Evacuation (Sequel to 'Holding Back')

[Skylacticon]

About three years ago I was toying around with perspective and came up with this thingamajig:

I was digging around, and… This next part, I remember starting a little soon after I posted it. It’s just as experimental and clunky, but it might be fun to look at. Hope y’all are well. xx

 

~~~

 

Lovely. Alright. 

 

So we’re just going to- “*hh’snrgk!*” - okay, that definitely wasn’t silent. 

 

You feel the tingling-itching sensation setting deep in your nasal membrane, and feel greatly inconvenienced, coupled by embarrassment, discomfort, and a hatred for quiet public spaces. You could’ve sworn you had a packet of tissues somewhere- “hih, *sddrff*-” Dude, like. Shut up.

 

You begin to feel slightly overwhelmed, as while your eyes start to prickle with tears, your nose is starting to overflow. You sniffle again, the sound fully liquid and dangerous in the absence of something, anything, to protect the world from the mess it warned about. “*sdff!*” 

 

You shamelessly swipe your wrist under wrinkling nostrils, as clear fluid begins to seep onto your upper lip. As you begin breathing through your mouth, you realize that the longer you refrain from blowing, the more it’s going to bother you. “*snnrff, sdf* huhh…” 

 

You can barely move your nose without risking it dripping. But you still need to sneeze - and at this point, you’re blinking through a film of tears.

 

“*hhsdrf*…” It barely counts as a breath, but you exhale shakily, trying not to focus on the lingering tickle now at the top of your nose. You realize that a sneeze would be largely gratifying - ripping through the inner walls of the nasal membrane, ridding your nose of the teasing tickle that’s dancing in the centre of your face. For a short bit, at least. You sniffle again, and start panting quietly through your mouth, your mind a bit fuzzy from all the fuss of handling your dripping nose. 

 

The sensation descends, like two wispy feathers stroking just inside the rims of your nostrils. They flare instantly. You can’t stop it, breathing out slowly, your eyes rolling back. Quickly, your fingers come up to pinch your nose again.

 

“Heh’NxXGGtp!!-g’huhhh *sdrf, snnnrff!*” You manage to stifle it, sniffling hard after. “Huh’MxXGG!!-huhh *sndrff*” 

 

It seems like evacuation would make the most sense, seeing as attempting work is no longer possible, and remaining in the area could make you worse. Actually no, it is actively making you worse.

 

Plan A - Holding Back.

Plan B - Evacuation?

 

Keeping one hand hovering near your face, you quietly close your notebook and shove everything into your backpack. You sniffle wetly, blinking rapidly as the shift causes the tickle to flare up a little. You find yourself pinching your nose in an attempt to rub it. The edges become sore. You desperately tug at the zipper of your bag, giving up and using both hands to do it properly.

 

“*snnrff!*” As you finally stand and throw your bag strap over your shoulder, you can’t help rubbing hard underneath your septum, crushing your nostrils back and forth. Not here, not here, not here. 

 

Your vision becomes blurry. No no no. “igh’hiH’-“ Okay, maybe you c- “huh’gxXTSCHhh!!” Oh dear. Faster.

 

Blinking your watery eyes, you throw on the other strap and hurry off to find the restroom. You slip into the dimly lit hallway and push open the door. Thank goodness it’s empty. With that in mind, the bubble of self-consciousness surrounding you cracks with another noisy, dripping sniffle - then shatters away as you surrender.

 

“huh’tdJ’ESSCHHhieww!! Hih! Huht’ESSSHHieww!! *snnnrff*” It’s not as satisfying as you imagined, you feel more coming. You begin to wonder what might have set you off, whether it be the pollen count or some stray dust or something someone might have been wearing - whatever it is, it won.

 

“hieeyY’ESSCHHIUHh!!” Paper towels are coarse against your sensitive nostrils, but they’ll have to do. 

 

Finally you get to blow. And what a relief that is - when you finally feel cool air as you breathe in through your nose. You turn reluctantly to the mirror, in the middle of rubbing roughly at your nose with a curled index finger. Your eyes appear glassy but alert as ever. You dab at them gently with your shirtsleeve, glad they’re not swollen, only watery and lingering with a mild allergic itch. Your nose is a bit worse for wear, itchy and inflamed, still leaking watery mucus.

 

“Huh’JDSCHH!!” Jeez, you're really, still- “hd’ISCHhioo!! *snrff!*” -at it, wow. 

 

You blow again, discarding the used paper towel and pulling more.

 

You feel another one teasing inside your nostrils. Ever since you’ve escaped to the restroom, the sensation has calmed down a bit. Now it’s just kind of… there, whatever effects of it that are clinging to you, still making your nose tickle and your eyes narrow in anticipation. 

 

“*snrf*….” The cool air flows in through your nostrils. Your eyelids close as your lips part slightly. Your breathing slows, your bleary, unfocused gaze slowly drifting upward as you focus on the itch. 

 

“h-hih….heihhHh….?”

[Rick]

That's brilliantly written! I know so well for myself how trying to supress any form of nasal discomfort eventually just makes me feel sneezier - and the feeling of escaping to a place where I can just let loose with a sequence of massive nose-blows to sort everything out is just... you described it perfectly!

[poiub]

tremendous writing!

[Blackcat182]

Amazing work cant wait to see what's next

[Skylacticon]

@Rick Thank you! And yeah, exactly. It's a whole number.

@poiub Thanks so much. ❤️

@Blackcat182 Thanks! ☺️

[NocturneOwlBoy]

Absolutely fantastic writing, just as good as the last one! Keep it up!