Humans Are Encountered

Hiccups

"I think she needs rest," Jessica said.

"I'm just worried about her." Carrie Sat down on the bench next to Jessica.

"Well, you're the doctor."

"Physical doctor. I can't help with mental health."

"She knows her body, guys," Steve interrupted. "I think after twenty something years, she knows how to take care of herself."

"Is there really-" Carrie was cut off by a loud noise erupting from her throat. "Oh, shit." The noise happened again, her chest spasming slightly. "Ugh." Another time with a loud exhale at the end.

"Drink some water."

"That," again, "doesn't work, Steve."

"Hold your breath. It causes a lack of oxygen to the blood. It stops the diaphragm from being able to spasm," Adam said quietly.

Carrie sucked in a huge breath without releasing it. Still, the noise echoed, causing her to blow out a breath. "I fucking hate hiccups."

"Hiccup?" Zork'ak asked.

"It's," the noise forced its way out of Carrie's chest, "where this muscle," hiccup, "spasms and causes it," hic cup, "to hit the vocal cords."

"It is not harmful?"

She shook her head. "Just annoying." She hiccupped again.

"Is there no solution?" Zork'ak could never seem to understand how their bodies could not function as expected.

"You just really have to wait it out," Jessica said.

"Wh-" Zork'ak's question was cut off by Steve erupting with multiple coughs. Zork'ak watched as he bent over, coughs continuously racking his body. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah," Jessica watched as he took a drink from his bottle liquid, a few more coughs forcing their way out, "probably just went down the wrong pipe."

Zork'ak cocked xer head. "What?"

"Sometimes when we are breathing and swallowing at the same time, our airway is exposed. When you swallow, this flap covers your windpipe where we breathe in oxygen. Sometimes, though, a little bit of food will get in there and your body will make you cough to force it out." Steve was still coughing slightly. "You good?"

He nodded, still wheezing. Suddenly, a noise replaced the coughing, similar to the noise that Carrie kept making. Zork'ak noticed that she was no longer spasming with the noise.

"Fuck me," Steve groaned.

Zork'ak raised the skin above xer eyes. "That is a rather casual request."

He laughed, then the hiccup broke up the sound. "It's just a phrase, Zor. It just-," he hiccupped again, slamming his hand against the table, "is something I say when something bad happens." He hiccupped and let out a slight groan. "It's like when we say damn."

Zork'ak nodded. "That is an interesting choice of words."

Steve chuckled until he hiccupped again, then the smile fell off his face. "I hate this."

Carrie shook her head. "Give it a second; it will pass."

Steve narrowed his eyes once he hiccupped again. "It's been a second."

"Alright, smartass."

That earned her a small grin. Until he hiccupped. "Fuuuuuck."