She was swimming underwater.

It was peaceful to be swimming like this. The light was low and the water was warm and the sounds were all muted and distant and interestingly warped. Those could be things to pay attention to, if she wanted to- to chase the sounds until they became voices until they became vowels until they became words- but right now it felt good just to dive through sounds in the same way she dove further into the water. The flow of words would still guide her whether she dove or floated or twisted through them. She remembered what it was like to swim when she was a kid- not worrying about structure and form  but flipping through the water like a mermaid. 

And, like a mermaid, she could breathe easily here. In fact, breathing was more comfortable- her deep, even breaths seemed to flow through her whole body, a tide of soothing repetition. ("Breathe out tension, breathe in calm" a thought swam by- and then skittered away from her again like a fish.)  The usual tightness in her chest had disappeared and her body somehow both sank motionlessly and flittered around gracefully with no effort on her part. They both just happened in the same way that everything just happened in this place. The pain that should be there and wasn't didn't bother her- it was detached and floating far away, way back on the surface. 

Suddenly, there was a disturbance from above. There was motion as she felt herself involuntarily swimming upward-  sense of urgency  pushing her back up to where she began to make out voices...

Then-

A hand on her head.

A voice:

Shhhhh. It's OK. None of your concern right now.

Down.

The firm hand pushed her under again- gentle but unyielding.

She sank, unconcerned.

Grateful.

Things of the surface didn't need to bother her right now.

Right now, she didn't need to worry about any of it.

Right now, she could just be free.