Chapter 2: Disease

She could hear voices. Could she be imagining them? She tried to open her eyes to see the scene in front of her, but black greeted her instead. Maybe she was imagining again. She stood up and walked down the hallway carefully because she still had no idea what was in front of her. She managed to find the bathroom. Once she identified her location, she tried to find the sink. She turned on the water. Waiting to hear the trickle of the water. The water splashed hard against the sink. It sounded so loud in the echoing bathroom. It was beautifully wonderful. So the voices were real. That meant that she could hear. How long had it been? Two weeks? Two years? Time was a tricky thing especially if there was no way to track it.

She began to walk back to the living room to hear the conversation. She quietly slinked through the hallway trying not to make too much noise. The house felt very frozen now that she could hear. When all she had were the vibrations beneath her feet to tell everything that happened around her, everything seemed so alive and wonderful. But now only the chittering of the women flew in the house like a ghost in a house. The voices were like music to her ears, they quietly hushed though the endless drama, making sure no one could hear as they laughed their way though the conversation. They never skipped a beat in the conversation. It was a melody she had been dying to hear.

The women with the deeper voice called that food was ready. A thunderstorm of feet hitting the floor of the upstairs had traveled downstairs, to the dinner table. Senkina heard footsteps coming towards her. They stopped immediately in front of her. She felt the presence of one of the women. Senkina knew which woman would make them stop dead in their tracks. The last time Senkina saw her, she was a uncomfortably skinny women with a tan complexion and dark features to match. This woman was only to be referred to as Mother by her kids. She was able to strike fear like no other into the children she had. Senkina remembered how she was when she wasn't disabled. 

The other woman called to the kids to come sit, blissfully unaware of what just happened. 

At the table they had spaghetti, not to hard to eat, but it wasn't the cleanest either. Senkina's siblings hungerly at the food. They ate like there was no tomorrow. Which it did sometimes feel like that. 

Mother and the other women chatted about life and responsibilities of having a disabled child. Senkina didn't care what they said about her. She knew she could still live as she wanted, even if she was blind.

The other women and Mother chatted relentlessly about the most mundane topics. Eventually the Mother shifted her voice towards the kids. The quiet rustling of eating hauled to a stop. 

Mother continued to talk about her day to the kids and the kids, like privates talking to their general, they recited their day and what they did in school. Senkina not being able to communicate except by putting symbols in her hand, didn't have to report. They knew if they missed anything, their mother would throw a fit after her guest left. Most likely using the extremes for the person who dare cross her. 

When the Mother was finally satisfied with their answers, she allowed them to finish eating. Senkina quietly ate, even though she had disabilities she was still held up to the standards of her younger siblings. When the guest was done eating everyone stopped. To make sure that even Senkina knew to stop, someone slapped the table hard. Senkina stopped dead, her jump wouldn't be suspicious because the hard slap always made her jump. The guest giggled a little at Senkina. This helped Senkina figure where the Mother knew this woman from. Probably one of her "children with disabilities help" class. 

Senkina heard the other kids scrruy to clean off the table and set out dessert for the adults. Senkina just waited for her que to leave came. Finally after everything was set out, the Mother sent them in their rooms, to work on the good extracurriculars that were approved. Senkina was sent to her room just to get out of the Mother's hair. One of the siblings pushed symbols into her hand, telling her to go to her room.

Senkina stood up and walked down the hall, scraping the wall with her hand. When the wall ended, one of her siblings would grab her hand and and help her up the stairs. When she made it to her room, she sat down on her bed. She wanted to talk, to hear what her voice sounded like, but the walls have ears in this house.

Laying down on her bed, she decided to go to her "world". Her world became her safe space through all the rough times, especially when she began to loose her sight and hearing at the same time. Her world was simple but it helped her feel better. Drifting to her world was always weird but she had gotten use to it.

She was on a baseball diamond. Next up at bat. Stepping up to the plate. She steadied herself and looked at the pitcher. The pitcher's gray cap hid her wavy long brown-red hair. The pitcher looked back at Senkina, she was studying Senkina, seeing her weaknesses.

The pitcher drew her arm back as far as it would allow. And threw with all her might at Senkina. Senkina readied her bat to swing. When the ball was in the perfect position, Senkina swung, the ball changed direction immediately and flew to center field.

The pitcher turned to Senkina, smiling. "I really don't know how you do that. You'd think that after no practice for months you would suck, but obviously not." The pitcher giggled, mostly to herself, "I've been practicing that pitch forever. And I still can't seem to make it curvy enough to get you." 

"Maybe if you try to through it straight it be too curved for even a pro to hit it." Senkina answered, sarcastically.

"You suck." The pitcher retorted.

"Darling, looking in a mirror won't help your pitching." Senkina quipped.

"Senkina Erica Evans-Neal! Who taught you to talk like that? Definitely not your religious prick of a mother." The pitcher replied, full of fake shock and giggles.

"I think you need a break. You're beginning to giggle way too much." Senkina suggested, slightly worried for her friend.

"I'll be fine. I want you to have fun." The pitcher brushed off.

Senkina noticed that the pitcher's face was all red and her breathing was uneven. "Beatriz, I want to go sit under the walnut tree." Senkina firmly said.

Beatriz looked up at Senkina. All she did was nod.

They turned to run to the old walnut tree. It's green leaves turning to red with the changing season. They stared at the field for a minute before they decided they had enough energy to talk.

"How bad do you think the disease is?" Beatriz asked.

"Not as bad, I have my hearing back that means I'm making progress." Senkina replied cheerfully.

"I think that you are doing great. I hope you get better. I just hope you don't forget me." Beatriz worryingly responded.

"I could never forget you. You helped me through this hell. And you will always be my best friend, even if I can only see you here. Okay?" Senkina softly responded.

The two girls embraced. Beatriz holding Senkina tight, like it would be the very last time they'd see each other.

"Okay that's all I needed to know." Beatriz replied, gently.

Beatriz stood up, and started to walk away. She turned for a second to looking sadly at Senkina with her green eyes, wetness glistened in her eyes. Beatriz looked back at the woods where her house was. Beatriz ran past the field to the woods, moving faster and faster until she was nothing more than a blur of a tan color.