The Silent Society

Trevor slipped through the crowded streets of the market, head down beneath his hood. Shops and restaurants spilled voices and bright lights that hurt his eyes. People walked the streets with friends or carrying bags. The noise seemed to press into him feeling like a weight he had to strain against to stop from screaming at everyone or shattering one of the windows. The pressure felt like it would crush him. 

Others didn’t seem to notice the noise around them and he wondered how they could stand the constant pressure. Apparently they didn’t care about the bright lights and loud noises that always made him jump. It didn’t hurt them like it did him; they got energy from it. Trevor only became exhausted by it.

A loudspeaker spouted propaganda next to his ear and he jerked away from it. The girl that was leading him looked back at him waving for him to follow. He nodded and kept going trying to ignore the words spoken by the speakers and written in bright letters on posters.

“EVERYONE SHOULD BE INCLUDED!…REMEMBER TOGETHERNESS BRINGS PROSPERITY LONELINESS BRINGS INSANITY!… IF YOU AREN’T LOUD YOU AREN’T PROUD!…BEING ALONE IS DANGEROUS! REPORT ANYONE ALONE TO THE NEAREST OFFICER IMMEDIATELY!… BRIGHTER! BIGGER! LOUDER!…”

Trevor stayed close to the girl squinting as light flashed out at him. He gritted his teeth to fight back shielding his eyes. Everyone walked in pairs or large groups; it was forbidden by law to be alone if you could be with another person. People were required to be in the square where there were arcades,games,restaurants,and shops. Everyone slept in communal houses,ate together, worked together in large groups,play together. No one was ever alone. The mantra of the Empire rang over the speakers and hung everywhere: “Together we rise, Alone we die.”

Trevor looked up and saw the girl had led him to the entrance of an ally next to a bread shop. He still didn’t know who she was or where they were going. She had found him sitting off to the side in a shaded part of an arcade with his head down on a table used to serve food to try and stop the flashing lights from hurting his eyes. She had touched his hand and whispered in a voice unlike anything anyone had ever said to him. So quiet. So gentle. What she said had made him follow her immediately. 

“I know where you can rest.”

Rest. He had asked her what she meant and she had explained in her soft voice. “There’s a place where it is dark and quiet. I can take you there.” She stood and walked out the door. He had followed her.

It seemed too good to be true. It seemed dangerous; a part of him said that this was wrong. He had been told all his life that being alone was dangerous, he shouldn’t be following this girl. But that word kept ringing in his mind and it pulled him along through the crowd. Rest. When was the last time he had been able to do that?

The girl moved into the dark alley and Trevor followed, his eyes soaking in the shadows like a starving man eating food. It felt wonderful. She went down some stairs hidden behind some crates and Trevor followed,his eyes adjusting to the darkness.

The girl looked back at him putting her finger to her lips.

 “Quiet”

Trevor nodded then saw her open a door that was painted the same color as the wall to disguise it. Again a voice in his head told him that this was dangerous. If this girl was taking him to a place where he could be alone in silence then she should be reported to an officer. Even being with her could get him arrested and branded an Introvert; a term reserved for criminals and rebels. 

He looked behind him at the lights barely visible from the alley. He could run and get an officer. He could show him the door and they could stop them from doing something so dangerous. He looked back at the girl wavering.

“Don’t worry we’re almost safe.” She said her blue eyes sparkling, a comforting smile on her face. He felt his body relax and any doubts flee his mind. Somehow he could tell that this girl understood what it was like for him out there where the lights and sounds threatened to crush him. Somehow he knew that they hurt her too. They were the same.

She flashed him another smile and opened the door, revealing a small room. She closed the door behind them and Trevor heard the sounds of the street get quieter. She opened another door with a golden key around her neck. 

Inside she closed the door behind them and Trevor realised something was different. It took him a moment to figure it out then he realised what it was. It was silent.

It was beautiful. 

The room they were in was large with soft blue lanterns around on tables and hanging from the ceiling. Soft chairs were arranged in corners and Trevor could see small alcoves hidden by curtains and fogged glass doors with more lanterns and soft chairs. Trevor spotted some people sitting in the alcoves reading books,doing crafts,writing,and drawing pictures. Some people talked in soft whispers as not to disturb the beautiful silence of the room.

The girl who had led him there stood on a platform up front and called in a slightly louder voice for everyone to look at her.

“Everyone! This is Trevor the newest member of the Silent Society!”

Trevor looked up and saw the people smiling brightly at him. Some waved and snapped in a form of quiet applause and welcome.The girl hopped down from the platform and showed Trevor all the things they had in their secret base such as secret entrances all around the square, all the different crafts and projects people were working on, and ways he could cope if the world outside became too loud and bright. 

He stared at it all feeling more excited and more himself than he ever thought he had. For the first time Trevor felt like he belonged somewhere. The girl who’s name he had found was Abigail gave him a golden key on a blue string. She flashed her happy smile and said the greatest thing he had ever heard.

“Welcome home.”