shut down...he teetered on the stool...

"AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TEST!" the teacher barked.

Rashard's eyes abruptly opened. He sat straight, trying to ignore the sweet call of sleep. He stared at the teacher as she resumed her boring lecture. He must not sleep, damn it.

Around him, his classmates were rubbing their eyes.

A minute later, his vision blurred.

Dimmed.

He must not sleep...must not sleep...

Sheep appeared before his eyes. He grinned drunkenly as they trotted to the left of his vision. One sheep, he counted, two sheep, three sheep, four, five, six, seven...eight...nine...there they are, the sheep were dancing now...

Then something whacked the top of his desk, startling him so much that he leapt off his stool.

"Huh?" Rashard blinked. "What..."

"You dare to sleep in my class, Mr. Cranston?" the teacher said menacingly. In her hand was a heavy, hardbound book.

For a moment Rashard was deeply disoriented. Then the truth came sinking in, like a great weight. Rashard gasped. He realized he was the only one who had slept in the room. And then it dawned on him that something would happen.

Punishment.

And yet, he could hardly open his eyes.

"Answer me. Mr. Cranston!" the teacher bellowed.

"I just can't help it, Ma'am!" Rashard wailed. "I just can't!"

And his head fell forward with a loud thud on his desk, startling everyone, as he drifted immediately into oblivion.