The voice was soothing, a balm on my frazzled nerves. I blinked against the harsh overhead lights, trying to gather my bearings. The warmth inside this new vehicle was a stark contrast to the biting cold of the snowy highway. I turned my head slightly and saw a woman, perhaps in her fifties, whose eyes were filled with concern and determination.

“You’re safe now,” she said, her hands steady as she drove. “My name’s Margaret. We’re heading to the hospital. Just hang on, okay?”I nodded weakly, grateful beyond words. Pain still coursed through me, but it was accompanied by a profound relief. Someone had found me. I wasn’t alone.