STORIES OF BROKEN MIRRORS

Tick-tock. That was the only sound echoing throughout the classroom. The clock mercilessly ticked away, leaving many students behind, ticking like a time bomb. The exam had started 40 minutes ago, and only one student had managed to finish. There were still 40 minutes left until the test would end.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. One of the students, new to the school, dropped a pencil, causing a loud noise that probably echoed across the country. Speaking of which, "Who made the country's flag?" one of his classmates wondered, eyeing the fallen pencil. That wasn't a question on the exam; this was a Mathematics test.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. Now there were 30 minutes left. Time was faster than light, but that wasn't a topic covered in Mathematics. What did they cover in Mathematics? Out of nowhere, a student accidentally tore a page while trying to erase their previous answer; however, they realized that answer might have been correct too.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. A younger student took a sip from his water bottle; it didn't quench his thirst. 20 minutes.

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock. A phone rang in the classroom, playing an old song; it was the teacher's phone. Everyone lost focus. 10 minutes.

TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK. One student glanced at the clock; fed up with it all, he left most of the exam blank; others followed suit. 5 minutes.

TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK. Only one more student managed to finish. The teacher didn't give any extra time.