Chapter 1 - Beneath the Surface
The rim of the white plastic bucket bit into Maya’s throat.
Gray water pressed hard against her closed eyelids, stinging her swollen skin.
The grip on the back of her neck was iron.
Linda’s fingernails—painted a precise, unchipped coral—dug deep into the roots of Maya’s dark hair.
Five seconds.
Six seconds.
Maya’s fingers scraped uselessly against the cold hardwood floor, leaving thin trails of water.
With a sharp jerk, Linda hauled her up.
Maya gasped, the icy air burning her lungs like swallowed glass.
Water streamed down her face, pooling in the dark, purple ring under her left eye.
Linda leaned in close, the collar of her pink plush bathrobe smelling faintly of lavender bleach.
"Maybe this will teach you respect."
Linda’s voice was barely a whisper, smooth and unhurried.
Maya wiped her mouth with the back of her wet forearm, her breathing ragged and shallow.
On the floor, a small plastic tea saucer lay cracked beneath the edge of the bucket.
It belonged to a set bought three Christmases ago.
Maya did not speak.
May you like
Her jaw remained locked, her body trembling violently under her soaked grey sweater.
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