t long, orange shadows acr

off the radio. She was carefully applying a coat of bright,

r opened with

gray, and the dark bags under his eyes made him look like he h

e tiny brush freezing

ve trousers, and the way he leaned heavily against the wall.

in the air. "Did you go drinking behind the bleachers

ided her eyes, staring fixedly at

," Kristopher stammered, his voice trembling slightly. "I

pathetic, logical lie. She didn't ask if he n

ust don't expect me to make dinner. Alissa hasn't done a single chor

name, Kristopher's entire

lterated terror widened his eyes. He gripped t

er," Kristopher blurted

looked at her husband like h

ped. "Since when do y

, trying to backtrack. "I just... I have a headache. I

er turned and practically dragged himsel

standing perfectly still in th

d. The tape was working

ck into her bedroom, locking the woo

weater, leaving her in just a

acked full-length mirror

arms were thin, lacking any real muscle definition. The dark purple

. Her muscles ached with a deep, throbbing soreness. She

If she faced someone who knew how to fight, she

the mirror and stood in

rished body would suffer from rhabdomyolysis or a hea

ith isometr

d lowered herself into a qua

rely on her quadriceps, forcing the muscle fiber

. Her legs began t

Sweat beaded on her forehead, sliding down her pa

eathing in a harsh, rhyth

standing up. Her legs felt like jelly, but he

and pushed. She didn't move the wall, but she forced her chest

ilent work, Alissa collapsed onto th

a and pulled out the cr

unt of cash. Muscle required p

elow, in the overgrown backyard, was

edge of the property months ago-her only sanctuary away from Ainsley's demands. The stunted stalks were

y and grabbed a towel to wi

the household's resources. And she k