sick ppl whose attempts at abating their symptoms backfire in ballistic fashion. inconspicuous throat clearing that turns a teasing tickle into an intolerable itch, one which refuses to be relieved by anything but wretched, wrenching hacking. subtle temple rubbing that turns underlying tension into an aching, throbbing memo re: how sensitive their skin gets with a fever. light, liquid sniffles that turn a steady stream of irritation into a dam-bursting barrage of soaking sneezes. maybe they’re in denial about being sick or maybe they hate drawing attention to themselves or maybe it’s a mix of both. either way they’re not recovering without several more reminders that they are Weak and Vulnerable and About to Make An Embarrassing Noise. perhaps even several
