Silent Cal

"Can he even hear us with those things in?"
"Yes, I hear you all perfectly well."
Everyone jumped to hear Silent Cal speak. Amanda recovered first.
"Why do you wear headphones all the time?"
Her question, and those that followed, went unanswered as Cal resumed his customary reserve. Until Dain asked, "Are you listening to anything good?"
Cal paused halfway through turning the page of his book. He looked over at Dain with something in his eye that was neither pain nor laughter completely. Then without a word he reached up, removed the speakers from his ears, and handed them to Dain. With a glance to his friends Dain put the headphones to his own ears expectantly. His face slowly contracted as if he were taking small sips of lemonade short one teaspoon of sugar: not completely unpleasant, but unsettling.
"It's just static!"
"Yes, I was afraid that was all you would hear." Cal took the headphones from Dain's outstretched hand and replaced them on his ears.
"Why, do you hear something different?" asked Claire.
Receiving only a silent stare in response, Claire looked back in his eyes and realized what was so strange about them: they reflected nothing. Like a vast cavern that refuses to let the light of a candle tear back even the slightest corner of the darkness, Cal's eyes were untouched by the world around him.
"What do you hear?" she whispered.
"Eternity."

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Posted by Gregory Taylor