Breathing Rhyme Novels & Stories

Every breath. How cruel.

My breathing began to betray me first. It came shallow, uneven—each inhale catching halfway down like my lungs had forgotten the sequence. I tried to pull in more air, deeper, steadier, but it only made it worse. My chest tightened, ribs locking as if something inside me was bracing for impact that had already come.

I just stayed exactly where I was and kept my eyes on hers and let my voice be the steadiest thing in the space. "Breathe out first," I said. "Don't try to breathe in yet. Just let the air out slowly." She tried. It came out shaky but it came out. "Good. Now on, Slow, Don't rush it." She breathed in. Still short, but a little deeper than before. "Out again. Same pace."

“Everything is fine.” I didn’t even realize I wasn’t breathing until he pointed it out. “Lisa, baby,” he murmurs, his tone filled with gentle reassurance. “You need to stay with me. Just listen to my voice, okay? Breathe. Breathe for me.” He takes a deep breath, demonstrating for me, and I find myself mirroring his movements. Slowly but surely, my breathing steadies. The tightness in my chest loosens, and I can finally inhale deeply on my own.

-Skylar- Suddenly, the pain stopped and everything around me looked completely different. Not in the sense that I was in a new environment, the way I was seeing everything was different. It was like I had a new pair of eyes; everything was much sharper. My nose filled with the most beautiful scent, cinnamon, my nose followed the scent, landing on Aspen. I looked at him, only to see him looking at me with complete and utter shock. I tried to get out some words, wanting to ask what was wrong, but nothing came out apart from a howl. Why was I howling?

Nick mocked and I glared at him. “What’s popcorn, Aiv? Do we have to throw popcorn in the air and eat it? Will it pop in the air?” Cherry giggled. “No, Cherry. Let me explain how you play it,” I tucked my hair behind my ears and clasped my hands together. “One of us will be the popcorn and that person will have to curl up on the trampoline mat, holding his/her knees to his/her chest. Then, the other players will try to “pop the popcorn” by bouncing either on their knees or cautiously on their feet. And when the popcorn “pops” by letting go of his/her knees, the popcorn will exchange places with one of the other players. Got it, Cherry?” I explained and asked if our little sister understood t

The world starts to darken, and everything is shivering… Suddenly, two warm arms wrap around me, and I feel a steady heartbeat next to mine. A gust of hot breath rushes at my ear, “Brooke, breathe. Come on, breathe with me. There's nothing to fear. Just inhale, and exhale. Do it with me, follow my rhythm. You can do this.”

I fight myself and try to convince myself there is air, that this is not really and to keep breathing. 'Breath, keeping breathing.... breath!' I tell myself, but its no use, with each breath I take is shallower and shallower, containing less and less air. 'For fuck sakes, Breathe!' I shout at myself, 'breathe, come on, fucking hell, BREA...'

her voice interrupted me but I was still unfocused. “Hey, hey” she tapped my cheeks softly. “Look at me Anna, look at me. Now breathe in slowly and breathe out” Her hands were still on my cheeks, they felt warm. “1. 2, 3,4” she counted “each exhale, each inhales”, and I followed her commands, breathing in through my nose, letting air rush out of my mouth, and exhaling through my mouth, repeating these actions until I found myself slowing down my frantic heartbeat and I could breathe normally once more.

It takes a second, but Autumn obeys, looking at me again. “Good. Good girl. Now I’m going to put your hand here, alright?” I put her hand on my chest, spreading her fingers out so they’re splayed open. “I want you to feel my breathing and breathe when I do. It’s going to be hard at first, but keep trying, okay? Can you do that for me?” She nods once more, and I take a deep breath, holding it a bit. It takes her a few tries to be able to breathe steadily, but soon enough we’re breathing in a rhythm together. I keep praising her, and my brothers join in, telling her she’s doing well.