Use the simple present tense or past tense, and try to tell what happened. Aim to give your audience the facts that created a strong feeling. Rather than simply saying, “I was devastated,” for example, say something more like,

“I felt the floor start to crack. I felt my left foot slip in. . . .” Many storytellers like to use the straight present tense for a feeling of immediacy. “I hear a creak. I look down. The floor opens up. My left foot slips in. . . .”