The gripping opening to the fantasy-mystery novel series The Lost.
When Mike leaves the store, he finds himself in an endless desert that strips him of his memories. No way back. No explanation. Only a vast jungle on the horizon and the comforting certainty that this can only be a dream. So he sets off.
Inside the jungle, he discovers a valley filled with grotesque creatures that stare at him from the shadows. As more people arrive, confused, thirsty, and desperate, some of them develop powers. Others lose their minds. Mike clings to his theory: he's dreaming, and none of this is real.
But if that's true, why doesn't he wake up? And why is he so afraid to die?