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The Hidden Headache Beyond
© Rudolph 2005
© Rudolph 2005
It was by far the worst headache he ever had. Not even his worst migraine magnified
twenty times came even close. It was completely unbearable. He moved his head back
and forth furiously in an attempt to put a stop to the constant throbbing. His face engaged
in spasmodic contortions so much so that he thought his face was going to snap off
exposing his rattling cheekbones. Biting his tongue so he wouldn’t swallow it, a red river
of blood gurgled out the side of his twisted mouth; the lips of which were already split
and re-split many times. He peered out into the dimly lit room unable to see anything
clearly in the thick fog that hovered in the room like smoke on a fiercely contested
battlefield. There was an earthquake raging not only within him but about him for the
room was shaking, the roof was drooping, the walls were wheezing. There must have
been a fire in the building as well for the temperature was steadily rising. Sweat streamed
down his forehead flooding his eyes. An avalanche of sweat and tears rolled down his
cheeks, stinging his lips, burning his tongue as it rushed into his steaming mouth which
had become a cauldron of boiling gasps. Still biting his spastic tongue he was unable to
swallow, and he began to choke on the rising reservoir.
“Let’s see if we can sit him up a bit. He is beginning to aspirate. It really is a miracle
that he is even alive. Dr. Rudolph said they removed one third of his brain. Can you
believe it? Do you think he even hears us?”
by,
Christopher Rudolph
Vocabulary
Migraine – (noun) an extremely severe headache.
Magnified – (verb past tense) to make greater in actual size.
Unbearable – (adjective) not bearable; intolerable.
Furiously – (adverb) full of fury, violent passion, or rage.
Throbbing – (being used as a noun - gerund) violent beat or pulsation.
Engaged – (verb past tense) to enter into a conflict with.
Spasmodic – (adjective) characterized by spasms which are involuntary muscular contractions.
Contortions – (plural noun) the act or process of contorting which is to become twisted and distorted.
Exposing – (progressive verb) opening to danger, attack, or harm.
Rattling – (participle used as an adjective) shaking back and forth.
Gurgled – (verb past tense) to flow in a broken, irregular, noisy current.
Peered – (verb past tense) to look searchingly.
Dimly – (adjective) not bright or clear.
Hovered – (past tense verb) to hang fluttering or suspended in the air.
Fiercely – (adjective) menacingly wild, savage, or hostile.
Contested – (past participle used as an adjective) fought over, contended for
Drooping – (progressive verb) sagging, sinking, bending, or hanging down.
Wheezing – (progressive verb) breathing with difficulty and with a whistling sound.
Avalanche – (noun) a large mass of snow that is falling and sliding suddenly downward.
Stinging – (progressive verb) causing a sharp pain.
Steaming – (present participle used as an adjective) heating with steam emitted from boiling water.
Cauldron – (noun) a large kettle or boiler.
Gasps – (plural noun) sudden, short intakes of breath.
Spastic – (adjective) characterized by spasms, spasmodic, involuntary muscular contractions.
Reservoir – (noun) a place where water is collected and stored for use by the community.
Aspirate – (verb) to inhale liquid into the lungs often after or during vomiting.
Literary Devices
Alliteration – walls were wheezing
Personification –walls were wheezing
Simile – the thick fog hovered in the room like smoke on a fiercely contested battlefield
Metaphors – a red river of blood, an avalanche of sweat and tears, his steaming mouth had become a cauldron of boiling gasps
Irony – It is ironic that the patient is feeling so much pain and his senses are extremely acute, but the medics are oblivious to it and not even sure if he can hear them.
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