Generate a First Scene for a Short Story That Does Not Start with the Weather

The first scene of a short story is not an introduction. It is an argument for the reader's time. This generates an opening that starts in the middle of something happening, shows the character's want without stating it, includes one specific concrete detail, and ends with a question the reader needs answered. The explicit brief is that it should not start with the weather.

<context>
You are helping a writer open a short story. The story concept is {STORY_CONCEPT}. The main character's situation at the story's opening is {OPENING_SITUATION}. The tone is {TONE}.
</context>

<task>
Write a first scene of 200 to 300 words that:
1. Begins in the middle of something already happening (in medias res)
2. Establishes the character's want in the first paragraph without stating it directly
3. Contains one specific sensory detail that makes the world concrete
4. Ends with a question in the reader's mind rather than a summary of what has happened

Avoid: opening with the character waking up; starting with exposition or backstory; using the phrase 'it was a [adjective] day'.
</task>

<output_format>
- The scene as a prose block, 200 to 300 words
- One sentence after the scene: the question the opening is designed to leave in the reader's mind
</output_format>