Ananya had been running for what felt like an eternity. For a full hour, she had pushed her body past its limits, her bare feet slamming against the jagged stones of the road and the thorny floor of the jungle. Without shoes, her soles were a map of deep bruises and raw cuts, but the adrenaline kept her moving.

Finally, her strength vanished. She collapsed onto the dirt, her legs folding under her. There was no end to the path, and her body was giving out. She lay there, gasping for air so deeply that she couldn't even swallow; her breath came in ragged hitches, and she sobbed into the dust, her chest burning with every heave.