Hush

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1

Hi.

I finished your book.

I finished your book.

You don't have to sign.

I know you can read my lips,

but I am getting better.

Better.

- I um... I want to practice.

- Cool.

Taking another class with John.

- John?

- It's fun!

I am way better at understanding it

than actually doing it, but...

So, what did you think?

What did I... What did I think?

- I loved it.

- Thank you.

I um...

I loved Riley.

I loved Erin.

- Thank you.

- They were great characters.

I tried to guess the ending.

I am usually on point with that

sort of thing, but I was way off!

How did you do that?

How do you...?

How do you come up with that?

My mom calls it "writer brain."

Makes me crazy.

Any possible outcome

is like a movie in my head...

with many endings.

A frustrating movie.

Hard to make the voices quiet.

A voice?

I have a voice in my mind.

Does the voice sound like a kid?

You were 13 when you got sick?

It sounds like my mom.

Whatever is going on in your brain,

I think that you are a good storyteller.

What?

This means...

kisser.

This means storyteller.

Well,

I'm sure you're also a lovely kisser.

Jesus!

I'm sorry.

Fire alarm.

God! That is one hell of a fire alarm!

I have to feel the vibrations.

That is why it is so loud.

When I am sleeping,

the vibrations will wake me up.

Well, I imagine that would wake anyone.

Oh! Cat?

She is fine. Independent little b*tch.

She's a... She's a what?

B-I-T-C-H.

B*tch.

B*tch.

I am sorry about dinner.

Do you want to come over?

We can order in and watch a movie.

John will be home in an hour,

so he can join.

Have to work.

I understand.

I'm sorry.

Thank you for...

for letting me borrow this.

Keep it. I have got dozens upstairs.

Thank you.

I'll pop by tomorrow and brush up signs?

I'm going to get good.

I'm determined.

- Kissing.

- Kissing.

Storyteller.

B*tch.

B*tch.

...clenching the book

Riley to the church.

The church to Erin.

The church to Father Paul.

Bring in Erin. Scratch that. Try this.

The rage bubbled up,

spreading into his head.

His ears rang. His eyes felt hot.

She's happy.

...mysterious ways.

Nope, not working.

Not working. Something brighter.

..looking down with her wide,

endlessly patient eyes.

They would twinkle with red,

blue and yellow light,

just as the damned Jesus fish had

when it pulled him out of the fog

and into hell.

That's better.

It needs something more, something better.

Erin dies. Can't kill Erin. That would

piss 'em off. Didn't set it up properly.

Or scrap the whole book

and find another career.

A better idea.

Maddie!

Maddie, please see me!

Maddie, please help me!

Maddie!

No!

No!

No!

Hey, Squish.

Hey, Squash.

What are you up to?

Abandoning the novel.

Joining the circus.

Going that well, huh?

Are you still stuck on the ending?

Which one? I have seven.

Glad I could distract you.

Distractions abound.

Craig texted me.

Talk about bad endings!

Did you talk to him?

No, but almost.

It's been a year!

Mom keeps asking

when you're getting back out there.

I signed up for an online-dating site

for the Deaf.

Look at you!

No. There are four men in the whole area.

Do not want.

Miss the city yet?

Never. Too loud.

Seriously, Maddie?

Maybe you could come back.

Live with me.

I worry about you.

It is not good for anyone to be alone,

Squish.

- Isolating yourself the way that you do...

- Isolation happened to me.

I didn't pick it.

Who was that?

Behind you.

I thought I saw something move.

Probably the cat.

B*tch escaped earlier.

Thank you. I have to find her.

I love you.

I love you.

Can you read my lips?

Can you?

You have seen it now, haven't you?

"Seriously, Maddie.

Maybe you could come back

and live with me."

"You know, I worry about you.

It's not good for anyone to be so alone,

Squish."

I can come in any time I want.

And I can get you any time I want.

But I'm not going to.

Not until it's time.

When you wish you are dead -

that's when I'll come inside.

Do you understand me?

Nod your head if you understand me.

Good.

Then we can have some fun.

Enjoy it.

Not so easy, is it?

Sarah?

Sarah?

- On the ground!

- Whoa!

On the ground. Drop it!

- It's just a phone.

- Drop it! Hands behind your head.

- Take it easy. I'm a friend.

- Hands where I can see 'em.

I don't want any trouble.

Just do what I say.

My name is John Stanley.

- I said, "On your knees," sir.

- OK!

I'm a neighbour,

just looking for my girlfriend.

- Show me some ID.

- It's in my wallet, OK? Take it easy.

- Hands where I can see 'em.

- I'm just gonna go for my wallet.

I'm gonna put my phone down

and reach for my wallet. Take it easy.

- You live next door?

- Yes, sir.

OK.

OK.

I am sorry to scare you.

There has been a...

Phew!

Jesus! Um...

- What the hell happened here?

- I don't know. Um...

I responded to a call.

I got here and found the place like this.

There was someone inside.

He came running past me

and knocked me cold.

I woke up without my phone,

my gun or my radio.

I need to call for backup.

- Do you know who lives here?

- Yeah, it's Maddie.

Maddie Young. She's a friend of ours.

Does she live alone?

Yeah. My girlfriend comes here

all the time. I thought maybe...

What is her name?

It's Sarah. Sarah Greene.

OK. Sarah. I'm sorry.

Can I use your phone to call for backup?

I should have called it in already,

but I just started this job,

and when I got here...

- Are you police?

- Deputy. Just barely, though.

I can call the Sheriff,

if I can just use your...?

Here you go.

Thanks.

Yeah, I got a 7-19 here at 811 Fairhope.

Signs of possible forced entry.

Suspect is at large on foot.

No one else here,

but a neighbour just showed up.

Yeah. OK.

See you soon.

Hey, did you see that?

Yeah, I did.

This girl, Maddie,

does she have a boyfriend?

No, I don't think so.

Hm.

Family nearby? Anybody else that could

possibly have access to the house?

No, she pretty much keeps to herself.

- Is your arm OK?

- Oh, yeah.

The guy just ploughed into me.

He hit me like a truck.

He must have been...

well, just about your size, actually.

You know, like a jock.

Linebacker type.

Scary guy.

Can I get that back?

The phone.

Oh!

Yeah, of course. Sorry.

So stupid of me. Force of habit.

You said you responded to a call.

Was that from Maddie?

From the dispatcher... actually.

They said someone had called it in.

I just assumed it was the resident.

Yeah, because she wouldn't be able

to make that call. She's deaf and mute.

Huh.

Well, I guess it must have been

your girlfriend who made the call.

So, deaf mute, huh?

Pretty rough.

Has she always been unable to hear?

No, not always.

Since she was a teenager, I think.

Meningitis.

Still, to live alone like this...

she must be able to get by.

I can't swear to it, but...

...I'm pretty sure she has a spare key

in that planter on the porch down there.

Wouldn't that be great?

Yeah.

Just...?

Yeah, it's right down there,

on that corner.

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