The pungent smell of floor cleaner and chemical disinfectant stung Beatrice's nose. The overpowering odor forced her eyelids open. The stuffy air, thick with dust, immediately assaulted her throat, triggering a short cough that got stuck in her dry throat.
Her vision was still blurry as she spun, gazing into the thick darkness surrounding her. When she reflexively tried to move her arm, Beatrice's elbow struck the wall. The impact was followed by the clatter of a plastic bucket and a toilet brush falling onto her dress—a Parisian designer masterpiece that had suddenly lost its grandeur.
