Seeing The Silence by Tyler Lace (dark books to read txt) 📕

"This is the sign for 'A'." The lady put her index finger on the opposite thumb. This was mind numbingly boring. I was in year five at the time when we were told we were to have an exchange student come over who happened to be deaf. Everyone was annoyed and when he appeared, they didn't even try. They made faces at him and wouldn't bother to use signs back.

I remember him asking someone where the bathroom was. I was sitting against the wall at the time, talking with the few friends I had, when they responded. They didn't exactly respond in a nice way. They simply moved their mouths, not letting a single word out. The kid's friends laughed as they watched the poor boy try to lip read (because when he learned sign as a child the teacher would talk as well).

Someone nudged my arm. "He's quite attractive. Shame he can't hear."

My other friend chuckled. "People keep messing with him and he hasn't even noticed." They gave me a glance. "You feel sorry for him, Caroline?"

I gave them a glare, crossing my arms. "Why would I?"

They smirked. "Then you wouldn't mind helping us?"

Before I could respond, they pulled me to my feet and we walked over to the boy.

My friend did some signs. Need help?

He smiled and nodded. Where is the bathroom?

My other friend pointed over to the other side of the school.

He returned a smile at all of us and wandered over there.

"But, the bathrooms aren't there."

"He doesn't know that," they replied.

This lasted for months and a year. In the middle of year six the bullying became worse and worse. When he tried to sign, kids would slap his hands, making him unable to sign. If he tried to lipread they would pull his ear or his hair. He never told the teachers. He never told his parents. He never asked anyone for help. He just kept trying to live.

One cold, winter morning, the leaves rustling outside the hall,  there was terrible news spreading.

"He's what?!" expressed my friend, spitting out her juice.

"You heard me," said the other, "he popped some pills and then was gone. Little weasel."

"Must of been sick of being a weirdo."

I just stayed silent, watching as everyone whispered to each other, expressing their hate for the lonely boy. I could remember the look in his eyes when someone would just leave him in the middle of signing, looking hurt but would quickly cover it up. I remember my friends leading him straight to where the main bullies were, causing him to be pushed into a bin. I remember not helping him.

It was something you would see in a movie or maybe a story. But, he was gone. Sure, there were jokes about him dying, some even said it to his face.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Every time I closed my eyes I saw him in his room, crying quietly in the corner, his hands shaking as the pills entered his mouth and crimson slid down his damaged arm, falling to the ground. Until, finally, the dizziness kicked in, and his head met the cold, stained floor. His hand fell limp beside him. One last breath struggled. Then, his eyes went silent. The silence he was all too aware of, forever surrounding him.

I walked down the cold alley, hearing the familiar sound of sirens ringing in my ears. I adjusted the bag on my back as I approached the fence. Looking to my left, I picked up the blanket lying on the ground, finding the key, then placed it in the padlock that held together the chains. It opened with a click and the gate made a screeching noise as I pulled it open, then walked through.

The gate closed and, me now crouched and my arm through one of the holes, I locked the gate again and hid the key back under the blanket, before turning back to face the remainder of the alley.

"No," I breathed. Night was going to hit soon, and my parents were going to be home very soon and curfew, for all their children, ended in ten minutes.

I began to pick up the pace. I turned the corner. I was so close.

I finally became face to face with our two story house. Entering the threshold, I got tackled into a hug by my little sister. I stroked her long dark hair.

"What's wrong, Nisha?"

Nisha smiled and let go. "Nothing. But mum and dad will be back soon."

I nodded and took a step, before she grabbed my arm. "Yes?"

"Do you have it."

I knelt down in front of her. "Of course." She smiled the brightest of smiles as I went through my bag and pulled out this small, silver badge. It was a deer standing on this patch of land within the circle. Her face lit up at the sight of it. I held it out to her and she took it from me, then shoved it in her pocket.

"Thanks sis!"

I smiled back as I stood up, staring towards the stairs. I turned back to my sister and held my finger to my mouth. "If mum or dad ask, I was here the whole day. Right?"

She held out her hands and put her thumbs up. I winked and walked up the stairs, walking down the hall. I knocked on my brothers door, it opening slightly.

"Danny?"

I heard someone take a few steps, and I was met with my tall, older brother. He was wearing his usual plain shirt and black, ripped jeans. His dark hair was messy and his smile was sincere as he looked down at me, me being able to see his rings, one on the bottom right lip and the other on the bottom left lip, clearly.

