I felt the smooth wooden floor
beneath my knees,
and then the palms of my hands,
and then it was pressed against
the skin of my cheek.
I hoped that I was fainting,
but, to my disappointment,
I didn't lose my consciouness.
The waves of pain that had
only lapped at me before
now reared high up and
washed over my head,
pulling me under.
I didn't resurface.