He felt like a complete idiot. At 3:17 AM, in his polka-dot boxers, he sat there, tongue glued to his palate, thumb digging into his forehead like he was trying to summon a miracle, gently rocking. One Mississippi, two Mississippi…
He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, mouth-breathing like a dehydrated goldfish. Beside him, his girlfriend, Sam, slept peacefully, her gentle, unimpeded breathing a cruel mockery of his suffering. unblock a blocked nose
He shuffled to the bathroom, the old floorboards creaking their sympathy. He grabbed a towel, ran the shower as hot as it would go, and sat on the closed toilet lid, letting the bathroom turn into a steam-filled jungle. He leaned forward, draping the towel over his head and the sink, creating a tiny, humid tent. For ten minutes, he breathed in the warm, wet air. It felt like inhaling a gentle hug. A tiny trickle of moisture appeared in his left nostril. Progress. He felt like a complete idiot
At fourteen seconds, nothing. At eighteen seconds, a faint click deep inside his skull. At twenty seconds, he released his thumb and dropped his tongue. Beside him, his girlfriend, Sam, slept peacefully, her