Raine

It was serene and consoling to feel like I was on a boat as the waves gently swayed and raised according to the whims of the wind. And if it weren't for the intense aching in my chest, I could have found solace in the motion.

For endless fearful minutes, my breath came in brief, uneven bursts and finally none at all. I took a strained breath, instantly regretting it as the hot, throbbing sensation turned into a full-blown, burning inferno that I had to fight back tears for. A betraying cough escaped my lips as I struggled to control the breath into and out of my lungs. Yes,...