Isabel Kalaycioglu and Sophie Manfredi
Title: Whispers
Authors: Sophie Manfredi and Isabel Kalaycioglu
Editing: Sophie Manfredi and Isabel Kalaycioglu
Inspired by: Speak.
When I looked out the window that morning the sky was covered in grey clouds holding deep drops of rain. The sky was a navy blue, visible from some transparent clouds. The same color of the dress I wore that night. The events of that night follow me wherever I go. Why can't people forget about it already? It's been a full year. God, it's almost time to go to school. Nobody's awake here. It's just me. I knew it was time to leave. I just couldn't bring myself to walk out the door. Eventually I left. I walked past the trees, the dark grass of the following days ahead, and the dark sky beaming down at me.
I'm sitting in homeroom. Everybody's laughing, except me. Another person threw a piece of paper at me. It was weightless against the back of my head, but after a full semester of being the target, it could've weighed fifty pounds. I picked the paper off the floor and read it.
Dear Laura,
I'm sorry about that night. I should've believed you. I should've been more considerate. I should've stood up for you.
McKenzy
I turned the paper over,
Hahaha, another lie! So not sorry, loser.
I knew it was too good to be true. It wasn't me! It was Him. He did it. Not me. He did it to Himself. Why can't people just stop blaming me? Is it because I was in the same room with him that people blame me? When I realized what was happening it was too late to do anything. Thank lord. The bell rang. I ran out of the classroom like the loser I am. I walked to my locker. My former friend, Leila came by her locker, which was next to mine.
Leila: Hey loser.
Me: …
Leila: Just admit that you did it. Stop lying.
Me …
She hit the books in my hand to the ground. When I went to pick them up she just pushed me down again.
Leila: Loser!
I got back up and pushed myself through the crowd just to find the floor again. How many times must I fall before I can stand up again? I ran to the bathroom and locked myself in one of the stalls. I waited till the bell rang to start the traditional ditching. I was facing a wall filled with the black ink of markers. I'm the type of girl who writes stuff on the bathroom walls to get others in trouble. I took out my black sharpie, uncapped it and started:
Leila is a-
I hear someone opening the heavy bathroom door and I quickly dropped my uncapped sharpie and let it hit the ground.
Unknown voice: Hello?
Me: …
I think it's the janitor. I can hear his footsteps entering the bathroom. I see through the crack of the stall that he is looking at his reflection in the mirror. I never knew he was self-conscious. He slowly left the bathroom. I unlocked my stall and went to the sinks below the mirror. I washed my face and then looked at my reflection. I was staring back at the most hated person in the school. My brown hair was hanging limply from my head, covering my dark sorrowful eyes, my dark brown eyes. My red lips dripping from the water and my ears alert for any sounds. I always thought I resembled a raccoon, hiding with a mask, and hiding from others. I slowly opened the bathroom door, making an exit out. I walked the empty halls until I was facing the school doors that led out of this treacherous place. I heard a voice behind me.
Unknown voice: Hello, Laura?
Me: …
Unknown voice: Turn around, loser.
Me: …
Unknown voice: Now, obey!
Like the loser I am, I obeyed. It was just McKenzy. Nobody could recognize her hoarse voice after all that screaming at the party's she went too. The same parties I never get invited too, since that night.
McKenzy: Hey.
Me: …
McKenzy: You know I don't have to treat you this way. If you admit what you did then we can go back to the way we were. I don't have to be mean to you but if you keep on pretending, everybody else has to treat you this way. It's the only way any of us can forget.
Me: …
McKenzy: Speak!
Me: …
McKenzy: Bye loser.
With that she left. I guess I'm not the only one ditching. I looked at the tempting doors leading to freedom. I stared back to the lockers. I went to my locker and got my books, before I could even move from there a voice called. Janitor?
Janitor: Stop! You! Hey!
Me: …
Suddenly the last bell rang. The crowds of brain washed teenagers pushed open the classroom doors and surrounded me. I ran across the crowd, pushed the doors of freedom and ran across the soft grass we played in when we were young. I looked at the apple orchards, the smell of old times coming back to me. But it can never be like old times again. Never again.
