Everything is Quiet

The Dream

I look up at the sky. I take a deep breath. "I see trees of green, red roses too." I stand up, as I start singing.

"I see them bloom for me and you. And I think to myself what a wonderful world." I pick a pretty pink hibiscus flower, and start dancing around.

"I see skies of blue and clouds of white. The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night. And I think to myself what a wonderful world"

The hibiscus flower falls onto the green grass.

The sky turns dark.

Everything is dark.

I start falling into the void of nothing.

I gasp awake, breathing heavily. Oh, it was just a dream. I look over at my alarm clock. It reads 6:25. The clock is flashing and vibrating. Is it going off or- "Are you broke-" I stop and grasp my mouth. "What is happening to me?" I think aloud. Mom? "MOM" I yell downstairs. "MOM, HELP ME!" I don't hear a response.

I feel heavy steps coming my way. "Mom? Where are you?" I ask with a saddened tone. She comes running into my room, panting. "Mom, what is happening to me? I-I can't-" I start shaking vigorously. I see my mother's lips move as she grabs my arms, but no sound comes out. "Mom, I can't hear you." I sigh as I start crying. She keeps saying things I can't hear. "I can't hear anything!" I yell through my tears. She grabs my alarm clock and points at it over and over again. Are you asking something, or- are you asking if I can hear it? "No, I can't hear it. That's how I realized I can't hear anything." She looks at me while turning off the alarm.

She suddenly grabs my hand and pulls me out of the room. "I haven't even got dressed yet-" She shoves clothing at me while mouthing put. this. on. I quickly put on the clothes and follow her down the stairs. "Where are we going?" I say as she grabs her car keys and leads me out to the car.

My phone starts to vibrate. "Thank god it was on vibrate." I say quietly. I read the username.

Aster

What is it? I'm in the middle of something, uh, important. I read her text.

Hey Bear, are we still on tonight? I found a really nice spot in the park to study.

Man, how do I respond? Hey guess what I'm deaf and I don't know why? No! I can't say that!

"Where are we going?" I ask again. My mother points at her keychain from the emergency room. "The hospital?!" I ask scared. "I hate the hospital!" I cry out. I grab my phone and text Aster.

Meet me at the Fairbanks Hospital. RIGHT. NOW. It's an emergency!

I hit send. And she responds immediately. Wow, that was fast.

Why?! Are you hurt? I'm coming right now. Be there in 5.

"Mom?" I ask as we get situated into the car. She looks at me. "Uh well, Aster is coming too, if that's okay. I don't know what's going on and I want her there." She looked at me with an expression that said I understand. "Thanks. I love you." She mouths I love you too, Bear.

The drive seems to be taking forever. "Are we there. Yet..." I stop at the sight of the huge hospital. "Nevermind." I look out the window and up at the sky. "I hate this. This better not be permanent." I accidentally say aloud. My mother looks at me, with a tear rolling down her cheek. It's gonna be just fine. She mouths slowly.

"Why?!" I put my head into my knees. "Why did this have to happen to me?" I pull my knees in closer. "How did this happen to me? I was just sleeping." I say confused.

We arrive at the hospital, and pull into the emergency parking lot. "Aster, you better be here."

Aster runs up to the bright orange Aston Martin. There she is. She seems to be screaming. "What is she saying?" I end up asking aloud. My mom locks the car as we both get out of the car. My mom gets ahold of Aster's shoulders and starts explaining the situation, I think.

Aster looks at me and says something. "Aster? Did you not get the memo?" I breathed. "I can't hear, anthing." I look at her with a dissapointed look. She looked at me, and then at my mom, and then back to me. "Can we go? I need answers." I said impatiently. They both nod in agreement. We start speed walking into the hospital.

We are greeted at the front desk by a young woman, who's name I can read as 'Melanie'. My mother starts talking to Melanie and Aster holds my hand, tightly. I got you. She mouthed. I nodded slowly. Melanie gasped and gestured us to follow her. We walked down a long hallway, and arrived to Dr. Blake's office. "Doctor Blake, please help me." I begged. Dr. Blake looked at me with a concerned look. I can't hear you! What are you saying? "Dr. Blake! I can't hear you!" I finally blurted out. She looked at me and sighed.

Murmur and more murmurs. What are you saying? If this goes on, I won't be able to sing. I won't be able to listen to music. I won't be able to "-live" I finished aloud. The room looked at me as if to say, What? "I won't be able to live. I-I can't." I cry out. Dr. Blake looks at me and shakes her head.

Please be a dream.

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