then a sudden crash that knocked the air out of my lungs. A

pen and once I succeeded, the world

ld silver light. I looked up to find the full moon, waxing a

tructure. There was a huge rectangular hollow in the c

but lay motionless on the cold ground. There wasn't a

n the air. With a great effort, I was able to pro

he top. I felt as if I got stuck in a prison cell or some dark pit. The soreness on my back caused me to flinch as I staggered onto my feet. The c

his place?

p there?" I cried, my voice bounced off the walls. I called t

red what had happened to our archaeological team and

nd found my brown satchel dangling from my shoulder as always.

hat I could squeeze through, except the one at the top. But I w

pping each other like a giant staircase.

I said to myself. I had done that a few times with Dad and tw

n I put my foot in the gap between the stones and pushed myself up. I felt m

eathed. "One do

y footing twice but managed to cling onto the stone. By now, my fingernails were s

labored breathing. The aches in my back and shoulders worsened. I wondered if I would

arkness slowly disappeared, a slight hint of hope surged in my heart again. I couldn't gi

a sacrificing pit or what?" I muttered to myself. And with a little strength from my

ng and pulled myself out of the pit. Thank goodness, I was lig

a long moment, I just lay down and breathed, thanking myself for being alive after

an. All I saw were the treetops. Behind me was a giant Lingam made of bronze —the symbol of Shiva, another Hindu god my Dad had told me. There w

d everything appeared quite new yet very ancient at the same time. I remembered the in

d see sugar palm trees a

ds the edge. Maybe I could call for help from up here. But then I witnesse

eyes taking in miles afte

ns, man-made ponds, roads, and urban blocks. They were organized into a solid metropolitan glamor with s

spee

lains. It shaped like a Mayan temple. As I inspected the details some more, I recogni

amid temple, I had a hard time explaining t

—I know it. Definitely a dream —yes —what else could that be? That's alrig

t, I pinched m

ress the panic chill in my bones, yet my

I whimpered. My throat

slowly illuminated the city, which was still there even after I blinked severa

w in a daze and sat down with my ba

to me," I muttered, hugging

and the lunar eclipse. And here I was in the pit of a pyramid temple, not to