Day of Reckoning
A bell splits the silence before dawn, shattering the last fragments of a restless sleep. Dah-dong, Dah-dong, Dah-dong, Dah-dong! A merciful pause—then four more clangs vibrate through a labyrinth of halls. The window is still dark. I cover my head with the pillow and lie still. A whisper of fear runs through me. The day...