"Then what…what are these sounds coming from me? Why am I hearing things?! What is happening to me?!" she cried, covering her ears once again.
"Mattie, honey, please calm down," her mother requested. "You've probably just imagined things. It must be the stress."
"No, I haven't! Something has happened to me!"
"Mattie, please, it's not helping," her grandfather exclaimed, grabbing both her wrists and forcing her to release her ears. "Take deep breaths, okay? Can you tell us what's going on?"
Mattie struggled against her grandfather's grip, but eventually stopped, staring at the floor in shock. She stared straight ahead, seemingly unaware of her surroundings or even what was happening around her. Tears ran down her face uncontrollably.
"Is she having an episode?" her brother whispered wo
