The Amnesiac's Secret

Chapter One: Awakening

Dr. Evelyn Carter groaned as consciousness returned, her mind swimming in a foggy haze. She was lying on something hard and uneven. Gravel? She tried to open her eyes, but a sharp pain shot through her temples, forcing them shut again. What had happened?

A dull, persistent throbbing pulsed at the back of her head, and the taste of copper filled her mouth. Slowly, Evelyn forced her eyes open, blinking against the harsh daylight. She found herself in a narrow alley, the high walls of grimy buildings looming on either side. Discarded newspapers fluttered in the breeze, and a stray cat watched her from a safe distance, its eyes reflecting curiosity and caution.

With a groan, Evelyn pushed herself up onto her elbows, her vision swimming as she surveyed her surroundings. Panic gnawed at the edges of her consciousness. She couldn't remember how she'd ended up here. The last clear memory she had was of performing a late-night surgery at St. Mary's Hospital. She remembered the sterile smell of the operating room, the beeping of the monitors, and then...nothing.

She glanced at her watch, hoping for a clue, but the face was cracked, the hands frozen at 2:17. Evelyn's stomach churned as she tried to piece together the lost time. How long had she been out? Her hand trembled as she touched the back of her head, wincing at the tender lump she found there. Someone must have hit her.

Staggering to her feet, she leaned against the alley wall for support. Her clothes were dirty, her scrubs smeared with grime and blood—not her own, she realized with a shiver. She checked her pockets, finding her phone miraculously intact but drained of battery. Her wallet and ID were missing.

Fighting the rising tide of panic, Evelyn took a deep breath and forced herself to think logically. She needed help, and she needed answers. She stumbled towards the mouth of the alley, emerging onto a busy street where pedestrians bustled past, absorbed in their own lives.

"Excuse me," she called out to a passerby, but the woman hurried on without a glance. Evelyn tried again, this time catching the attention of a middle-aged man in a business suit.

"Sir, please, can you help me?" Her voice was hoarse, desperate.

The man frowned but stopped, looking her up and down with a mix of suspicion and concern. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," Evelyn admitted, tears stinging her eyes. "I...I don't remember what happened. I need to get to a police station."

The man hesitated, then nodded. "There's one a few blocks from here. I'll take you."

As they walked, Evelyn's mind raced. She felt like she was teetering on the edge of an abyss, the missing hours a black void that threatened to swallow her whole. How had she ended up in that alley? Who had attacked her?

They reached the police station, a squat brick building that seemed to loom over her as she entered. The officer at the front desk looked up, her expression turning from boredom to curiosity as she took in Evelyn's disheveled appearance.

"How can I help you?" the officer asked, her tone professional.

"I..." Evelyn's voice faltered. "I don't remember what happened. I woke up in an alley, and I think I've been attacked. My name is Dr. Evelyn Carter."

The officer's eyes widened slightly at the name. "Dr. Carter, the neurosurgeon?"

Evelyn nodded. "Yes, that's me."

"Hold on, let me get someone to assist you." The officer picked up the phone, her voice low as she spoke into it.

A moment later, a detective appeared, his expression serious. "Dr. Carter, I'm Detective Harris. Please, come with me."

Evelyn followed him to a small interrogation room, her anxiety mounting. Harris gestured for her to sit and took the seat opposite, studying her with a piercing gaze.

"Dr. Carter, can you tell me the last thing you remember?"

Evelyn recounted the surgery, the late-night shift, and waking up in the alley. Harris listened without interruption, his face unreadable.

When she finished, he leaned forward, his eyes sharp. "Dr. Carter, do you have any idea why someone would want to harm you?"

She shook her head, bewildered. "No, I don't. I've never had any enemies, at least none that I know of."

Harris sighed, his expression grave. "There's something you need to know. About two nights ago, a high-profile politician was assassinated. The evidence we've gathered points to a suspect who matches your description."

Evelyn's blood ran cold. "That's impossible. I would never—"

Harris held up a hand to stop her. "I understand this is hard to believe, but we have to consider every possibility. You're not under arrest, but we need to figure out what happened during those missing hours."

Terror clawed at Evelyn's insides. She had to prove her innocence, but first, she had to remember.