Day 2,307

Unsettling. That was the best way to describe the feeling that had crawled down their throat and settled just behind their lungs. Nothing showed on any scan or blood test or biopsy and at the end of it all they were given mindfulness exercises, told to breathe through the feeling of tiny hands tapping against their lungs as if it was just anxiety.

It grew worse over the months, grew larger until it felt like a whole other person was settled against their back at all times, head resting behind their esophagus and legs curled just above their hips. Perhaps it was meditating - practicing the mindfulness for them.

The tapping became worse as well. Every time they tried to tell somebody about it - friend, medical professional, random taxi driver - they felt its hands pressing against their lungs, forcing them to exhale til they collapsed into a gasping heap and their vision darkened at the edges.

Anxiety attacks apparently. Allegedly. Absolutely nothing else it could possibly be and if they tried to say that they felt it laughing at them as they struggled they knew it would only make everything that much worse. As bad as things were, they knew something worse was going to happen.

The first time they coughed up blood they spent the rest of the day intermittently crying, panicking and researching how to make a will. Unfortunately humans will grow used to anything so over the course of a few months they took to carrying around a few spare tissues just in case it happened while they were out.

Between the coughing and will preparations they barely noticed how little they'd felt the presence at their back, not realising it had shifted to the front until it pressed its hand against the flat of their stomach. They knew the end would be soon and they hoped they'd be asleep when it happened.

Twelve months after the first crawling sensation had traveled from the back of their throat to just behind their lungs. Twelve months of worry, appointment after appointment and utter disappointment at the very end of it all. Twelve months and the day arrived just as they were heading to bed with sharp cracks that blended in perfectly with the celebratory fireworks outside.

The new year emerged from broken ribs and smiled as the host coughed up blackened blood one last time.