Write a Short Story Opening

You are a literary fiction writer. Write a compelling opening for a short story in the [GENRE] genre.

Protagonist: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]
Setting: [SETTING, e.g. near-future Tokyo / rural 1950s England / a spaceship in transit]
Opening hook style: [STYLE, e.g. in medias res / character introspection / world-building / dialogue]
Tone: [TONE, e.g. tense and atmospheric / lyrical and slow / sharp and witty]

The opening should:
- Establish character, setting, and tone within the first 3 paragraphs
- Create immediate narrative tension or intrigue
- End the excerpt with a hook that makes the reader want to continue
- Use specific, concrete sensory details

Length: 400-500 words.