Hauled up and down in a bucket. Clattering against the sides. Skin scraping. Water escaping each time. Precious water. Every drop guarded. Needed.
Deep in the well of darkness. Cold. Unable to move. Beyond exhausted. Five times dipped before the hard shell becomes pliable. Cracks. Water evaporating.
Water. To keep going. To push through. To slake and plump up. Precious few drops at the bottom of the well now.
To descend again? When the well is almost empty. When there is water at the entrance to the well.
