Silenced by Natasha Larry Page B

nothing but my own shit bounces back at me.
    “Anyway, my turn.”
    Straightening up, I nod. “What do you wanna know?”
    She purses her lips and studies me for a while. Finally, she claps, then nods her head. “Got it. Is it because you feel guilty?”
    I shake my head. “No idea what you’re talkin’ bout.”
    “Well, a siren started all of this.” She stares at me with a meaning it takes me awhile to comprehend.
    “You’re talking about ole’ Harley, the suicide siren.” I shake my head at memories of her.
    “Are you going after this cure because you feel the need to right things, or what?”
    With a shrug I say, “I honestly never thought about it that way.” I turn my head and gaze at her. “So no, it’s not guilt.”
    “Did you know her?”
    I wag my finger at her. “That’s two.”
    With a scoff she says, “Serious?”
    “’Fraid so.”
    She pouts, which makes me smile. Girl is a weird mix of adorable and kick-you-in-the dick independent.
    “Can I have just one more? Not about Harley.”
    I stare at her for several seconds, pretending to think. “Make it good.”
    Her face breaks into a wide grin. “Why does it kill you? Hearing the siren song?”
    I hesitate, mouth falling open. No one’s ever asked me that before. Slapping one hand against the inside palm of the other, I shrug.
    “It’s not hearing it that kills you,” I say. “Technically, it’s not hearing it.”
    She squints at me. Her mouth starts to form and O. I reach out to press my finger to her lips.
    “I’m sick of talking,” I say huskily.
    Her eyes glaze over, then her breath shallows. “You… started it.”
    Ignoring this, I lean in closer to her. So close our noses almost touch. “Think of something you want, right now.”
    Her quivering mouth parts. “Other than the obvious?”
    “Yeah, something you miss. From before.”
    She bites down on her lip again. Her gaze lifts to the ceiling. The flesh around her eyes wrinkles. Then, slowly, a grin spreads across her face.
    “Got it?” I ask.
    She nods.
    “Alright, baby girl. Picture it. Close your eyes and see yourself with it.”
    Another nod. Her eyelids flutter shut. After a few minutes, I push my power out of my body, let it touch her. Bumping into something hard, I can tell she has a strong mental picture in her head.
    I take a deep breath. “You ready for this shit?”
    With her eyes still closed, she jerks her head up and down. I inch a little closer, then I whistle.

    Valene’s body goes limp. Her breath comes out in puffs. Leaning over, I brush my lips against her hair as I slide it back. Then, I caress her lobe with my mouth.
    As I back away slightly, I say, “Open them.”
    Her thin eyelashes flutter as her eyes open. For a moment, she has no reaction, then she gasps and leaps to her feet.
    “Holy fuck!”
    I laugh and stand next to her. As soon as she looks up at the sky, elation hits me. Yeah, I don’t usually use words like elation, but this feeling deserves a big ass word. This is definitely some elation type shit.
    Her face flushes, jaw drooping toward the floor. Her eyes dart toward me, then back up again. Her head shakes slowly from side to side. Warmth rises from my gut. I raise my head and stare up with her.
    A deep blue sky sprawls over our heads. Streaks of white trail through, and on the horizon, a bright, pulsing sun casts shadows on the grass under our feet.
    This is what she misses from before. Being under a real sky.
    “How are you doing this?” she asks.
    Tearing my eyes away from the view, I look down. She’s standing right in front of me, wearing an expression that reminds me of a young boy that’s just discovered masturbation.
    “Technically, you’re doing this.”
    She looks up again. “I don’t understand.”
    Twisting my shoulders inward, I lean closer to her. “I’m using you. Your wants created this illusion.”
    Birds chirp off in the distance, and she laughs.
    “Illusion.” She shakes her head. “It seems so