Ellie ran down the street, hurrying to start the first day of her second semester at university. She had slept through her alarm because she had stayed up too late the night before reading The Prince of Wrath, a novel her best friend had recommended. She hadn't quite finished the book yet and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. In fact, she was so eager that she decided to slow to a brisk walk, pull the book out of her backpack, and start reading. Ellie quickly became engrossed in the novel as she had the night before, focusing on nothing but the words on the pages before her. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a delivery truck blaring its horn at her. Without realizing it, she had stepped out onto the road and into oncoming traffic. The truck, too close to stop, struck her.

Everything went dark, and the world she'd known for the past 19 years disappeared as if it had never existed.