Sweat dripping down my red heated face
My hair looks like the flared out golden main of a lion
as I hustle down the hard wooden court
My fast beating heart feels like a kangaroo jumping non stop
Catching a breath is harder than catching a cold on a warm summer day

My quick moving feet suddenly stop
The crowd gets so silent you could hear a pin drop

My tomato red face turns crystal white as I try to get air into my lungs
No matter how hard I try,
I can’t
The noise that comes out of my mouth sounds like the rusty old engine of a car trying to start up again
I am striving for a breath of air
A feeling so terrifying
Not knowing if I will ever catch a breath again