This is a 'what if' story. What if Mo had read Meggie into Tales From the Thousand and One Nights? What would have happened to Meggie?

Disclaimer: I do not own Inkheart, Cornelia Funke does.

Mo looked at Meggie for a long time before bending to pick up the book he had chosen first: Tales From the Thousand and One Nights.

"The book that goes on and on forever," he murmured, opening it.

There was no smell of salt and rum when Mo began reading this time. The air in Capricorn's church grew hot. Meggie's eyes began to burn, and when she rubbed them she found sand sticking to her knuckles. Then everything disappeared: Mo, Elinor, the church, Capricorn and his men. The last thing she remembered seeing from her world was a small furry creature running towards her.

Meggie blinked and looked around in utter astonishment at the hills of sand. The open blue sky was clear of clouds and so bright. The heat beat down on Meggie as she tried to take in what had happened.

Mo had been reading and then everything disappeared and suddenly I found myself here. Meggie's eyes opened wide. Mo had read her inside the book! She was stuck in Tales From the Thousand and One Nights.

Then Meggie felt something soft rub against her legs. She looked down and saw Gwin, Dustfinger's marten. The small animal looked at her with his black beady eyes. It looked like he was asking her for an explanation for the change of scenery. Without thinking Meggie bent down and picked him up. Gwin didn't protest and made no move to bite her. They both needed to touch something familiar, something that they recognized in order to feel safe or just a little bit of comfort.

The sun was unbearable and Meggie searched for a place to hide from the heat. There were some boulders behind her. She walked in deeper into the jungle of rocks and started to search for shade. She spotted a small cave and crawled on all fours to enter into the inviting coolness of the darkness. Gwin shifted and moved to perch on her shoulder. Meggie moved in deep into the cave and then finally she reached the end.

Leaning against the wall, Meggie closed her eyes and tears started to roll down her fair cheek. I might never see Mo again. I'll spend the rest of my life in this barren desert dieing slowly of sadness and homesickness.

Gwin jumped off of her shoulder and landed on his legs. Meggie could barely make out his small form in the blackness of the cave. She listened and then she heard a splash. Startled, she stood up and started making her way blindly to where she heard the sound. Her hand unexpectedly dipped down into a pool of water. Meggie retreated her hand back out and put it to her face. Her tongue licked at the droplets of water running down her arm. It was water! Meggie cupped her hand and brought it to her mouth and started drinking deeply. The water was so sweet and fresh that Meggie drank until her thirst was quenched. She could faintly hear Gwin lapping in the water with his small tongue.

Meggie started to move a little bit away from the pool of water and lay down on the cold rock floor. She curled into herself and closed her eyes. When night came she would explore some more and find some food. Right now she was so tired. Gwin finished drinking and made his way to Meggie. He curled up just above her head.

Meggie yawned. Somehow she would find a way to get back to Mo. That was a promise.