I fell over my own two feet, again. I picked myself off the ground. Still walking home, crossing the busy streets I started to think about that. Picking MYSELF off the ground, I mean. All we ever have in this world is ourselves? Isn't it true? All I have is me, myself. Nobody else. Alone forever. I thought I had people, I thought I had friends. I was wrong. Family is remaining but what of it I do not know. Parent's divorced at age 5, mom died at the age of 8, a girl doesn't have much left but herself.
I was arriving home. The familiar scent of my street was bringing memories of happiness to mind. Little children were playing in sprinklers, and teenagers were skateboarding. I remember the cry of the little child who tried riding a bike. That little child was me. I remember it like yesterday, family surrounding me. Both of my parents were together. I didn't have a care. I just wanted to ride away.
I was outside of my house that day. The scents were amazing, the warmth of the sun warming my face. The blue sky was cloudless. I remember riding the first time, I ran into a tree. The second time, I fell down. The third, I was on my way. I remember going threw the streets, and I remember realizing that I didn't know how to stop. Mother chasing me down the street, cars coming at me. I could hear her cries "Laura, press the handle! Laura!" In the end, I pressed the front break and did a summersault, landing in an angel pose, on the hood of a car. I remember the look on the driver's face. He was, shocked to see a little girl on the hood of his car, crying to mommy.
My memories are starting to fade, almost 16 now. I entered my house.
Dad: Hello.
Me: …
Dad: Are you hungry?
Me: no
Dad: Do you want to go sleep?
Me: No.
Dad: Are you okay?
Me: No.
I walked the crooked, wooden stairs to my room. I sat on my bed and looked out the window. The day has changed incredibly so. The light was shining from the sun and the clouds were nowhere to be seen. The sky was still dark, but it wasn't as dark as before. Before I knew anything, my eyes started to close. I think a nap would be quite nice. I fell on my hard bed, my wet pillow hitting my head. My pillow was wet from all those tears, from those lonely nights. To think, he loved me.
Morning came too fast. I awoke to the silence. I saw the sun rise. It was somewhat pretty. I went downstairs to the kitchen. Nobody was awake, as usual. I went and got my backpack. It's odd that my dad isn't awake this early. He's an accountant shouldn't he arrive to work early? I opened the front door and took a different path to a scary place called school. I took the forest near my house. I never went there, but I decided that I needed a change. I heard my feet rustle through the leaves that fell off the trees. I listened and heard another set of feet shuffling through the leaves. I turned around, nobody was there. I continued and heard the same sound again. I turned around once more, nobody was there. It's than I heard it. The same scream from the awful memories that haunted me through the rest of my lonely nights. Only, this scream was different. It was more innocent. I turned around to the sight of a little boy cupping his foot and tears falling down his cheek. I ran towards him, not knowing what to do. He looked at me, his gaze piercing through my eyes. He had short, cropped brown hair and aqua sea blue eyes. His nose was a bit too big for his face, but his ears were perfect. His lips where whimpering and he was shaking back and forth to sooth the pain. I was staring there, dumbfounded. I could run home and get him some ice? My house wasn't that far away from here…the only motherly instinct came next. I just did what I felt and not what I thought. I picked him up, like my mother used too after I fell down. I brought him to my house. As we were walking there, he looked again into my eyes. His stare was oddly comforting. He reminded me of my childhood. He looked to be around eight or nine years old. As quickly as he stared, he looked down. I heard the leaves beneath my feet once more. I could see my house coming up. I walked to the front steps of my house and placed him there. He whimpered.
Me: umm…stay.
What else could I say? I opened the door and ran to the kitchen. I found the fridge, opened the door and found some ice. I put it on the counter, while I looked for a towel. Where would a towel be? I looked underneath the cupboard and found a towel. I wrapped it up and turned around to see the little boy sitting on the floor behind me. He wouldn't stop looking at me. I picked him up and place him on a chair. He was still holding his foot. I gave him the towel with ice. He took off his colorful shoe and his colorful sock. He put the wrapped ice on his swollen big toe. He kept on looking at me. He spoke.
Little boy: I-I'm So-sorry. I di-didn't mean t-t-too follow y-you.
Me: …
He sniffled and stopped whimpering. He may have looked eight years old but he had this air of being older then he is. He made me feel happy, but I was so mad that he followed me. Although, the kid seemed special. I don't know how. He just made me feel like a little kid too. He took a deep breath and spoke again;
Little boy: I'm sorry. My name is Philippe. I didn't mean to follow you.
