Silence

Silence chpt:1

I had just gotten out of work.
I strode down the street, a cigarette between my lips. As smoke fell in veils around my shoulders I rubbed exhaustion from my eyes.
It's been nearly two years since graduating valedictorian of my high school. The teachers always told me that I'd go places when I grew up, that I had the voice of a song bird.
In this world a voice was everything, yet here I was smoking a cigarette. How pathetic.
I smirked and took another puff.
I'd been working the same office job since I moved to this city. It was dull and repetitive but it was nice, nobody expected me to do anything exceptional and I wasn't noticed.
The city I live in is called Vox, it's a fairly large city, full and bustling with people of all kinds.
Recently there's been an increase in the amount of homeless here though, most of them are deaf or mutes. If you don't have a voice then your worthless. At least, that's what we learn in school. If you can't speak for yourself then who will listen to you?
Anyway, people with a voice aren't really supposed to associate with those without, that's why many mutes are homeless or have low paying jobs.
I flicked ash from my cigarette, took a few more puffs, then stomped it out.
I walked a couple more blocks till I reached my flat, an older women sat on the steps.
"Evening mrs.alina" I nodded to her.
Mrs.alina smiles, she owned the building, she was very nice, almost to nice sometimes. Once I saw her giving food to a mute, that kind of kindness could he her arrested.
"Hello lark dear" she cooed, "it's always nice to hear your lovely voice" she smiled at me.
I returned the smile and walked up the stairs into the building.
The smile immediately melted from my face, all people ever cared about was my voice.
They tell me how much they adore and love my voice... but what about me?
I dropped my work bag on my desk and grabbed a glass from the Cupboard.
I got some water from the tap and walked to my small window in the kitchen of my second story flat.
We had a secret Santa at work recently and someone had gifted me a baby pine tree.
what an odd thing to give. What was I supposed to do with it when it got to big to keep on my window?
I smiled as I poured some water in the small pot, how was i supposed to take care of this tree when I could barely take care of myself?
I did like the tree though, it was basically the only other living thing in my house apart from me. It made me feel not so alone, I know it's silly but I liked it's company, in some ways it ways it was better then another humans company.
I wasn't very hungry, I sat on the couch and turned on the TV, it projected black and white light onto the walls.
God.. what was I doing with my life?
I was barley twenty and already tired of living.
I've never had a girlfriend,
never really had any friends..