Ava exhaled a heavy, tired breath, the sterile scent of antiseptic still clinging to her clothes as she stepped out of the hospital's tall glass doors.
The chill of the evening air kissed her cheeks, a stark contrast to the oppressive warmth of the hospital ward she had been confined to for two long days.
She clutched the strap of her bag a little tighter and made her way toward the car park, the comforting thought of home nudging her weary limbs forward.
Her lips parted in relief as she spotted the familiar black SUV parked in its usual spot—her ride to safety, to familiarity, to peace.
But as her steps brought her closer, something blinked out of existence. The vehicle. It was gone.
Ava stopped in her tracks, her brows knitting into a frown. Her eyes scanned the lot, hoping it was simply parked somewhere else—but her gut twisted with a dreadful certainty.
She already knew who was responsible for this cruel vanishing act.
