I take a breath.

Silence bubbles up to ears and muffles

The sound surrounding me. My

Hands curling, my fingers dig into my palm

With the viciousness only found in survival.

I take a breath.

Before me lies the enemy, as I hover

Beaten and bloody with my stomach

Sunk down to my toes and curling,

Threatening to evict what actually belongs.

I take a breath.

Somehow I'm breathing yet there is

No air in my lungs. I try again and

Again, speeding up as my lungs feel tighter,

Restricting and crushing the breath from inside.

I take a breath.

Someone stands before me now,

Struggling to communicate to me through

The cotton deep in my ears and my tongue,

Choking me, blocking any words inside.

I take a breath.

Shuttled back with warm hands

Escaping for cold looks and

My tongue gets buried deep in my chest,

Crashing as my stomach falls down to my feet.

I take a breath.

Days pass and suddenly

Before me lies the enemy. As I hover,

The word begins to shake around me.

Or no, that’s just my hands.

I take a breath.

The air in my lungs does its best to

Escape, and for a second

I’m dying,

But no. I’m just breathing too quickly.

I take a breath.

Slowing down, I clear

My throat and think, think, think.

Cruel looks are thrown-

But no! Not cruel, concerned looks are given.

I take a breath,

Close my eyes and when I open them

My enemies are gone, replaced

With my assertion that everything will be

Okay.

I take a breath,

Shoot those before me a smile,

Click the button to begin my

Presentation and, finally,

Force my muscles to relax.

I take a breath,

Not out of fear, or some

Evolving notion that

The end is nigh,

But rather, because I must.

I take a breath,

And it’s not as bad as I previously

led myself to believe.

It’s not really that bad at all.

Truly, it’s actually a bit good.

I continue taking breaths.

I breathe, and breathe, and breathe.