The darkness turned to sharp jabbing knives as Alex slowly became aware of her surroundings. Her head hung forward making her neck ache. Every time she sucked a breath in, it felt like someone was drilling a hole into her right lung. Must be a broken rib. She had seen that before. It was probably a beautiful plum color. She let her inner self laugh at her little joke.

Alex opened one eye and tried to open the other, but the swollen lid puckered painfully. The metal chair ...