Sentence:  I grasped the cold slimy rung. My feet slithered and scrunched on stranded things. Next rung...the next and next...endless horrible rungs, hissing and smells <WSD>belching</WSD> from under the wharf. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To be ejected or emitted ("from" something) with spasmodic force or noise.