After she was done paying at the counter, Gloria walked out of the school building feeling weak from head to toe. Her entire body ached with exhaustion, as if the forty-thousand-dollar weight had physically drained every ounce of strength from her muscles. The bright midday sun glared down mercilessly on the parking lot, turning the asphalt into a shimmering heat wave that made her head throb. She tottered unsteadily toward her beat-up old sedan, the one she'd bought second-hand years ago with savings from her first real job. Each step felt like wading through thick mud; her knees buckled slightly, forcing her to grab the car door for support just to stay upright. She fumbled the key into the lock, yanked the door open, and collapsed into the driver's seat with a heavy sigh.
For long minu
