A Brutal Awakening

The pain was the first thing Vivienne noticed when she woke up. A sharp, relentless ache pulsated through her temples, spreading across her skull like a vice tightening with every beat of her heart. She groaned, barely able to open her eyes as the dim light of the room stabbed through her lids. Her wrists stung, and as she shifted, she felt the cold, unyielding bite of metal against her skin. Her