Me: …
Philippe: I saw you that night. With that guy in the room, I heard them call your name. Laura, right? You ran with so many tears. It made me feel bad. I followed you to your house that day. I wanted to see if you were still crying, I wanted to comfort you but I didn't know what to say. I don't live that far away from you. I stared through your window, to see if you were still crying. I saw you sleep after a while. I was in comfort when you were sleeping.
Me: …
This kid needs mental help.
Philippe: Every night after, I looked through my window to see if you were crying.
Me: …
Serious mental help.
Philippe: I'm sorry. I didn't mean too. You seem interesting.
Me: …
Insane Asylum.
Philippe: I'll leave now. I see you're in the middle of thinking. Bye.
He limped to the door; before he left I had one word to tell him.
Me: Wait.
He turned around.
Philippe: What?
Me: If you follow me again, I will tell your mother.
It was the only threat I could say to a little boy without getting him into big trouble.
Philippe: My mother is dead.
With that, he limped off. I felt so sad. Why? Why did I have to speak? I can't believe I said that. Poor kid, he reminds me of me as a child. I decided to skip school that day. I went to my room and stared out my window. It was morning. The sky was still a dim blue. There weren't that many clouds. I let myself doze off, with the memory of him, Philippe.
I woke up to the sound of my dad coming home from work. He yelled to come for dinner, I ignored him like usual. Like he cares. I looked out my faithful window, it was pitch black. I kept on staring, until I realized a light was shining in my eyes. I wondered what it was. I covered my tired eyes with my hand and looked closer into my window. I looked at the ground, the source of the light. It was that little boy; Philippe. I ran downstairs, opened the front door and ran to him. We stared at each other for a while until he spoke once more.
Philippe: Come.
He doesn't speak too much. He was a shy boy; he reminded me even more of me, but this time, me as an older person. He went on his tiptoes and searched my hand with his little hand. He finally found it in the dark and grasped it tight. Like my mother used too. He pulled along the back of my house, until we reached the woods. I remembered where we were going. It was the lake, the lake where my mother used to take me when I was little. The same lake she died in. She drowned, she could never swim. Suddenly tears filled up in my eyes, and one rolled down my cheek as we were walking through the forest that led to the lake. It was dark so I quickly whipped it away, before He could see it, with my free hand. I don't remember the path being this long. I haven't been there for a long time. Ever since my mom died, I didn't think there was a point to go there anymore. Besides to hear sometimes the whispers from her wisdom words of truth. Finally through the trees I could see the gleaming lake, the moon was reflecting itself through it. We were there. He shuffled through the grass and tried to find somewhere we could sit. He found a little log, big enough for just one. He sat on the ground and he motioned for me to sit on it. He was so sweet for a little boy. I sat down; I then picked him up and put him on my lap. My mother used to do that. I didn't know this boy. I never even spoke a word to him, besides the word "stay". I felt a part of him, in some way he made me feel like a sister or mother. It felt like he was mine, forever. He stared at me, again.
Philippe: I have a secret to tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anybody.
Me: Promise.
Philippe: Okay, well whenever I come here I can hear my mother whispering to me. She tells me sometimes what I have to do. I sometimes talk to her. I don't have any other friends. She is my only one.
I thought for a minute how funny it would be if he ended up being my brother.
Me: …
I returned the secret with a gaze of awe.
Philippe: I know I can trust you. My mother says I can. She whispers to me not to talk to strangers, but she whispers to me that you are a special stranger to which I must share my feelings with. I trust my mother. I love her too.
Me: …
He did something that was very sweet. He hugged me as if I was his mother. It was the same feeling that my mom used to hug me with. I then did something very odd, I whispered to him.
Me: Don't worry your mother's right here.
The night passed by quickly. I wonder what his father thought of his being late. I asked him and he said his father didn't know he was up. If his father knew, he would be in much trouble. I walked him back to his house. The sky was gleaming down at us. I left him half way to his route; he said he would get in big trouble if his father caught him with a stranger. I left him there, but before I left he gave me a kiss on the cheek. He had to go on his tip toes and press on my shoulders, but it was so cute! I walked back to the lake. I sat down on the same log. I rested my head on it and let my body fall down on the grass. Even if the log was hard, against my head it felt as soft as a pillow. I closed my eyes and I smelled the fresh lakes breeze and listened to the wind bristle. Goodnight mother.
