Daddy [Mommy Sequel]

Chapter 10: Questions

What?!

I touched my throat, standing up and backing away.

That couldn't be possible! There's no way in hell that could ever be poss—

The man stood up, smiling as though he was excited for me. He nodded, although pleased with the horrified look on my face.

"The Master is very smart. Almost inhumanly smart. About a year ago he created a surgical procedure that returns a mute person's vocal ability. You are only the second person that we've tried the procedure on, and it went very successfully. Now if you would please repeat after me. A—"

"Ah—aah—aw—w-what t-the hell!"

I fell on the floor as man quickly ran to my aid, but I stumbled away, gripping my throat. The man waved his finger at me, sighing almost with a desperation.

"M-miss 737, I understand that you may be in shock—but using impure language and refusing help from supervisors is against regulation—"

I continued to move away from him, my knees sliding on the polished floor.

I could speak—I could speak! And it was my own voice!—

I froze, familiarity running over me. The man froze along with me, as though he was concerned as to what my next move would be. I shivered, remembering the last time I had a voice.

A voice that wasn't my own.

I began to unintentionally claw at my throat, the thought running through me and making me sick. My eyes began to water as I tore at my neck.

I couldn't.

I could never speak again.

I didn't deserve it—not after that.

The man quickly grabbed my arms, forcing them away from my throat as I could feel the fresh, new skin peeled and bleeding. I swallowed uneasily, almost hyperventilating. I could feel the world spin around me. My eyes watered.

The only thing I could think about was Mommy.

The monster of my nightmares dropping the black marble into my chest—

Jen's voice smoothly rolling off my tongue.

I sobbed, fighting against the man. And for the first time here, for the first time since I could remember, I screamed a real scream.

I thrashed against the man, kicking and screaming, tears boiling over my icy blue eyes. My throat tingled and vibrated with the hum of the new voice. The voice that was mine.

The man still held onto me, his grip rough and his face strained and determined. I could hear him speaking, but I didn't listen to what he had to say.

"L-let me go! I don't want it! I don't w-want it! Take i-it back!"

Suddenly, Transfer 342 froze in his stance, although his gloved hands remained locked around my wrists tightly to keep me from scratching my neck. He seemed almost perplexed.

I froze along with him, almost confused as to why he stopped. I felt a tension in the air, and I almost felt like a child throwing a tantrum—who stopped when they were distracted.

I stared at the man, and he stared back. He looked frustrated and confused, and my eyes widened as I could faintly see the pale pink flush of his cheeks coming from the frustration he was feeling. He seemed as though he was worried.

Something about him changed.

Something about his desperate and panicked stance was familiar.