CHAPTER TWO
1078 Words
SILENCE
Abeni woke up choking. Her body jolted upright. She breathed heavily like she had been underwater for too long.
Her heart pounded violently against her ribs — each beat echoing in her ears.
Was that a dream? — nightmare like that, she thought.
She unconsciously pressed her hand against her chest, grasping for air.
She vividly still remembers the pond, the water, the massive tree, the boy’s face twisted in pain and longing.
That scared her so she screamed out of fear —but nothing came out.
Abeni`s brow knitted, out of frustration, she tried again.
Her mouth opened wider, her throat tightened as she forced a sound again.
Silence — not a single word or sound.
Her pulse spiked, her hands trembled.
''No,'' she whispered.
But the word never left her mouth.
Panic surged, she got off bed and stumbled toward the door, her feet slapping softly against the floor.
She yanked it open aggressively.
Her sister Kemi looked up from the corridor.
''What`s wrong Abeni?''
Abeni rushed towards her, hands literally squeezing her throat, mouth opening and closing desperately.
''What's wrong?'' Kemi asked, rushing towards her.
Abeni shocked her head violently and tried to speak again but nothing came out.
''Abeni?'' Kemi stepped closer. ''Say something, what is happening?''
Abeni grabbed her arm, nails digging deeply, eyes wide with terror —filled with tears, ready to burst out.
Kemi stiffened. ''This isn't funny."
Abeni breathed in and out heavily and then pointed to her throat, then her mouth —shook her head.
understanding crept slowly across Kemi`s face.
''You can't talk?'' She asked. ''No, no, stop playing. This isn't funny anymore. If this is a prank, then you've gotten me.''
Abeni opened her mouth and screamed her lungs out with everything she had. But — silence answered.
Kemi`s face drained. ''M-o-m!!! Abeni can't utter a word. i mean she can't speak.''
''What!!! What do you mean she can't speak?''
Abeni's mom, Sefa, rushed to her daughter.
''Abeni, talk to me and say something. What happened?'' Abeni gestured to her mom that she couldn't speak.
"You can write, right?" Abeni nodded.
" Kemi, bring a piece of paper and a pen. Come dear, sit down,'' Sefa said with a worried face.
Kemi brought the paper and pen, handed it to Abeni. "Tell me what happened, write it down."
Abeni started scribbling down.
I woke up from a terrible nightmare. It was so scary, so I screamed, but no sound was made. I screamed again, but nothing.''
Sefa looked at the note and her hand trembled. " We need to go see a doctor. This can't be happening."
The hospital smelled like antiseptic and impatience. They booked and had a session with a doctor.
" Welcome miss Abeni, how are you today and how may I help you?"
Abeni couldn't answer — her mom chipped in. "Doctor, she can't speak. Not even a single word."
"When did this happen?"
"This morning." Sefa answered
" Any pain?"
Abeni shook her head.
" Where you involved in any accident? Did you fall? Hit your head?"
Her heart raced. Images of the pond, the old man and the boy's hurt face flooded her mind.
She shook her head again.
The doctor scribble something on a paper. "Stress can do strange things."
Kemi frowned. "She is not stressed?"
The doctor smiled and explained. "Everyone is stressed. Temporary aphonia," he continued. " Loss of voice due to psychological trauma. It happens."
Abeni clenched her hands.
Trauma.
" But she didn't —" Kemi started.
" She should rest, " the doctor interrupted.
" Avoid forcing to speak. I recommend a therapy."
" Therapy?" Sefa asked.
" Yes it will help her."
They were dismissed with a slip of paper and to come for review.
Her mom dropped them to school and went back to continue with her daily routine.
School was worse. She couldn't communicate back to her colleagues
Whisper's followed her through the hallway during lunch time.
" What happened to her?"
" She won't talk."
"Maybe she's pretending to be sick to gain attention. Hmmm pathetic."
Abeni nodded when she could. Wrote notes to communicate a d clarify her situation. Shrugged when questions get heavy.
At lunch she sat with Kemi alone. She got isolated over a night.
She suddenly started tracing on the table with her finger over and over without realizing it.
The boy's face surfaced again —his eyes locking on to hers, pleading. "Help me."
Her hand froze. Her finger had drawn something. A symbol. Her stomach dropped.
She placed her palm against her thigh. That was when she saw a mark on her wrist —the same one she just traced on the table.
An eye — that leaks a single tear. Faint and pale like it had been carved just beneath her skin. Her eyes widened. She rubbed it hard but it didn't fade.
"Kemi can you see something on my wrist?"she scribbled down .
"Nice tattoo but mom is going to kill you when she finds out. You better find a way to hide it. Makeup can do."
Abeni shook her her head realizing she isn't the only one who can see it.
But I never had a tattoo. This is weird and getting out of hand. She thought.
She sucked in a breath through her nose, fighting the sudden urge to cry.
It was a dream. She told herself. But dreams didn't leave marks.
After school, she decided to walk home instead of going with her sister. The familiar street felt wrong — too quiet.
Every puddle made her drink, every tickle of water pulled her attention.
At home , she skipped dinner. This really made her mom worried.
She locked herself, lay on her bed — stared at the ceiling until she drifted off to sleep.
Sleep came anyway.
The pond was closer this time, water circling faster, louder than before — the massive tree loomed above her, it toots twisting.
She stepped forward — everything became stilled. Something beneath the surface moved.
She woke up with a gasped.
Her heart raced as she sat up, eyes scanning her room widely.
Slowly she slid her hand beneath her blanket. Her fingers brushed something cold.
She jolted, stared at her wrist. The mark glowed faintly.
Abeni pressed hand to her mouth, tears finally spilling over.
What ever she had seen —
What ever she had followed —
Had not finished with her.
- Writer
