In The End: Prologue My heartbeat quickens until it pounds so rapidly that it feels like it might just explode out of my chest. Maybe it will. That'd be all right. I used to not be afraid of anything, but right now, my fear is valid. Very valid. My head starts spinning, like I'm running out of air; like my lungs have shriveled up. Maybe they have. That'd be okay too. Either way, I can't breathe. I can't move, can't think. I can't do this.