Hold Your Breath

She sat on the cold concrete floor behind the sofa, listening for the wonted sound of his cane. Side to side it swept before touching the ground, producing a tapping rhythm that matched her steady heartbeat.

In spite of taking place in the accustomed setting of their own home, his search for her challenged his perceptiveness. If his other senses were evolved to help him make his way through the surroundings, hers were heightened with steady practice and years of serious meditation to betray his forsaken abilities.

Fear would consume her too, or so he thought, forcing her to reveal herself accidentally. He was counting on her to panic. He was waiting to sense the imbalance in the environment that it would cause. He was waiting for her to exhale. But the air in the room remained undisturbed. So far her control over breath, an art she learned at yog school years ago was holding that balance in place. Slowly but steadily it was beginning to dawn upon him just how much he had taken fear for granted.

"Keep your spine upright. Now, inhale until you feel your diaphragm expand. And hold your breath" The voice echoed in her ears. Despite the cortisol levels going through the roof, she inhaled deeply.

10 seconds...

He hurled his cane around hoping to scare her. The cane landed at the heel of the sofa, on the opposite end of from where she was. He waited, listening for her.

She sat at the same place, unflinching.

20 seconds...

He crawled on to the floor groping his way to the cane, beginning to get frustrated.

Slow and rhythmic, her breath held unbroken within her.

30 seconds...

Where are you, he whispered, barely audible. His eyes forcing themselves to see.

Thoughts focussed on the kumbhak, she stared at the wall in front of her, unblinking.

45 seconds...

He found the cane. Dragging it inelegantly through the floor, he grabbed it and stood up.

"Just one whack, sweetheart. C'mon, it won't hurt. Let's get it over with" He said, indignantly.

She brought her wrist to the eye-level and looked at the time. 7:05 pm.

60 seconds...

He was losing patience.

"Steadily now, exhale", the voice in her head instructed. As she began to, they both heard the door lock click. She stood up at the same time their daughter entered home.

"Mom, what are doing there?", she asked.

"Nothing love, dad dropped his cane. I was helping him look for it." She said, walking towards her daughter to give her a hug.

He smiled as if in agreement with his wife without the slightest discomposure despite a bitter sense of dismay overcoming him at finding how within reach she had been.

"Hi, Dad. Let's go eat something? I'm sure you haven't eaten yet."

"No, darling. Never without you.", He said.

As the daughter hung her coat in the rack and took off her socks and shoes, she set the table, her eyes fixed upon him.

She had known for a while now. She was beginning to acclimate.

Being still meant living another day.