Apocalypseland, meet Robert Langdon. Robert, meet Apocalypseland.
It had not been the first time in Robert's life that he had fallen from the sky. Last time, however, he was fortunate enough to have landed in a river after using a parachute to considerably slow his fall. This time? Not so lucky.
He wants to scream as he feels gravity tugging him down, faster and faster, closer and closer to the ground but the only thing he can do is attempt to brace himself for the crash landing. Maybe even death.
I'm going to die. My nine lives have run out. I'm going to die.
Milliseconds that seem like hours pass as he makes his final descent. Silently praying, he closes his eyes tight and takes one last breath before --
He wakes with a start. His heart is racing, he's covered in a fine, cold sweat, and his eyes look as though they're about to bulge from their sockets. He's staring up at the sky he just "fell" from with a look of pure terror on his face. Uncertain of his life status, he takes a breath.
He's alive. He's sore, but... alive, and that's the important thing. Then, just to be sure he's in one piece, he wiggles every finger, toe, and limb.
Check, check, check.
As he sits up, he feels his fingers close in around cold handfuls of dirt and rock. His bloodshot blue eyes scan the dark area and his jaw, as well as the rest of his body, goes limp.
"... shit." Not again.
He closes his eyes as quickly as he opened them, forcing the images from his mind all at once. Slowly, he pictures himself back in the room he fell asleep in, in his own bed, warm and calm and dreaming of pleasant things.
There's a sudden breeze. The sting of the cold air and the stench it brings along with it is enough to snap Langdon out of his daze, forcing his eyes open once more. Skeletons of buildings lay stretched out before him. There's dust and dirt everywhere; the whole place seems deserted, save for a rather large building in the distance that's showing signs of life.
Instinctively and without a second thought, Langdon springs to his feet and starts running.