Sudden Silence

An account of a deaf teen

Silence gives off an eerie ring in my ears but I've grown accustom to the daily conundrum of it all.  Moving mouths, hands...laughs I can't hear.  Cars zooming past without a sound; all the things I know run silent in my ears.

In the darkness of night, I stare at my ceiling and trace the light cracks in it.  The fan above me whirls away quietly, though from years ago I know it squealsfrom too little WD-40.  I breathe in slowly as the light starts to crawl in through my window and, on que, the light in the hallway switches on.

Slowly my door opens as my mom walks in, her mouth moving.  Has she forgotten, again?  Suddenly, she clamps her mouth shut and her face crumples as she realizes, yet again, that I can't hear her.  I smile reassuringly as I sit up in my bed, hoping she's not about to cry.  She inhales deeply and smiles sheepishly as she turns on my bedroom lamp, illuminating my bland room.  What is "vibrant" without sounds to intensify the feeling, the meaning?  My life is like a silent movie, drenched in black and white images because of the emptiness that encompasses my ears.

My mother sits down on the edge of my bed and pats my hand, tears on the brims of her eyes.  I must look horrible, but nevertheless life goes on.  So, I get up and begin to get ready for the conundrum, the empty void that has now become my life.

Author's Note

Tell me what you think (honestly)

Reviews

[OutToLunch]

i think if a Deaf person reads this, they'd jump you. Deaf people are very proud of being Deaf. it is their culture and way of life. and just how we dislike the thought of not hearing, they dislike the thought of any hearing. hard for you to imagine, but still, it's true, i've seen it. it's kinda creepy. as you (thankfully) mentioned, this deaf person is quite recently deaf. i believe that you otherwise accurately described the feelings of a new deaf individual with beautiful, sharp, realistic detail. good write!