There are 8 rows of 16 desks within the classroom, 128 students whose livelihoods are on the line.
Over the course of the four-hour exam, 13 of them put their heads & pencils down early, deeming the moment’s rest more valuable than overthinking every answered question.
All of the remainder spend every moment working through the problems, writing and erasing and reformulating their thoughts until they make sense.
Between the sounding of the starting word and the ending bell, not a single word is uttered.
Between the sounding of the starting word and the ending bell, 6 people cough a total of 8 times; 3 people sneeze a total of 4 times; 49 people clear their throats a total of 63 times.
The only sounds to fill the room are the scratches of pencil on paper, the noise of biology, and the deafening silence which smothers all 128 desks.
After the exam’s completion, and the artificial delay until grading is completed, the results are posted.
115 of the examinees failed, 2 of whom put their heads down early.
They had one shot, one singular attempt to secure their futures.
They no longer have that opportunity.