The Final Breath

A young girls near-death experience. (100 words or less for this particular contest)

With float tube in hand, I cautiously descended into the murky water of the swim hole.

The muddy bottom disappeared from under my feet. I fought to grip the tube. It flipped over, slipping away from me. I was weakening, losing the battle.

"Please, help me!" I pleaded.

I took a final ragged breath, the dark waters swallowing me, as life slipped away and oblivion set in.

My chest was being crushed by an unbearable weight. I began choking, water sputtering from my nose and mouth, disorientation and fear shrouded my mind. The sweet breath of life swept through me.