“What... what….what do you mean,” I signed with my shaking hands. “Are they still alive?”
I was hopeful this new-found revelation was going to bring good news.
“Sorry I didn’t mean it like that,” Felix signaled. “I meant they didn’t die by an accident and their death was not a random act of life.”
I swallowed hard, was not ready for whatever he was going to share next and after everything I had gone through I didn’t know how much more of life’s complications I could take.
Felix continued. “Marinette after you were born your parents died, which is what I have told you before but the part I didn’t share with you was about how they died. I have always suspected it was foul play and not random. I don’t know who did it or how it happened. After my wife passed away the Magistrate recruited me to join their guardian program as they used to call it. I don’t know if it is the name they still use today and I am not sure why they selected me but one day two Magistrate officers show up at my front door and ask me if I am willing to help adopt a child. They said it was my chance to do something for the Magistrate and society and of course I didn’t think twice and just said yes. The Magistrate had all the guardians go through a series of trainings for a few months. Some guardians had children before and it was easier for them but for me it was all new. Of course I have had no regrets taking care of you Marinette.”
I smiled at Felix and was really thankful he took me in but the news of my parents’ death not being an accident had left me emptier than ever.
“Are…. are you saying the Magistrate had my parents killed?” I signed the elephant in the room question.
“I don’t know,” Felix shrugged. “After I was told it was you I was going to adopt I did a little research on your parents. I wanted to learn more about them, so I could take care of you better, but my research led me to discover things about your parents’ so-called accident. Let’s say the whole thing seemed a bit unusual. My curiosity got the better of me and I did some more digging around and eventually found what I was looking for. The accident involving your parents wasn’t really an accident is what I discovered, and I don’t want to get into the details about it right now as it is a thing of the past.”
My birth parents had never been an issue for me and, since I had never met them, it was a door I was all too happy to keep closed but now with this new information I wondered if it was time to finally open the door. Somehow, I felt my birth parents, the sound and the process were all interconnected together.
“Do you really think the Magistrate could actually be the process then?” Oliver interrupted him.
Felix continued. “I don’t think so. It would be too obvious and dangerous for there to be such a clear connection between whatever this process is and the Magistrate. The Magistrate, itself, is very clever at hiding its tracks in such matters. During my initial years as a guardian there were also sessions for us guardians to get together and learn from each other. It was like a support group and I quickly realized most of the guardians were adults whose spouses had passed away which I found to be a bit strange. Some of these guardians were more vocal, suspected something was going on behind us and felt it was not random on how we were chosen to be in this program. I am sorry Marinette I hid all this from you for so many years, but I was not sure how to tell you all this and what your reaction might be. I was scared you might run away.”
It was my turn to stay quiet. I understood Felix couldn’t share this with me because he didn’t have enough information on what was going on but the incident and my decision to trust him on everything going on was just the right trigger. I was glad I decided to trust him but there were now many more unanswered questions.
“But why do all this?” Oliver, as if he could read my mind, interrupted again. “If the Magistrate is involved in some way, what is the purpose behind all of this?”
“I am not sure but since Marinette mentioned the sound she made I think there is a connection,” Felix motioned. “Hmmmmm. There have been many rumors during the last several years.”
“Rumors?” I signed.
“Rumors the Council was trying to get humanity’s speaking ability restored,” Felix responded. “During the guardian support group meetings there were already whispers of the Council trying to find what they called a silence breaker. Of course, no one could confirm or deny such a person existed and until now I also thought it was only a fairy tale.”
“You are the silence breaker M,” Oliver motioned pointing at me.
The lake seemed so peaceful at this time, the moon was about to take a break and the first rays of dawn were painting a portrait across the night sky. Another new day was about to begin, although it didn’t feel like it to me as so much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. I wished I had some time to take it in, but I knew the danger level remained high because Josh would not stop at anything to catch me. His obsession with preventing humans from talking again seemed quite in contradiction to the Magistrate and Council’s goals and he most likely would kill me instead of handing me over to the Magistrate.
“What about the woman with the child in the burning car? Was she another potential parent?” Oliver indicated. “Maybe she was running away to keep her child from ending up with the Council.”
Felix looked at Oliver carefully. “It is possible because if not why should she mention the process. She could have escaped from some place to begin with.”
“Do you think the Magistrate had her killed too?” Oliver signed.
“I doubt it,” Felix motioned. “If the Magistrate was involved in the car explosion I don’t think Marinette would be sitting here with us.”
“Has there been any silence breaker before me?” I signaled.
