…
Re-learning to breathe.
…
In… Out… In… Out…
Once upon a time it had been easy; automatic even. She'd never had to think about it. But now each breath was bitter and stale; every mouthful ripped her throat and choked her lungs. It used to be simple, but now each gasp took tiring effort, and she counted the gaps between each breath.
When she was younger she thought that she had forever before her, that the day her heart stalled and her breath caught wouldn't come for years. She'd been wrong. These days her heart stalled with every glimpse of her old life, and her breathing was a laborious task. It was as if her body had shut down and her efforts were the only thing keeping her from submission.
It had been uncomplicated when she was younger; when she was innocent, when she was happy, when she was naive. It had been uncomplicated when her mother was still around, when her best friend was still alive, when her boyfriend didn't pretend that she was invisible, when the people around her had cared.
Things weren't that straightforward anymore. But she was relearning. She wasn't so raw anymore; but for the most part she remembered to breathe, and each time it was becoming less arduous.
Maybe with time it would become automatic again, but until then she'd keep counting, keep trying, and keep re-teaching herself the habits of breathing. And eventually she would re-learn.
In… Out… In… Out…
…
Note: Yes, it was short. And I DO apologise for that, and for the lack of updates on my other works, but even if you're angry at me, please review this story. If you like, let me know. If you don't like, tell me what I could do differently.
Imagine I'm a starving African child, and reviews were food. I'm hungry, feed me!
Thanks for reading.