Emma POV

The smell of soap made me sick. It stayed in my nose, in my throat. My hands shook. The bucket beside me was half full, the water gray and warm. I could barely lift it anymore.

Still, I didn’t stop.

If I stopped, I’d think. If I thought, I’d remember his voice.

Alice’s steps came slow from behind me. “Emma,” she said, soft. “That’s enough for today.”

I didn’t look at her. “Just one more wall.”

She sighed. “You’ve been saying that since ...