[Long] You discover that you have the ability to breathe underwater, but you’re not alone

It was a warm, dry night in August when I discovered that I was capable of holding my breath for more than the average person. I had spent the day with my best friend, Rachel, at a water park in town, and she had convinced me to try my hand at holding my breath for more time than I had ever held it for before. I was a bit skeptical, but she promised that I could do it.<br><br>I stood on the edge of the pool, the water lapping gently against my toes. Rachel stood beside me, her hand on my shoulder as I took a deep breath in.<br><br>“One hundred and one,” I counted aloud.<br><br>I felt a strange tingling sensation in my lungs, and my body began to relax, letting go of the tension that had built up over the past few weeks. My mind started to wander, and I thought about the latest movie I’d seen with Rachel. The colors seemed a little more vibrant than usual, and the water seemed to be shimmering in the light.<br><br>“One hundred and two,” I said, my voice steady and calm.<br><br>I felt my heart rate slow, and my breathing became shallower. I started to feel like I was floating on a cloud, and the sensation of being underwater became almost surreal.<br><br>“One hundred and three,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper now.<br><br>I was lost in a sea of blue, surrounded by the gentle ripples of the water. I could see the outline of the lifeguard tower above me, but I couldn’t feel any pressure in my lungs. It was as if I was flying above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and four,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, and the sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on air. I could feel the water rushing past me, but it didn’t seem to affect me. I was completely still, completely calm.<br><br>“One hundred and five,” I said, my voice barely audible.<br><br>I was starting to feel a strange sensation, like my body was shifting and changing in some way. It was as if my lungs were expanding, growing larger and larger until I felt like I was floating on a balloon.<br><br>“One hundred and six,” I said, my voice now almost inaudible.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and seven,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and eight,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and nine,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and ten,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and eleven,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twelve,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and thirteen,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and fourteen,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and fifteen,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and sixteen,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and seventeen,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and eighteen,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and nineteen,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-one,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-two,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-three,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-four,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-five,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-six,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-seven,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-eight,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and twenty-nine,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and thirty,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and thirty-one,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.<br><br>I was completely still, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was floating above the water, looking down at the pool from a bird’s-eye view.<br><br>“One hundred and thirty-two,” I said, my voice fading into silence.<br><br>I was completely relaxed, completely calm. The sensation of being underwater was almost like floating on a cloud, and I felt like I was