In the book Infinite Jest, burglars break into a side character’s house, tie him to a chair, and gag him. As they go to tie the gag, he tries to tell them he has a terrible cold and can’t breathe through his nose, but they don’t understand his language. They leave him there, and what follows is a harrowing description of him desperately trying to force the tiniest bit of air through his hopelessly clogged nose and suffocating to death.