Looking around, I didn't know where my old world had gone. The brick, slate, and stone of Drake Rosemont Preparatory Academy were nowhere to be found. I was in what looked to be a jungle. The vegetation was thick, lush, impenetrable as a wall. I pushed away vines, mossy branches, and leaves the size of manhole covers. I closed my eyes against prickers and thorns, but when the branches snapped back like clawed hands, I opened them again. Desperately, I looked in all directions. My brown school oxfords made sucking sounds as I walked. I felt as if I were being pulled down, like the jungle might consume me. When my foot landed ankle-deep in mud, I was forced to stop and try to pull myself together. What I needed was some water. I reached for my bottle in a side compartment of my backpack. Then realized I wasn't carrying anything. I had nothing but the clothes I was wearing. This fact panicked me even more. I didn't even know how to function without my cell, my iPad, and my laptop. They were as much a part of my everyday life as my toothbrush. Excerpted from Damselfly: A Novel by Chandra Prasad All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.