Write 4 Ten: Lozenge

I was inspired to write this piece based on one of my phobias…

Sat there on the sofa in her Pjs and with a duvet over her she gazed at the TV. Her nose was bunged up and she was forced to sit open mouthed in order to breathe. Her only interruption was a niggling yet persistent cough. It didn’t want to commit to being a big hearty cough, oh no, it liked to sit there at the back of her throat occasionally stroking her tonsils and setting them to itch mode. Her chest was laden with a sheen of vapour rub but for all the effect it was having she might have well used vegetable oil. Beside her was a glass of water and a combination of used and fresh tissues.

She dreamed of respite from this blasted cold as she popped another lozenge into her mouth. A yummy cherry one – there were some perks - but as she threw it in and then yanked the duvet back onto her (it had a habit of sliding off) the lozenge lodged in her throat. She released the duvet and half choked and coughed, choughed?,  in order to dislodge the lozenge, in her efforts the sofa cushion got dislodged too and with one last sputter the lozenge flew from her mouth and fell into the space left by the cushion.

She glanced down at the wet lozenge that was sat on the sofa lining and every hair on her body stood up on end and she gave a shiver, the glistening sticky surface of the lozenge was a magnet to all debri and she tried not to gag. She should try and pick it up and throw it away, but as she moved, she lent on the sofa springs and the lozenge darted for the crease, she would have to push down on the springs again in order to fish it out from its hiding place, as she did this crumbs started to travel towards her hand – like ants racing to higher ground and without the ability to breath through her nose, and already holding her breath, she gasped. She shuddered and pushed down again and could see it sat amongst crumbs, a pencil, a penny and some fluff, fluff that was slung across it like a cape across a superhero’s shoulders. She reached into the space and pinched her finger and thumb ready to pull it out – it was like a game of Operation, with a steady hand she headed towards the target whilst trying not to touch anything else for fear of something…almost there…she swallowed hard, breathed heavy from her mouth and held her breath again. It was too much, she couldn’t do it…”MUUUUUUUUM!!!!!!!”