A few students peeled off their rain-soaked jackets, shaking droplets onto the floor. Others were hunched over their desks, still shivering from the cold walk in. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, flickering every few seconds like they were struggling to stay awake themselves.

The teacher flipped through the attendance sheet, calling out names in a monotone. The room responded with a chorus of half-hearted heres and raised hands. The fog pressed against the windows, sealing the room tight in a grey, muffled bubble.

A beat of silence. Some heads turned.