MICHAEL
I wake up from red darkness to a room I don't recognize. My head hurts; there's a crease of pain on one side of my skull and the rest throbs dully. But I'm warm, and even though there's a hard surface under me and have no idea what is going on, I'm safe.
At least for the time being.
Someone is moving around near me. I peek through my lashes and see firelight; heat radiates against my side and I'm lying next to a wood stove. There's a pillow under my head and a comforter wrapped around me, and not one but three cats curled up between me and the wood stove. I'm in street clothes, including a leather coat. My boots are on, and my hair feels damp and pasty.
My head feels ready to split open.
A woman is moving around the room, red hair bouncing against her shoulders. She's bundled
