Sleep had been a difficult feat that night. Not because of the unfamiliar surroundings or bed. Rather it was the thoughts of the previous day that kept Marcella awake. Late night ponderings of unknown threats, mysterious illnesses, and a clandestine puzzle hidden by a friend. They left Marcella in a buzzed state of delirium that ended up with her stuck in a half-dazed state until the sun's rays crept into the room.

Marcella stirred when a sudden orchestra of noise invaded her sleep. Yawning, she hauled herself out of bed and, with only a nightgown and her fingers to tame her bed wild hair, she slipped out the door.