The days passed by with increasing speed. Every step the research took them forward, the more giddy they all became.

Except for the head scientist. He was as taciturn as ever. And noticing that was what kept her from joining in the excited joy of the others. Even the most reserved of them couldn’t refrain. They were so close. Yet none of them could have been as reserved as the doctor, who never smiled. Who never had a good thing to say. Who watched their process as though something might go wrong.

Nothing can go wrong, she told herself. He was always like that. He might have been in charge, but he was also always like this. His seriousness didn’t mean anything would go wrong now. It didn’t say anything. His closest assistant was not fazed by his mentor’s emotionless nature at all.

She bit her lower lip. It was fine. They were close. So very close.

The days passed by with increasing speed. It was too late that she realized it didn’t just feel like that, but that time was passing by much too quickly and no one had noticed.