Chapter 11 - Nova

I had been pushed into the deep end, the pool floor ten feet below me. I’m trying hard to get my head above the water and I know that if I can relax I could probably figure out the floating thing. But I screamed as I fell into the water and I can feel my lungs constricting and burning for air. There’s no relaxing when you’re running out of air.

But even I know this much about the human body: if your body needs oxygen desperately then there’s no way that you can stop it from taking a breath. You can put it off for a bit, but your body will eventually force you to take a breath.

So, yeah. I’m panicking just a bit. I try with uncoordinated slices and slaps of my hands at the water to pull myself up as I continue to sink down into the water. I try to kick my legs like I’ve seen others do when they swim, but I’m too panicked. All I was doing was tiring myself out and burning the little bit of air that I still have in my lungs.

It doesn’t take lon