Voices In The Theater [SAMPLE]

Chapter 3 - Do You Hear Them?

        It was like being underwater.

        Everyone was moving so slowly, and even though they were opening their mouths, I couldn’t hear their voices. Except for the ones in my head.

        Get out! said the first voice. It belonged to a distraught young woman.

        No! Don’t do it… pleaded a guy.

        Get out! This time the girl was hysterical. A sob caught at the end of her scream.

        I looked around the room, at the faces. Every one of them was still riveted on Eartha, who continued talking.

        I still couldn't hear her.

        You can't stop me… It’s too late, no one can help me. The girl's voice was resigned and sad.

        Please don't do this... There was love in the guy’s voice now. Please don’t… Nnoooo!

        She's ours... she's ours... she's ourrsss...

        The last words were cold, strange, a chorus of many voices that had no gender. I shuddered.

         ...oursss... oursss... ourssss...

        They sounded gleeful, in a sick sort of way. I shook my head, wishing I could get their voices out of my head. But now their many voices merged into a sinister low chorus of whispering and hissing.

        ...ssppsssttspssttssspssspspspsssttspssttkatrinamanuelsspsppsssttspssttpspppjosephyum olssspssssppsssttspssttssspsssmitchieborjapsppssspssppsssttspssttssspsspssssandrewdavidsonsp sssppsssttspssttssspss...

        The hissing sounds were overwhelming. They filled my head until I felt like I was drowning. Stop, please! I thought desperately. I suddenly had a horrible image of myself tearing my ears out of my head with my bare hands. Please stop!

        ...ours... ours... ours... hahahahahahaha!

        "...and so we ran out of there as fast as we could,” Eartha ended.

        I looked up at Eartha sharply, and when I realized it was her voice I heard I gulped in a huge breath of air.

        The hissing voices were gone.

        Everyone was moving normally now, and I could hear their soft breathing. My own breath was ragged, but no one noticed, thanks to Eartha's hold on everyone's attention.

        More importantly, my ears were still intact.

        Eartha now flipped her long honey-colored hair. "Of course we still have to go there sometimes, but now we always make sure to go in groups. And we bring crosses and rosaries."

        "What's a rosary?" I asked.

        The heads now turned to me. Part of me wanted them to stop staring, but another part of me wanted this new situation, if it meant I wouldn't have to hear the chilling chorus of voices again.

        "It's a Catholic thing," Lana told me, squeezing my hand gently again, in her familiar, friendly way. "They're beads that we use as a sort of guide when praying."

        "So guys, do you think this should be your first case?" Sir Julius was suddenly all business, promptly ending the staring fest and getting everyone excited at the same time. I wondered if he knew I needed this distraction.