LYRA'S POV
(DAY TWELVE)
Sleep had become a distant memory rather than a nightly occurrence. The environmental sabotage Vera had implemented manifested as mechanical failures throughout the sanctuary that coincidentally occurred during rest hours. Heating systems malfunctioned at midnight, creating temperature fluctuations that made sustained sleep impossible. Water pipes developed leaks that produced rhythmic dripping sounds calibrated to prevent deep rest cycles. Ventilation systems emitted intermittent high-pitched frequencies just barely audible but sufficient to maintain constant low-level stress that accumulated over successive nights.
