Scarlet’s return

Scarlet finally regained her consciousness. She blinked, her eyelids heavy and sluggish. A dull throb pulsed at the back of her head, making her wince. Instinctively, she reached up to touch the source of the pain, only to find a tender lump beneath her fingertips.

Memories flooded back in a disjointed rush. She had been going home, but someone hit her from behind before she could get into the car.

"Where am I?" Her eyes, finally open, scanned the surroundings. A dingy corner of a hospital parking lot greeted her – dark, deserted, and coated in a film of grime.

She found herself lying on the cold concrete floor. Scurrying across her legs were a pair of brazen mice, nibbling at the hem of her skirt.