Muted

Chapter 32

I don't know how long I was out... or if I was going to wake up for that matter. But I did.

I woke up to the sound of repetitive slow beeping.

Sound... it was such a weird thing.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around, taking in my surroundings. Everything was piercingly white and sanitized. I was in a hospital.

I moved my head slowly, trying to take everything in and process what had happened.

I was kidnapped. I had become a witness to abuse and possible Stockholm syndrome. I had killed someone.

I was never going to be the same after that, and I knew that.

I slowly turned my head to the right and saw my mother, gently laying her head on my arm, with her hand wrapped tightly around mine as if she was gonna lose me again. She looked peacefully asleep, but I could see the stress in her face. I could see the red puffiness around her eyes and nose from crying so much. She was dressed from head to toe in baggy clothing, clearly lacking the motivation to get dressed up like she usually did. Her hair was a mess and in a bun. She had clearly physically aged.

I don't even remember the last time I saw her. She must've been so scared. Not only did she lose her husband, but she almost lost her daughter.

I didn't want to disturb her, but I knew she would feel most comfort in knowing I'm alive. I gently shook her awake and watched how she looked so startled. She looked around the room as if she thought that it was a doctor telling her to leave, before her face turned towards me and her eyes landed on my face.

I've seen my mother break down before, but not like this. She immediately shed tears and sobbed uncontrollably, holding her mouth with one hand to try and silence herself.

I could tell she wanted to say something, but quickly cutting herself off to embrace me with her warmth.

I don't know why, but I was so shocked I couldn't cry. I was actually alive and seeing my mother once more, but still couldn't process my emotions. I gladly embraced her back though.

I didn't even know Emily, Rebel, Aiden and Sam were here. But they must've heard my mother because all four of them came busting through the door to ensure that she was okay.

I watched as the all went still at my liveliness, and Emily let out a quiet 'oh my god' before rushing over to me to embrace both of us. She started a chain reaction because before I knew it, I had nothing but a weight of love on me.

We all stayed in that room for hours upon hours just conversating. They all were pretty shocked to find out I could hear now, I was too.

Even my doctor was surprised. She honestly couldn't comprehend if it was a miracle, if my head was hit on the ground just hard enough to spark something, or even if it had something to do with my stress and fear from being in the situation I was in. She even said it will be a miracle if it lasts the rest of my life because she assumed that it wasn't going to be permanent for me.

It was honestly relief in a sense, but in another sense... I missed my inability to hear. It's what made me, me.

After a while my Aunt Lu came in with a bunch of officers and I was interrogated about the whole thing. They made me feel like a criminal for something that happened to me, and Aunt Lu was quick to make them leave before probably sitting down with me for an actual investigation.

"Baby girl, you know I wouldn't ask these questions if I didn't have to," she started, looking towards me for confirmation that I'll oblige. I just nodded.