A/N: I haven't written forever on this site. Not since November (and from then, not since January or so). I actually wrote this for my Drama class, 'cause we had to write a monologue on something. I procrastinated for an infinite amount of time, and then finished this the day before I had to present it. It's tomorrow. Wish me luck…

Summary: You may not always win the battle. But that's not what you're going for. You just want to win the war. But…how can you win the war when you can't hear the enemy coming?

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Title: Dead Quiet

Rating: T

Author: Senseless Drive

One-shot

1st Person's POV

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So many people take things for granted. Things that seem—to them—normal in their everyday lives. Having clean water to drink, fresh clothes to wear every day, enough food on the table, a roof to sleep under. Though it could be considered selfish of them, they know no other way. They take these things for granted because they can. They have every reason and right. They were given these things from birth…unlike others.

Unlike me.

It's not just material possessions or proper nourishment that people take for granted. Simply things such as seeing and hearing. Tasting and feeling. The ability to feel pain. Though there are many people who would give anything not to feel pain, they are not aware of just how serious the condition could be. Not knowing your hand was burning. Not knowing someone had just carelessly slit your wrist…with blood pouring to the ground in large droplets.

But pain is not my misfortune.

Hearing is.

Since birth, I've been incapable of hearing even the slightest of sounds. Voices…what are those? Music…what is that? Do they ring with the same vibrations as what I feel from their throats? I doubt anyone—besides another with my condition—could understand just how odd it was…to not know what a sound was. It was like…being blind and not knowing what a human looked like. But the blind learned with their hands, as I learned from the vibrations.

And…people don't realize how difficult it can sometimes be. All these things they take for granted…singing…laughing…yelling…shouting…speaking…they don't understand how much I would give to be able to hear the sounds. Some people…they get headaches from loud voices. But do they understand…do they understand just how maddening it would be…to live a life as soundless as I live mine? No. They don't. They don't understand.

And they never will.

Who could possibly understand what it would be like to never hear words again? Never hear them from the start? Only a deaf could understand. As much as I tried to cope with the disabilities I had—and always will have—, the silence…is enough to drive someone mad. Of course, I am one of the lucky ones. I don't have anything to compare this to. There was never a time in my life where I could sing with wild abandon—regardless if my voice was terrible or not. There was never a time.

But I still don't blame them—the ones who take their hearing for granted. I envy them—yes, with all my heart—, I hate them—for I wonder why none of them had to deal with what I have—, I pity them—as they have no idea that they should cherish what they have. But I don't blame them. Right now, if I'd been given my hearing back—or given for the first time—, I would savor it. Allow it to fill me up.

But I know, had the positions been reversed and I had been born with the ability to hear, I honestly probably would've taken it for granted. I can't doubt what is so undeniably true. I would've been ignorant, just the same as them. And I would've spoiled myself with sound. Blasted music into my ears—I could never really understand why kids did that, by the way—, and gorge myself on action movies filled with explosions and screaming.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt.

But…the people I do blame…the people I would do anything to do away with…are the ones who purposely try to make my life worse. And not just my life. Other people's lives. The others just like me.

Those…bullies—and if I could think of a better word to call them, I would. Those…vile little creatures taking on the form of classmates. Their words were like bullets to my heart. For the longest time, their jeers and taunts had been enough to break my spirit. Though I couldn't hear…they hadn't exactly been discreet about it. That was when the horrible notes started. My locker had been filled to the brim with pretty red little cards. And on each one…

"Go to hell deaf girl!"

"No one wants you here."

"Why don't you just cut off your ears? They're useless anyway."

Burned and crushed beneath a tidal wave of rejection. Beaten into near submission. I became as quiet as the world around me. Deadly silent—the kind of quiet where you can tell that the person is dying on the inside. I became that, and for so long—years in fact—I let the pain of dismissal and hatred prickle in my veins. I let it consume me—the pain ignited me into a flurry of self-destruction. Self-annihilation.

But…as the years progressed…and the days grew shorter…I started to realize…that I didn't deserve any of it. I was—am—a living, breathing human being, with wants and needs and feelings and thoughts. And no one had any right to make me feel like I was less of a person because of my being deaf. I didn't deserve that. I had never done anything to deserve it.

And as this realization came to me, I began to breathe easier. I began to feel more alive—or at least, more alive than I ever had before. I began to stand up for myself. Instead of crumpling at the mocking expressions on their faces, I kept my head held high. And…as they noticed that I no longer felt the need to cry at their horrific taunting…they began to leave me alone.

I was free.

Of them and of my own self-hatred.

I managed to save myself…but not many others can. So—and this is a message to all of you out there…the bullies and the ones who just stand by and watch—before you go insulting something you can't understand, hear this.

You'll never understand the pain I went through.

Because it's not easy…

To live in a world without sound.

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A/N: Well? Tell me what you think. Pretty please.

I'm not begging.

Much.

*Grins unashamedly*

--Senseless Drive--