45

One. Two. Three. Four.

The first pass inconsequentially. I listen only to the beating of my own heart.

Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.

There is a pull. A smothering. The water drives against my hair. Discomfort.

Eleven. Twelve.

I don't think. Thinking consumed energy, the reactions that drive electricity through my brain use up oxygen. The less I think the longer I breathe.

Even so. My heartbeat is too fast.

Seventeen. Eighteen.

Relax. Calm down. Reduce yourself to nothing.

Twenty one. Twenty two.

It's hard now. My mouth wants to open, but there is no air to breathe. The heart beats faster then slows.

Twenty five.

Time itself is broken into pieces of five seconds each. At the end of each- I beg for five more.

Already, a numb despair is beginning to sink in.

Don't panic. Here is a situation where losing your cool can actually make a difference between life and death.

Thirty.

Burning, horrible.

breathe...

Give me FIVE MORE!

Thirty four, Thirty five.

Panic taking over.

breathe!

Aargh.

Thirty eight.

The senses begin to decay. Hope, confidence, decays. This is a fight now.

Thirty nine.

Forty.

I am aware of what it must feel like, to be face to face with death.

Breathe!

Forty one.

The despair soaks through the soul. Black fire burns within my chest.

Forty two.

Everything gives way.

BREATHE!

Forty three.

Peace. Resignation.

Forty four.

There is Nothing.

Forty five.

BREATHE!

My head explodes out of the water and into air, every cell in the body burns for breath.

Halogen lights pierce into my skull as my lungs devour the wind.

I am resurrected.

No one else in the pool notices.

breathe