I sat on the ground in my room, unable to go to sleep. The moon cast long shadows across the room, causing the wardrobe and the bed to look like looming creatures whom had come to take me.

Father had not come home either. I waited and waited for what felt like hours. They did not come home.

The first rays on sunlight flooded into the shadowed room, and I glanced up. How long had I waited? I thought as I got up.

“Dad? Rosalyn?” I called. No answer. My voice echoed back to me from the empty halls. I went to the bathroom to wash up, and I saw the bags under my eyes. A dry chuckle escaped my lips as I splashed some water on my face. I decided to get ready for school. They will come back when I get home.. I told myself as I made a ham and cheese sandwich. I am sure they will. I noticed, I did not sound so convinced. My heart raced in my chest, so that every breath seemed to hurt. They MUST.

Thoughts raced in my head, my eyes refused to focus, I was dazed…throughout the whole day, I did not remember a single thing we were taught. Johnny tried talking to me once or twice, but he gave up when he noticed I glanced at him with glassy eyes.

“You can’t see me, eh?” He had said. “What did ya do last night? Did ya even sleep?” I could not respond. My mouth would not move, as if glued shut. My whole body felt like a heavy weight I had to lift. In PE, I ran, but my heart raced so fast I thought others would hear it. The world started to get fuzzy. John ran towards me, but before I could say I was fine, the world went dark.

I woke up to the sound of beeping. The ceiling looked white when I glanced up at it.

“Dan! Oh man, I was worried to death!” I glanced to the source of the voice, my eyes still unfocused. I tried to speak, but no words came out. “Hey, doc, Daniel opened his eyes!” The voice sounded familiar somehow, as if I had heard it somewhere before…

My eyes focused and I stared up at the face of Johnny. I was in a hospital bed. Johnny was currently talking to the doctor, and he seemed as serious as one could be. His eyes flickered for a slip second, and he frowned.

Has something bad happened to me? I thought in panic. Johnny finished talking and came back to me, a forced smile on his lips.

“Daniel, ma’ man! You a ‘right?” I moved my lips, but no sound came out. Johnny did not look surprised. He had that look of pity, the look that said: ‘I know. Just don’t be panicked.’

Something clicked in my head then. I felt my head spin, my head get fuzzy again. John’s grim expression swirled with the colors around and turned into one mess of colors. I could not define anything. And then, as soon as it had come, it was gone, and the world looked normal once more.

I have lost the ability to speak, I thought.