I feel my heartbeat in my head, making its way down to my fingertips.

I am running. The tunnel I am running in is collapsing, caving in on itself.

Chunks of dirt and rubble rain down on me, showering my skin in an unwanted array of soot.

Why did I think this was a good idea? Risking everything to steal this piece of junk, and for what? To be rich? To bring glory to my family? Well, forget all of that, I may as well already be dead.

The small sack around my shoulder consisted of one thing; A deep blue gem. It was said to grant the user any wish.

I cry as a few specks of dirt fly into one of my eyes, blinding me momentarily. But I keep running. I will never stop running.

My legs are worked raw. I start to slow down, my body succumbing to muscle fatigue. If I stop now, I will surely die. Every part of my body will be buried in the ground, and dirt will fill my mouth and nostrils and inevitably make its way into my lungs, suffocating me. But that’s only if I don’t die on impact.

I stumble on every single rock that passes under my feet. This, combined with the fact that it feels like my legs are about to fall off, make all hope inside me disintegrate.

Death looms over my shoulders as I use up my last bit of energy. Running. Still running.

“Maddie!” I hear a random voice call. My head snaps up, and I take a look at my scenery.

Not a cave. Not a dirt tunnel.

My backyard.

The air smells of hotdogs and grill smoke. The sounds of adults talking and little cousins running around gleefully in the grass fills my ears.

I look down. My hands are clutching the book so tightly my knuckles are white. My heartbeat slows, becoming more relaxed as I realize I’m not in a collapsing tunnel. I’m at a family Summer cookout.

Again, my mother calls my name. “Maddie! Come on, fix a plate! Foods ready.”

I breathe in the smells around me, get up, and go on my way, leaving my book in the grass behind me to be continued.