Coughing up

I now understand why the term 'coughed up' is used when police get convicts to confess. It's because the convict's confession is a tormenting, unwilling admission that must take a huge toll on his body, a violent, painful act. Coughs are like that. They make you double up, they give you cramps, they ensure that your rib cage reminds you all day that you are under a virus attack. Why am I going on and on about coughs? Why else? It's become a permanent resident in my body. It lives in my throat, travels up to my mouth and then down to my lungs and up again and down once more, up and down and up and down till I lose track of the direction in which it's attacked my system. It makes me teary at least 15 times a day, gasp for breath, double up helplessly, turn an angry red and feel insignificant, as it has managed to get the better of me again. Water doesn't silence it, cough syrups don't scare it, home remedies don't cure it and the doctor too stares at me helplessly, as if I invented it and am doing something sinister and secretive to hold on to it. Now, why in hell would I do that? One thing has changed though. Instead of tormenting me all through the night, it assails me throughout the day and...night. It's a challenge now! Whatever it takes for me to shut it up, I shall do it. Cough, cough, cough, cough........