Let's Not Meet~ Reddit Horror Stories

My Hiccups Got Me Strangled

In case you are wondering: I am a female in my twenties, 5'2'' and about 100 pounds. This event happened recently while I was at work. It had been a busy day at my small office following a four day holiday weekend. Things had slightly settled down by 4:00 pm when a client stopped by to pick up some paperwork. I have known this guy for over three years. The extent of our relationship is professional small talk. Nate is a big burly dude with a shaved head and a long beard. In all the time that I have known him we have not had any major issues.

While I'm not sure if this is relevant I do feel that I should point out that Nate had been acting rather odd towards me for the past year. Little things, but enough for me to take notice. If I answered the phone when he would call he wouldn't say anything and just hung up. He'd be super friendly with my coworkers but completely ignore me. It all began about a year prior when my boss informed him that I'm a fellow scuba diver. After discovering this information Nate repeatedly asked me to be his "dive buddy" while assuring me that he knew all of the best spots and where to find secret shipwrecks. He wrote his number on a piece of paper and asked me to call him but I never did. When he began to act strangely towards me I had just assumed he was offended that I didn't want to go out with him.

So onto the reason why this story ever happened: I have had chronic hiccups for the past fifteen years. They literally just started out of nowhere one day and have never stopped. Usually I only get one or two small ones throughout the day which my friends/ family lovingly refer to as "hourly hiccups". However, maybe once or twice a month, I get a bought which can last hours. I have seen a doctor about this yet it still remains a mystery. This was one of those days where I could not stop hiccuping.

I was in my office while Nate stayed in the main lobby area where my boss assisted him. About five minutes into their conversation he yelled "I know the cure for your hiccups!" to which I chuckled. Believe me, I have tried every old wives tale and trick known to man. What I have learned in over a decade is that the only thing that actually works is time. I continued working in my office trying stifle my hiccups and not be too loud. After three years of working here all of my coworkers knew about my problem and barely even notice anymore.

About 45 minutes go by and they still have not stopped. At this point I am getting fed up; anyone who has had hiccups for a lengthy amount of time knows that eventually your abdominal muscles get sore and you start to feel nauseous. So when Nate said again: "I know how to cure your hiccups," I was desperate for any relief. I walked out of my office and approached him. "What's your secret?" I asked, to which he simply replied, "You'll see". Figuring it was the usual method to frighten me I firmly informed him that I did not want to be scared. I'm just one of those people who hates getting startled suddenly.

Nate walks past me and says nothing so I figured his original plan to spook me had been sabotaged. I was just about to turn around and get back to work when he grabbed me from behind. Suddenly he threw me into a choker hold while forcefully covering my mouth and nose with his hand. Immediately panic sets in and I struggle to free myself but his grip only gets tighter and more intense. It felt like I was being coiled by a boa constrictor. No matter how hard I tried to get him off me I could not compete with his bodyweight and strength. I began to punch and kick him but he only seemed to get angrier. My vision started to turn black and I became incredibly tired and dizzy. I could feel myself about to pass out. All I wanted was to breathe. How could this be happening? I was about to be murdered at my fucking workplace while my colleagues were just one room over the entire time.

Although this moment felt like a lifetime it probably only lasted about two minutes. I tried to scream and make noise but my mouth was covered too tightly. The taste of his hand filled my mouth and I felt like I was going to be sick. Right as I was drifting out of consciousness I heard someone yell "Hey get off her! Let her go!". My boss had previously been making a phone call in his office had just entered the lobby. He approached Nate and dragged him off of me.

After the ambush Nate released me from his grip and began to walk towards the exit nonchalantly. While I stumbled and gasped for air Nate turned to face me before he left. With a sick and twisted smile he told me: "That got rid of your hiccups." He proceeded to leave while I fought back the tears that were welling. I didn't want him to think he had won somehow. Once he was gone my boss asked me if I was ok, I only nodded out of embarrassment that I'd start crying if I attempted to answer. As I made my way back to my office my brain tried to comprehend what the fuck had just transpired in the past three minutes. Nothing else was mentioned after Nate left. I wore a collared shirt the next day to hide the bruises that covered neck (of which I did take photos, god forbid I ever need to use them in the future).

I'm sure Nate would say he was "just kidding" but the way he drew pleasure from my pain and suffering does not lead me to believe this. My boyfriend wanted me to press assault charges but honestly I didn't see the point. Firstly, the police in my area tend to do nothing in these types of situations and the most disturbing part of all: my boss backed Nate up. He has known him for almost twenty years and pretty much told me that I asked him to do it. What hurts the most is that he doesn't really seem to care about my safety or well being.

I fear that it is only a matter of time before I see Nate again because he is still a client. Since I am not the business owner I cannot prevent him from returning. In fact, events like this happening at my workplace are the reason why I am currently looking for a new job. Not to mention I often work by myself and the office is connected to a psychiatric facility with sometimes problematic patients. Hopefully when Nate does come back I will no longer be employed there. I truly hope we never meet again.c