The sun had barely risen when Claire opened her eyes to the cold, clinical stillness of the private cell she had been locked up in for the past two nights. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional sound of footsteps from officers patrolling the hallway or distant voices echoing off concrete walls. She shifted on the narrow cot, her body aching from the stiffness of sleeping in such a confined space. The fluorescent light above flickered weakly, casting harsh shadows that only heightened her sense of isolation.
Her heart leapt slightly when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps outside her cell door, a faint metallic rattle accompanying them. She sat up, brushing her tangled hair behind her ears and trying to steady her breathing. Moments later, the barred door creaked open, and her mother stepped into view, accompanied by a uniformed officer. Claire stood up at once, her eyes wide and searching.
