Her heart is racing. Her legs are getting heavier, but they keep going faster. She feels her face burning against the cold wind punching her with each step she takes. A bump in the road—she jumps over it and lands solid on the frosted ground. Focused on what’s in front of her, she forgets when this even started. Her body is begging her to stop, but she can’t stop now. If she does, everything stops. The world feels heavy on her shoulders, and her arms start lowering until she catches them and moves them back as fast as ever. Then, no lights in front of her anymore. She can’t see where she’s heading. She slows down, catches her breath, and picks up the pace right back. She’s sprinting towards the unknown now, her feet feeling bloodied, until—
“Are you listening to me?”
He’s sitting across the table, still talking. Her hands are burning, wrapped around a cup of coffee, her heart still racing.