Breathing

Posted on 26 Feb 2018 @ 7:23pm by Petty Officer 3rd Class Constantin Vansen

282 words; about a 1 minute read

It's difficult to draw breath when you feel like you are drowning. Or that your lungs are struggling to process the oxygen in the air. It makes you gasp, makes your entire body burn. This happens when a person is under great stress. At times, it is a life or death situation, such as...

Lack of oxygen.

Explosive decompression.

Or water.

Or a nasty atmosphere on a planet that is in no way an M-class.

Or...

Running in the gym.

You know, if you are me. Don't get me wrong, I am physically fit. Proper to Starfleet standard. I just sometimes forget that bodies, my body, has limits. And then I lose track of time until I am in this situation.

Bent over, covered in sweat, gasping for breath with trembling hands resting on my knees. Luckily I am alone. Last time I was stupid, I had some poor officer come to me to check on me.

Now that took some explaining.

I let myself collapse onto my knees and ease back, looking at the ceiling as I try to control my lungs.

Exercise is good for me. It helps my body withstand this world. It helps me process my medication.

Over-exercising is as smart as jumping into a warp core, only less deadly. Truth is, when I get like this, when the noise in my head quiets down and all I hear is my frantic breathing and heart trying to cope...

I feel both strong and vulnerable.

So I let myself get to this every now and then. Better than to pick a fight and risk breaking a lot of bones. This, at least, only involves me.

Me and my breathing.

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