"Yes?"

"You might wanna say bye to your boyfriend."

His eyes widened. "What?! What time is it?!"

"You've got five minutes."

He ran a hand through his hair, before sighing, then he turned around and said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

I heard a voice, but I didn't hear what he said, all I know is that it caused my brother to smile wider.

"It's a good thing your window leads to the side."

He chuckled, turning back to me. "Yes it is."

I looked past my brother and saw a boy with jet black hair, with a streak of purple at the fringe covering his right eye, in a black jacket and a pair of black jeans. He chucked his leg over the window and the other, then was climbing down.

I moved my eyes back to my brother, who had moved from his door and was putting the pillows back on the bed.

He smiled at me and I put my fingers to my lips, him returning the favour, before I shut the door between us and turned and was immediately faced by my door at the end of the hall

The door closed. My room was very plain. It had a bed on the right wall, with a poster of my favourite television show, and a wardrobe on the on the left side. It was covered in photos of all my primary school friends, except I had drawn devil horns and stuff all over the pictures. Then there were photos of my little sister with her golden hair which now was close to black. I spotted the photos of my brother. Year seven he dated this kid called Tom, then another guy called Liam, then Joe, and then this other kid who he only dated for, like, a week. One photo of him caught my eye. It was him from year seven, term two. There was a green field behind him and this other guy, who was holding his hand while looking at this colourful tree in the background with sheer adoration. The boy had blond, short hair and was wearing a loose black and red striped shirt with a pair of dark jeans, while Danny was wearing a plain black shirt with an undone green and black checkered flannel over the top, with black jeans. His hair was still scruffy, but he didn't have his piercings yet, just a sweet smile as he looked at the camera. The other boy was only in that photo, but I could remember who he was. He was Danny's third boyfriend, but the longest. It ended with him moving overseas and Danny was closed off for a while, until he just kept dating new guys. We couldn't tell mum or dad why Danny was upset, but that was because they had no clue he was gay.

The sound of the front door closing startled me and I automatically jumped into my bed, pretending to play my guitar lying down.

"We are wild

We are like young volcanoes

We are wild

Americana-"

Knock. Knock.

I moved my eyes to the door. "What?"

"Dinner. We bought food on the way home," said my mum's voice.

"Thanks," I said finally, as I put my guitar down and slid off the bed.

My sister reached out for the potatoes, but my brother grabbed them for her and plopped some on her plate. She smiled gratefully and had some chicken. I watched her cover the chicken in potato, before my brother kicked my foot from the right of me.

I automatically looked up to see my mum staring at me over her glass of wine.

"What do you think darling?"

My eyes widened. "Y-yeah? Sure."

She took a sip of her wine as I glanced over to my brother and mouthed the word 'what?'

He smiled charmingly before looking over at my mum. "She has been practicing her maths a lot."

Oh, so that was it. He always saved me from my day dreaming.

"What about your music?"

"John," snapped my mum. "She needs to focus on her school work." She gave me a glance and smiled.

My father sighed. "I do agree. I was just a little curious, that's all." He took a bite of his chicken, before returning back to the conversation with my mum about taxes or something.

My brother sent me a glance, and spoke in a low voice. "How is your music going?"

I shrugged. "I've been working on a song, actually."

"Could I hear it?"

"I can show you tomorrow? You know, after-"

"Hey, Danny?" spoke up Dad.

Danny tore his gaze away from me and looked at his father. "Yeeees?"

"I saw Felicia today."

He blinked twice. "Pardon?"

Dad pointed his fork toward my brother. "That girl that works at the cafe near my work. She is very pretty, perfect for you."

"Oh, really?" Danny raised his eyebrows. "Perfect is such a strong word."

"She is very pretty," dad repeated. "She-"

"I'm flattered, but I'm not interested. Trying to focus on year eleven, you know?"

Mum smiled. "Very good, darling."

My brother stayed quiet, till he decided to just get up. "Excuse me, I have work to do." He dropped his plate into the sink then walked up the stairs to his room.

"I'm full too. You done, Nisha?"

She shook her head, staring at her food.

"Okay. Night." I placed my plate on top of Danny's, then headed upstairs.

Passing his room, I could hear him talking on the phone, presumably to that guy that had