The Craving

The period’s almost over.
The clock is ticking.
The whirr of the laptop quietly echoes
Over the quiet squeaking of the marker
On the white board.

I can’t hold on much longer,
My heart quickly beating to the ticks of the clock.
I have to hold on.
A trail of sweat runs down my face.
The period’s almost over.

I look at my friends.
Their hands are shaking,
Feeling what I feel,
Craving what I crave.
The tension thickens the air.

At long last I can’t take it,
Hands shaking as I yank open
The black plastic lid of the Pandora’s Box
And click on the blessed icon.
Besides, the period’s almost over.

The window opens
And a flood of coloured boxes fills my vision
Drawing me into a world of logical distraction
A large picture appears before me
“Tetris” it says. And I smile.