Night moves by slowly  

Artificial lights hum softly  

Solvents tickle nostrils

Night shift has its own atmosphere. Time stretches differently under artificial light. The outside world sleeps, but inside the lab everything continues — machines humming, screens glowing, samples waiting.

I felt flat tonight. Not dramatically low, just dulled around the edges. The tail end of a cold still clinging on, sleep not quite enough, energy never fully returning. The kind of tiredness that isn’t urgent but lingers quietly.

The fluorescent lights hum without change. The smell of solvents hangs in the air, sharp enough to remind you that you’re awake, even if you don’t quite feel it. There’s something strange about working through the night while your body insists it should be somewhere else.

This haiku came from that steady, muted space. Not a bad night. Not a good one. Just slow, measured hours under artificial light.