Day 2

My ears perk up as I hear the attendant’s footsteps coming down the hall outside. I’m on my feet, tail wagging, by the time they open the door.

“Good morning! How are you today?” They’re cheery as ever. Wonderful. “I have good news! Mr Grandhallow is coming today, so we’ll get you talking in no time. But first, breakfast!”

Talking. What do they mean by that? I’m not…I can’t. My mouth is the wrong shape, my vocal chords all wrong, this won’t work. I’m sure of it. I eat, as tidily as I can, and hope that they don’t give up on me for not being able to speak. The attendant takes my empty plate, and tells me that they’ll return with Mr Grandhallow in two hours. Two hours until I fail. Better make the most of the time I have until then.

Not that there’s anything to do in here. The attendant offered to bring me a book yesterday, but I turned it down – I figured it’d be tricky with paws, and I didn’t want to ruin one of their possessions. Instead, I sit, and think about my life before the Forest, about Alys and Jessie. What would they say if they saw me now? Jessie would find it cool, I bet, to have a wolf for a father. Alys…would probably be wary, at least at first. And rightfully so.

Footsteps in the hallway again. Two sets. The rapid clatter I recognise as the attendant, and a slower set, measured, calm. Mr Grandhallow.

The door opens.

“I present to you – Mr Grandhallow!” Dramatic as usual. They cheer me up, which I think was their aim.

“Hello, sir. I am Mr Grandhallow. You may call me Ernest if you wish. I trust you’re in good health?”

I nod. I’m pleasantly surprised by my guest. He wears nothing strong-smelling, no perfume or suchlike, and speaks quietly. Whether this is usual for him, or he deliberately did it to not overwhelm us poor humanoids, I don’t know – but either way I appreciate it. He stands out against the white walls in his dark suit and tie, and carries a sturdy-looking case, which he places on the table.

“As you may know, I’m here to get you speaking again. You may, of course, be wondering how, exactly, I will do this, seeing as you are no longer biologically fit to do so…well, sir, there’s more than one way to speak. And I am going to give you this,” he lifts an expensive-looking tablet out of the case and hands it to me, along with a stylus – well thought out, as my claws would only scratch the screen.

The attendant, who had been hovering excitedly by the door, exclaims, “it’s a tablet! It has an app on it, which- sorry, Mr Grandhallow, you explain.”

“Using the app, you can write what you want to say, and show it to someone, or have the app read it aloud. You can also save words or phrases you use often, to save time. Take a look.”

I turn the tablet on, and take a look. The speaking app is the only one installed on there, but Mr Grandhallow says that it’s mine to keep, so I can install more later. I clutch the stylus, a little clumsily, and tap on the screen. The app opens immediately. It’s simply designed, with some words and phrases already saved and space for more, and a place at the top to type. Time to try it out, I guess.

“Hello.” The voice is kinda robotic, but it’s better than trying to growl and snarl my way through a three-letter word. I press the speak button again. “Hello.”

“He’s happy, look – his tail is wagging,” the attendant says to Mr Grandhallow.

“Hey. Leave my tail out of this.”

Mr Grandhallow stands up and closes his case. “Looks like you’ve got the hang of it already. Let me know if there are any problems.”

“Ok.”

Once he’s gone I look up at the attendant, still hovering. “What’s your name?”

“Cellum,” they look delighted to be asked, “yours?”

“Ben.”

I carefully type ‘Cellum’ into a saved phrase spot. Time to get on with my list of questions, I think.