It was still deep into the early hours before dawn when Kitty slowly came to, the sterile white ceiling above her swimming in and out of focus as the haze in her mind gradually receded. Her throat felt dry, her head throbbed, and every movement sent a dull ache rippling through her body. It took her a few seconds to realize she was in a hospital room.
A nurse noticed her stirring and quickly called for the attending doctor. Still groggy, Kitty forced herself to sit up, her voice hoarse as she asked what had happened.
Only after questioning the doctor did she learn that she had been carried into the emergency department by two unfamiliar men. By the time they brought her in, she had already been semi-conscious, barely responsive, her awareness drifting in and out as if she were submerged
