Saturday, March 9, 2013

Silence





Silence
Kara Campbell


They tell me I’m crazy; They say that’s why I’m in this place. 
I stare at the plain walls. 

My roommate, Delia, walks in, chattering about whales. I think they stuck me with her to balance things out. She is wiry and frail and her bleached hair sticks out and up and all over. She talks nonstop, never expecting an answer, which I am thankful for. 
They say she is delusional. 
I say we all are.

I would much prefer to live in a world like Delia’s. I would prefer to see things that do not exist, as opposed to having to deal with reality. I continue staring at the wall as Delia speaks. 
Her voice is high and frantic at all times, no matter the subject matter. 
A fight breaks out in the hallway between Jerome and Kip. I quickly check the time. 3:04 PM. 
I wonder how many days it will take for the staff to realize that Jerome and Kip are planning this.
I assume many days; The staff are not very bright. 

I continue to stare at the wall, until Melanie comes in to take me to dinner at precisely 5 o’clock. 
“Hello, Shane,” She says gently, I look at her. “Time for dinner,” 
I stand. 
“We’re having spaghetti tonight,” She tells me. I say nothing, but nod slowly in approval. 
We walk down the hallways in silence. 

Kip walks up to me in the cafeteria. 
“I know your secret,” He whispers. I smile. It does not matter, the staff will never accept that I am not crazy, and I am not done escaping from the world. Not yet. 
“You’re not really crazy, are you?” Kip asks, and Clara yells from the table nearby, “Of course he’s crazy you nitwit! He doesn’t talk!” 
I smile again. 

In fact, I am not crazy. 
I am perfectly sane. 

I walk away from Kip and eat my spaghetti. 

I do not know when I will decide to talk again. 

But I like the silence. 

So maybe never. 



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