Transformers Prime: Moments

The Beginning: Part 2

The following morning, Erin woke with a strange heaviness in her throat. She tried to swallow, but a sharp pain stopped her. She wanted to call out, to ask what was happening, but as she opened her mouth, no sound came out. She froze, her heart racing as she tried again, straining her voice, but only a breathless rasp escaped.

Panic surged through her, and she threw back the thin covers, stumbling out of bed and down the sterile halls. She found the nearest scientist, tugging desperately on their coat.

“Erin, what’s wrong?” the scientist asked, looking down at her. But when Erin opened her mouth to reply, she could only make faint gasping sounds. Her eyes widened with horror, her hands moving to her throat in a desperate attempt to force a word, any sound. She mouthed the word “Daddy” over and over, hoping somehow he would appear.

The scientist’s eyes narrowed in concern, and they quickly ushered her back into the examination room, where a team was assembled in minutes. John arrived, alerted by one of the staff, and watched from the doorway as they ran tests, scanning her neck and throat.

“She’s lost all vocal function,” one of the scientists muttered, studying a monitor. “It appears… the neural implant has interfered with her central nervous system, and her larynx is severely damaged.”

John’s face remained unreadable, but his hands clenched behind his back. “Are you saying she’ll never speak again?”

Another scientist, visibly uncomfortable, nodded. “The tissue is damaged beyond repair. She may regain some movement over time, but… her voice is gone.”

The weight of the revelation hung heavily in the air, and Erin, seated on the examination table, looked around at the adults with desperate, tear-filled eyes. She reached for John, her hands trembling as she tried to mouth words, silently pleading with him to help.

“Daddy… please… help me,” she mouthed, her eyes filled with a heartbreaking mixture of fear and pain.

For the briefest moment, John’s stern expression wavered. He looked away, his jaw tightening, as if trying to steel himself against the pain in her eyes.

One of the scientists, noticing her silent pleas, cleared his throat. “Sir, if I may suggest, perhaps we could… end the experiment here. She’s already endured more than any child should.”

But John’s face hardened again. “No,” he replied sharply, his voice cold and final. “This is what we signed up for. She was given these enhancements to serve a purpose, and we’re not giving up on that now.” He turned to Erin, who was still silently mouthing his name, and forced himself to look directly at her.

“You wanted to make me proud, didn’t you, Erin?” he asked, his tone unnervingly detached.

She nodded, but her lip trembled, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She reached out a hand, her fingers curling around his sleeve, trying one last time to connect with him, to find the warmth in the father she once knew.

“Then remember that this pain is only temporary,” he said, pulling his arm from her grip. “You’re special, Erin. This is what you were meant to do.”

With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving her surrounded by strangers, her small, broken form crumpling as silent sobs wracked her body.

---

The days passed, and Erin tried to adjust to her new reality, but every attempt to speak only deepened the ache in her heart. Every morning, she would run her fingers over her throat, hoping that somehow, her voice would return. But it never did. Instead, she learned to navigate her world in silence, her thoughts echoing inside her mind, unable to escape.

One evening, alone in her sterile room, Erin picked up a small mirror and stared at her own reflection. She barely recognized the haunted eyes looking back at her. A silent scream tore through her mind as she tried to mouth the word “Daddy” once more, but the only response was a stinging emptiness in her throat.

She pressed her hand against her chest, feeling the steady thrum of her heartbeat. Am I even real? she wondered.

Tears streamed down her face as she realized the truth: in her father’s eyes, she was only a tool. A failed experiment, stripped of her voice, her freedom, her childhood—all for the sake of a twisted ambition that had cost her everything.

---

After the horrific days in the lab, Erin was finally allowed to go home. She was still weak, her small frame fragile and her skin pale. When they arrived, Rebecca watched her daughter, a worried look etched into her face. Erin’s steps were wobbly, her arms trembling as she tried to hold onto her mother. She looked up, silently mouthing “Mommy” as her lips moved without sound, her eyes filling with a sadness that tore at Rebecca’s heart.

As soon as they were inside, Rebecca knelt beside her, brushing a strand of hair from Erin’s face. “You’re home now, sweetheart. I’ll take care of you,” she whispered, pulling Erin into a gentle hug.

Just then, John entered the room, his face stern but calm, as if nothing unusual had happened. Rebecca looked up at him, a fire igniting in her eyes.

“John,” she said firmly, glancing at their weakened daughter. “What happened to her? She can’t even speak.”

John’s expression didn’t waver. “The implant interfered with her vocal cords,” he replied in a clipped tone. “She’s… adjusting to some of the changes we made. She just needs a little time.”

“A little time?” Rebecca repeated, her voice rising. She hugged Erin closer, looking up at him with disbelief. “Our child can’t talk, John! This isn’t just some side effect. What did you do to her?”

John sighed, barely concealing his impatience. “Rebecca, this is a minor setback. Erin will adapt, and this was all for her own good.” His voice softened slightly, but it held a layer of cold detachment. “She has… potential, you know that.”

Rebecca’s jaw clenched, tears welling in her eyes. “Potential? She’s five, John! She’s our daughter—not some experiment!” She held Erin close, her voice dropping to a soft, pained whisper. “How could you?”

But John dismissed her concerns with a wave. “Rebecca, you don’t understand. I did this for her future, for our family.”

Unable to bear his words, Rebecca turned away from him, pulling Erin into her lap and holding her tightly, her hand soothingly running through Erin’s hair.

---

As the days passed, Erin struggled to adjust. She couldn’t run around as she once did, her energy drained, and the frustration of being unable to speak weighed heavily on her. Evan, her older brother, noticed her sadness, and one afternoon he approached her, holding a worn-out teddy bear, one of Erin’s favorite toys.

“Hey,” he said gently, trying to get her to smile. “Remember Mr. Fluffy?” He wiggled the bear in front of her, making it dance. Erin watched, her eyes brightening slightly, but her lips barely curved up.

Evan knelt beside her, giving her a warm smile. “I know things are weird right now. But I’m here for you, okay?” He held her small hand, squeezing it gently. “You can squeeze my hand if you’re happy, or if you’re sad. Or even if you’re mad—especially at me.” He chuckled softly.

Erin looked at him, the weight in her eyes softening just a little. She squeezed his hand, a small, shaky grip, and Evan’s face lit up.

He gave her the bear, nestling it into her arms. “See? Mr. Fluffy’s got your back, too.” He leaned in closer, whispering conspiratorially, “And I think he said he’s got a big hug waiting for you.”

She hugged the bear tightly, pressing her face into its soft fur as if it could absorb her worries. For a moment, a flicker of a smile crossed her face as she felt her brother’s warmth and kindness fill the silence left by her lost voice.

Evan wrapped an arm around her, gently pulling her closer. “You’re not alone, Erin. We’ll get through this, I promise.”

For the first time since returning home, Erin felt a glimmer of hope—a small but precious comfort in the arms of her family, far away from the cold, sterile walls of the lab.