Quieted

Chapter 1

Quieted

Chapter one

Mother always thought I was mind-dead. Most children could think full sentences back to their parents by the time they where two. I never could. Mother didn't know what to do, so she taught me sign language. I picked it up quickly. Then one day, I said my first word: that. We where at home and no one was around, because my father was at work. I wanted to play, so she signed to me what I wanted to play with. I'm sure she expected me to sign back to her something like "coloring" or "ball", but I spoke. No one had spoken since The Overheat scorched the earth and created the psychic field. No one needed to. They had been "blessed" by God, that said. No more secrets, they said. People where baffled. There was nothing they could hide anymore. Everyone knew who had slept with who, or who really took the last cookie. Reading thoughts was more horrifying then they could imagine.

Because people where psychic, the world quieted. No one spoke a word, and the human race's voice disappeared entirely. It's not like I was there. I was born in 2889, and The Overheat was in 2185. All I know is that no one could talk, and I had been officially labeled a freak for life. Mother didn't want the to find me, so she packed up our stuff and left everything we didn't need behind-even dad.

She couldn't teach me to talk, because even she couldn't speak, but she kept signing to me and I figured the talking bit out I'm my own.

Mother walked into the room.

Perri? She signed

"Yeah mom?"

Could you help me put the drip buckets up around the house? Storm's 'a coming.

"Sure" I looked outside. She was right. The clouds had that ominous swirl they always did before the heavens opened and poured ocean of water down by a ten-fold.

Ten minutes later, it was full on downpour. We sat at the table to eat our dinner, and my mother was talking (well, not really, but you know what I mean) about how we may need to redo the leaky roof of the barn on our farm. Just then there was a loud knock at the door. Who ever was there was clearly desperate, as the would knock, the wait, then pound on the door again.

I'll get it. My mother signed.

It would make sense that she would get the door, considering the fact that I wouldn't be able to speak to him. She made it very clear that I should never talk to anyone but her because if anyone found out they could talk, then they might steal me away, she said.

Mother got up and ventured to the door. She opened the many locks and yanked it open. I peeked around the corner, hoping to glimpse a this mysterious character. Mother heard my feet scuffling. I swear, that woman that's the ears of a cat.

Paradise... She warned.

She only called me by my full name unless she was serious, so I stayed in the hidden. I could still see the person in the doorway. It was a man. He was about my age, maybe sixteen to seventeen, with thick reddish hair and big blue eyes, so blue they where almost purple, which seemed unusual. He looked scared, but the storm outside was huge! Who wouldn't be?

He stared at my mother. I assumed they where conversing, but the fact that she suddenly began signing like she did for me told me otherwise. He must be mind-dead: unable to read minds. It happened every so often, but it was definitely rare. Because of being different, and the fact that the somehow got more privacy than everyone else, people like him where shunned and made fun of. Mother told me that they taught sign language in schools so people would know what to do if they came across a Min-De, which is slang for mind-dead.

Clearly, mother had accepted his story. She let this stranger into our house, and started rapid fire signing to me.

Perri, please go fix up the guest room. She said. She looked around to see if the the man was watching. You can sign to him. Let him think you're a Min-De too.

I did as she asked and went to prepare our guest room.

My mother and I got the stranger settled for the night, and she had me settle down. She didn't trust the newcomer, and neither did I. He didn't seem suspicious, but just in case, my mother didn't sleep.

The next morning, the storm had settled down, and I met my mom for breakfast in the kitchen. There he was, leaning against the wall in the dining room, which was near the kitchen. Then it occurred to me. I still didn't know his name. So I asked him.

Cillian he answered. Are you a Men-De? What is your name?

Yeah. I'm Perri. I signed

Mother signed that she had breakfast ready.

It was simple, as usual. We grew our own food, and mother never traveled to town unless we needed something we couldn't make like clothes, or coffee. It was eggs and homage bread again, but Cillian wolfed it down as if it was the best thing he had ever tasted. When he was done (which wasn't long), my mother gave him another helping.

So.... My mother began to sign. Why where you in the middle of no where in that huge storm last night?

Cillian fidgeted, trying to come up with an answer.

I.. I got separated from my friends and then the storm started, so it was almost impossible to see.

I could tell mom didn't buy it at all, but she was the kind of person that would respect your privacy if she could, and with Men-Des, it wasn't like you could hear their thoughts. She dropped the subject and began talking about our life, how long we had lived here, and such. She made most of it up.

After breakfast, I went out to collect the drip buckets store them to water the farm. Our farm was small, but after a rainstorm like that, we could water the crops for weeks.

I was about to walk out the door to start my morning chores, but there he was, just next the window, with nothing but a towel on. I could help but stare. He was, after all, the only guy I had actually seen, and definitely good looking.

Are you following me, Cillian? I asked. And are you even wearing pants?

His face went beet red. It was kind of cute. Your mom insisted on washing and drying my clothes, so.... No.

Now my face was hot.

I have to do morning chores, and, if you stay here, you'll have to do them too. I told him. I won't make you come with me this time because that towel would definitely not hold up very long. Expect to be put to work as soon as you have pants. I turned on my heel, my dark blond hair swished, and I walked out the door, leaving him flustered and speechless.

AUTHORS NOTE

Hey y'all, it's Myra this time! Anora is a butt, but I case you DIDNT know, Beyond The Fence is written by the both of us. This is the first story I've written for wattpad, but hopefully,(if I get around to it) I'll post more chapters. I'll bet Anora's author note things are more entertaining, but that's because she is a derp.

*insert awesome Super/Who/Lock quote here*

~Myra <3 <3