I realized by asking the question I had, unintentionally, taken the label or burden of a silence breaker upon myself without knowing what the consequences of such a choice would be.
“I haven’t heard of any,” Felix responded. “I think you are the first I have heard of. I mean whatever they are doing to kids like you Marinette has been going on for years and you were not the first and certainly you will not be the last.”
My heart leaped at the possibility there could be others like me and, maybe, even here in Thomson. It made sense as the Council would have experimented with many parents over the years.
“Silence breaker sounds like a good name for you M,” Oliver signed with a smile. “It doesn’t sound like a superhero’s name though but well we can’t have everything we want.”
Neither Felix nor Oliver knew the emotional trigger connection to making the sound and they probably thought I could make the sound anytime I wanted to but there was more to this and so much more I didn’t know. For now, some things were best kept close to me, not only for my good, but for theirs too.
As I shared with them what Josh told me about his ancestors and his mission Felix’s eyes grew wide.
“You cannot come home at all,” Felix motioned. “Josh and his people will definitely be watching the place. This has now become Josh’s personal mission in life and he will now stop at nothing to catch you.”
“Do you think they recognized it was you in the car earlier?” I motioned.
I couldn’t help but worry for Felix because I didn’t want him to be in the middle of my problem although he was my guardian. Before this everything was perfectly fine but now it was a mess and all the people I cared about were entangled in it.
“I don’t think so,” Felix gestured. “First of all, I borrowed this car from a friend and I scratched the plates off, so no one could identify it so easily.”
“Nice one man!” Oliver high-fived Felix.
“It will be a matter of time before they connect the dots,” Felix signaled. “The Magistrate is everywhere, and their resources are unlimited. By now I am sure they have a room full of people looking for the both of you. They will track down everywhere you have gone to and everyone you spoken to in the last year.”
“Huh?�
� I signed. “If this is true, you cannot go back home either. It is too dangerous.”
“I need to go back,” Felix indicated. “If I don’t return home it will definitely raise the alarm with Josh. My best chance is to act like the clueless guardian he thinks I am and pretend like I don’t know what is going on. I know you are worried for me Marinette but there isn’t any other choice.”
“You can stay with us,” I signed in desperation. “We can find out together what the process is and what they did to me.”
“I think it is harder for me to be on the run with the two of you,” Felix gestured. “It would be harder for us to blend in and people would eventually notice.”
Felix was right because it was one thing for Oliver and me to be on the run as teenagers moving around and simply hanging about was quite a common sight in Thomson but an adult tagging along with us would draw unnecessary attention.
“If they didn’t recognize me just now which is most likely the case,” Felix assured me. “Then they won’t come after me.”
“But they will know someone who can drive is helping us,” Oliver pointed out.
“Yes, I agree,” Felix nodded. “All the more reason for me to get back home quickly.”
Felix touched my shoulder and handed me a backpack.
“I brought you this. It is full of your clothes and some food,” Felix stated. “I know you will need it and there is more than enough food for Oliver too.”
I hugged Felix in delight as he always knew what was best for me even to this very day and I was so fortunate the Magistrate chose him to be my guardian. It may have been a random selection, but I knew I was the one who got the better part of the deal.
I had heard of horror stories of other guardians over time with some of them not caring at all about the child they were entrusted with but instead using the child as their own personal slave. I always felt Felix had been the gold standard of guardians always looking out for my best interests.
“I better return this car and get back home before daylight,” Felix signed pointing out the car window.
I was reluctant to let Felix go and I had this uneasy feeling I might not see him again, but I understood this was not my choice to make. It was Felix’s and only he could choose just like he made the choice to go against the Magistrate by helping us. I had to trust he was making the right decision again and what he said did make sense as we really didn’t want any more suspicion to fall upon him.
I watched as Felix drove off and, then, Oliver and I stared at each other as the sun made its presence felt.
Oliver pointed down the road. “I know there is a barn near the turn-off to the lake. I have been here before and it is a short walk. Let’s go over there and get some rest because I think we both need it.”
TWENTY-THREE
I followed Oliver down the road towards the red barn at the turn-off which was right smack in the middle of a field of grass. As the sun was now shining we walked along a small dirt road and once we reached it Oliver opened the door and we went inside.
Entering the barn, I walked over to a corner, collapsed onto the floor and closed my eyes as the lack of sleep over the last so many hours finally caught up with me.
My eyes opened to the sound of a car honking and driving by and I realized I had been sleeping for several hours and, outside, the moon had made its grand entrance again.
Oliver was still asleep as I opened the bag and ate some of the food. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I saw the food and was so thankful to Felix for bringing it for us.
