"Xie Zhi! Where are you!?"

A pale looking woman with panda eyes quickly got up from chair. Before she can say anything, the middle aged woman continues talking.

"Your clothes! Do you think you are the only one who needs to use the washing machine! It has been there for days! Do you purposely leave it there so I will be the one who wash it for you? Do you think I am your servant? I already cook for you but you don't even finish the food. What more do you want me to do for you? You are so damn lazy you don't even do dishes. How are you going to get married if you can't even do these basic chores! Huh! Go wash the clothes! And don't you dare daydream again! How much do you think I had to pay for electricity last month? If you are washing clothes then you should stand in front of the machine and watch it! Not leaving the water pump running while you just laze around!!!"

Xie Zhi just keeps her eyes on the ground. She wants to say that she only left the clothes in the morning so it is only half a day not days. She wants to say that she washed dishes today just not yesterday. She wants to scream to her mother to stop bringing marriage everytime. But she didn't. Because she knows things will get worse if she says anything back. Her mother will yell back the same thing she always used as a weapon. That she is an unfilial daughter for daring to talk back to her mother and that as a woman she shouldn't talk in a loud voice because again, no one will marry her for that.

She wanted to at least say that she didn't mean to waste electricity but lately she just feels so tired. As a result she ended up sitting on the chair instead of standing to watch as usual.

But again, she won't say it. Because tiredness is another reason that will get her yelled at.

After all, how could she, the daughter, be tired from doing all chores that her mother has done many many years before her? So no, tiredness is just an excuse. Even if she does actually feel dizzy lately it is, to her mother, just an excuse. 

So Xie Zhi just walked past her mother while keeping her head down.

It hurts. Everything hurts.

Xie Zhi doesn't understand why, but everything hurts. Her jaw feels sore, which is why she didn't finish her food. And she is really confused on why her left hand feels numb when she sleeps on the right side.

She started sweating. It feels uncomfortable but she didn't dare to change clothes. She has already washed so many clothes these last 3 days because she keeps sweating so she didn't dare to change again.

The wet damp shirt clinging to her skin. Her breath started to quicken. Her vision starts to get blurry. And her heart feels like it has been grabbed by something.

But she didn't dare to sit.

She watches, as the number on the washing machine gets closer to when she should stop the water pump.

But before she could pause the machine, the most excruciating pain she ever felt in her entire life suddenly hit her like a brick.

Her mouth is slightly open but there is no sound coming out. Not even a gasp.

She falls. Her body hit the floor with a loud thud but she doesn't feel pain at all. Because her heart already stopped working.

And she lay there, on a cold hard floor until 2 hours later her mother found her, with eyes still wide open.

Author's notes :

I can't get this idea out of my mind so here it is.