HeRo (Sⓗort Stⓞrⓘⓔs)

Silence is not an Option

SILENT is not an OPTION

     Georgie nearly dropped the tray of drinks when he walked through the door of the Antic. His white dress shirt and black slacks —  complemented by an unruly bun — looked completely out of place for a Texas themed bar. Georgine felt herself drawn to his intoxicating exotic looks immediately.
 
   She saw that he watched her over wire rimmed glasses as she distributed the drinks to the people at table three and then zipped over to him. As usual, her thin lips stretched into a large, toothy grin.   
   
“Hi! Welcome to Antics. Can I get you something to drink?”
  
  He raised his chin. “Evening. May I have Silent Essence?”
  
  Georgie’s smile froze as her blue eyes locked with his own. She had a startling realization; she couldn’t hear his thoughts.
 
   He was a Silent.
    
 
   After a pregnant silence the man lifted an eyebrow in confusion. “Is there a problem, ma'am?”
  
  Georgie shook her head vigorously, throwing him another false grin.
 
   “N-no sir. We don't have any stocked at the moment. Is there anything else I can grab?”
 
   One the Silent told her he only wanted a cool glass of iced tea, she suppressed the urge to sprint back to the bar. Why is he here? She wondered. Is he here for me? After a quick glance at him it was clear he was still observing her.
 
   Silents were supernatural creatures. It was a virus that had infected humans, halting the death process at rigor mortis. Therefore, creating cold, stiff, monsters of children's nightmares. A normal human couldn't identify one, but Georgie wasn't completely normal herself. That was one reason she feared them.

    They might want her for their own use.

    “Dru,” Georgie whispered loud enough to hear over Bob Dylan's rendition of All the Way. Druselle the bartender's gaze drifted for a moment to acknowledge the waitress's presence, while humming along to the music. Druselle herself was a Silent; her only desire was to live among humans. “There's another Silent here. Table five.”

    Stiffness crawled through the air, into Druselle. She ceased humming, all the color draining in an instant. Not even her cherry red lips held their previous vibrance. Georgie's eyes rose and locked onto the relaxed silhouette of the stranger. Druselle was Sawnem’s only residential Silent. Only Georgie — her most trusted friend — knew of her secret. After all, it took more than one person to run a business on the outskirts of Louisiana.
  
  If this Silent caused trouble, it could ruin business and bring attention to Sawnem from others of her kind.

    The two women could not keep their eyes off of the scar the Silent possessed. That was where Silent’s began the process of becoming savages. Druselle's nostrils flared in contempt.
  
  He winked at her with one shimmering eye.

     There was only one reason Georgie and Druselle had grown so close. Georgie possessed a talent — if one could call it that. She could read minds, as crazy as it seemed. Druselle was a peaceful quiet when Georgie listened to her. Not a peep escaped, and it soothed the young blonde. In turn for Georgie keeping her supernatural nature a secret, Druselle protected her.
 
   “He asked for tea, Dru,” Georgie said gently, pulling the redheaded woman's attention. If she lost her cool, she could reveal her true nature. Georgie understood this only too well. It only took a moment for Druselle to recover. She poured the drink and handed it to Georgie without uttering a word.
 
   As Georgie walked away, Druselle grabbed the blonde. “Thank you.” Druselle stared somberly.

    Georgie nodded once. “My duty.” And then she whisked away the other four beverages on the counter.
    
     Georgie carefully balanced the tea in front of the Silent. , as he gazed up from his current read. “I'm Georgine,” she introduced herself unsmilingly. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she expression morphed into a grim resolution. If her cousin Penny was here, she'd soften Georgie's features like putty.Unfortunately, Penny wasn't here.