Oliver touched my shoulder, I turned around still munching my food and smiled at him.
“Do you still think about it?” Oliver signed.
I looked at him confused. “Think about what?”
“The woman and the burning car,” Oliver indicated. “It isn’t something that just goes away.”
A best friend was someone who knew what you were going through without you having to explain it all and it was like having a silent connection even if we didn’t talk about it and Oliver was this kind.
“Sometimes I can still picture her in the car,” I motioned. “I wish I had done something….”
Oliver waved at me with his hand. “You were put into an unexpected and crazy situation M and there was no way to know what to do. Most people would have been paralyzed with fear and shock too.”
“But not you Oliver,” I signaled. “You would have saved her somehow.”
I didn’t want to compare my actions, but I would always end up doing it because the world revolves around the throne of comparison. The last few days had shown how courageous Oliver was and I wished I could be more like him.
“Let’s forget about it for now,” Oliver indicated. “Hey, don’t keep all the food for yourself M. Pass me some. I am starving too.”
I grinned, threw him some food and he wanted to sign something sneaky but instead chose to focus on his food which was a good decision I thought.
We both fell asleep again until the sound of a rooster doing his morning routine woke me up again. I went around the back of the barn, washed my face a bit and found the cold water refreshing. I returned to find Oliver eating again.
“Are you going to finish all my food?” I signed.
“Hey I am hungry,” Oliver indicated. “And Felix brought us a ton of food which shouldn’t go to waste right?”
Oliver smiled as I gave my best whatever stare back.
My phone buzzed with a message from Felix and I sensed something was very wrong as I knew he wouldn’t have taken the risk to message me because any communication between him and us would blow his cover. As I read the message my heart sank.
“Good day Marinette this is your favorite and loving teacher Mrs Wills. I have Felix with me and if you want to see him ever again come to my home. You have until 5pm today if not your beloved guardian Felix dies.”
I was sick to my stomach because of the way Mrs Wills talked about herself despite knowing this was not her true nature and she had been pushed to become this other person. How could she say those things? Josh’s words of a person choosing their own monster echoed in my mind and I began to doubt myself about Mrs Wills. I showed Oliver the message from Mrs Wills.
“This is a trap M,” Oliver gestured. “You cannot go!”
Oliver knew me too well since he never asked me whether I would go or not but assumed I would, of course, go because this was about Felix who was my only family.
I was silent.
“I know M,” Oliver motioned. “But let’s think about this. Felix would never want you to sacrifice for him. He would be the first one to tell you not to come for him. You know this right?”
Oliver was right about this as Felix, being the kind of frequent newspaper reader adult who looked at the big picture and wanted to know what was happening in Thomson and beyond, would know what was at stake and never ask me to come.
“Yes but this is my choice to make,” I signed. “I am sorry but it isn’t yours to make in this situation.”
Oliver’s face all but showed he had lost the argument over this matter.
“And I think because it is Mrs Wills there is a chance I can save him,” I continued. “Despite everything, I still believe Mrs Wills is not a killer.”
“We didn’t think Mrs Wills was many things,” Oliver gestured. “But look how it turned out. She keeps going down the path to hell and beyond.”
“I know but I must try to help her find herself again,” I signed. “This isn’t who she is. This is the Magistrate’s way of twisting our identities for their purpose. I know Mrs Wills can be restored to her true self. I need to try and talk to her face to face. Maybe talking sense with her will give her the chance to realize she is on the wrong path. I must at least try.”
I sounded very confident but inside of me I was trying to keep myself from falling into a million little pieces. The truth of the matter was that I didn’t want to face Mrs Wills because I still remembered how she tried to trap
me in the classroom and how she spoke about me to Josh at the building. I really hadn’t gotten over the whole issue of Mrs Wills but instead had happily pushed it into a corner hoping it would fade away and, yet, I knew the only way to save Felix was to now face her.
“But I cannot do this alone,” I indicated. “I will need your help Oliver. I know it is unfair of me to ask this of you after everything I put you through.”
Oliver smiled. “You don’t have to even ask M. This is what best friends are for and I am with you all the way on this.”
I grinned and hugged Oliver because I knew I could rely on him as he was the rock in our friendship and I had never had such a loyal friend before and I probably would never have again. Loyalty isn’t a word my generation was really known for as it is all about getting whatever we could get instead of giving it out and about climbing to the top and winning at all costs. It sounded depressing and it was if you spent time thinking about it and I didn’t know if it was all because of our inability to speak or life at its worst.
Piercing Through the Silence Page 10