He got to the topmost branch that he was going to climb to, and, before warning himself, looked down.  It stunned him how quickly the ground came up to slam him.  He knew he had fallen and that he was badly damaged.  He felt no pain worth mentioning, but was sure he could move no part of his body.  His limbs had as if lost connection to his mind — which he sensed was still his.  He didn’t think he had much time left to be alive, so he took in a breath, to enjoy.  The short breath felt warm, and filled him up enough that he felt something move.  He breathed in deeper.  His lower back straightened a bit to take in the air, and, quite naturally, a hand moved to feel and support his back.  Another breath and it was as though a switch had been snapped, his limbs found his mind, and they moved almost instantaneously — as if hurrying, he later said, to fulfill a stern command long ago given.  He realized that he had almost talked himself into an early death, and been saved, somehow, by taking in a breath.