Polished Torment

Cold dishwater soaked into my raw knuckles as another afternoon blurred into sheer physical misery. My chest ached from the relentless pace, my overworked heart thumping so hard it felt close to giving out altogether.

My arms and legs had quit on me days ago. How I still managed to drag myself across the house and keep moving was completely beyond me. My spirit had hit rock bottom, and right now,