I awoke next morning to the lakes noise. I got up and walked to my house. I opened the front door and there was my father sitting on the couch with a worried look on his head.
Dad: What have you been doing? Where have you been?
Me: …
Dad: Fine. Bye.
Me: …
He walked out the door to his office. I walked out the door too, but too my school. I took the same different route to my school. The same route Philippe and I met on. I heard the forest leaves rustle against the wind. I then heard his scream, Philippe's scream. Oddly, I was at comfort with him. I finished the path and saw my school. I walked through the grass, the apple orchards, walked up the school stairs and opened the school doors. I walked into the school and to my locker. I took my books and was halfway to my class until I heard Him. I heard His voice. I saw His wave.
Him: Hey! Over here!
Was he speaking to me? I don't know. I looked behind me and sure enough it wasn't me he was talking too. Leila was behind me, waving back. She walked to Him. He put his hand around his waist. Suddenly something twisted in my heart. I looked away. I had to stop her from making a mistake. Her eyes looked so happy staring into his eyes. Into his green, beautiful eyes. His eyes always reminded me of sea weed. In a good way, of course. I had to stop thinking about him, now I am still thinking about him. I have to stop, I have to stop Them. He will hit again, it will hurt more, I have to at least try to stop Them. I looked again, they were gone. I walked to my class. I sat down at my desk. The teacher came into class and started talking about random things. I zoomed out until the final bell rang. I skipped the rest of the day. I went to the lake and sat down on the same log as ever. I fell asleep once more; it is more comfortable to be sleeping here then my own room. The sun was setting then. Now it is pitch black and a little hand was shaking my back. I woke up to His voice. Philippe's childish voice.
Philippe: Hi. I knew you would be here.
Me: …
My head resting against the log, he snuggled up against me and we both fell asleep till morning. I asked him next morning what his father would say, he said his father was out of town and he hired no babysitter. We talked a bit about his family and then mine. I just shrugged and hushed as soon as he mentioned my mother. He now knows she is dead as well. When it was time for me to go to school, I decided to skip once more. Like anybody would care. The principal never calls home anyways. Philippe's eyes were all watery when he knew we had to part, but as soon as I told him we didn't he smiled once more. I brought him to the forest. I still hear screams in that forest, but screams of pleasure, if possible. We sat down in the leaves and whispered. We didn't say much. We just whispered. We stared and whispered some more. The sunset came all too soon. I walked him back home and once again he kissed my cheek the same way he did the other night and walked back to his house. I walked back to my house and my father wasn't home. I went to my room and looked out my window. The sky was pitch black but really, it was just light hidden by a cloud.
The day's after followed in the same manner, until one day when I went to the lake he never came. I waited a couple of more hours, but still nobody came. My attendance in school was horrible. I decided to go to school; I was sure no Philippe was going to visit. When I went to school, I saw Them kissing in the hallway. Why? I wonder if he stroked yet. I wonder, I guess I will never know. After they were done there lip locking Leila caught me staring and mouthed Loser. I quickly dropped my gaze and went to my locker, but sure enough I tripped. I hit my head against the locker and got a sharp bang. I got up and opened my top locker. I took out my books and for once attended the full school day. Once I got out of school and back home I had a pleasant surprise waiting for me. My dad was sitting on the same couch from before. The same face plastered on.
Dad: Your principal called.
Me: …
Dad: She said you weren't coming to school on a regular daily basis.
Me: …
Dad: What's up with you? You were always a nice student. That's what I recall from last year. Your marks were great, your friends were always over, and you actually had friends…
Me: …
Dad: What happened to you? Just answer me that. On top of that, you always are back on late hours. I see this little boy coming with you some times. Who is he? He came by today.
Me: Philippe.
Dad: What?
Me: His name is Philippe.
Dad: Okay then. Just go, I guess you don't want to talk right now. Just know honey you need to start, you know, having a life. Your sixteen don't hide.
Me: …
The nerve of him. I just walked to my room and looked out the window. He came by, did he? I'm so sad I missed him. I crawled out of my window onto the roof outside. I saw a tree right outside; I took the dare and jumped onto. I climbed down the tree. I went to the lake, once more. I rested my head against the log. I got up and crawled to the water. I looked at the reflection the moon made. I pushed the water around with my hand and stared back at my reflection. My face looked tired from all those sleepless nights. I suddenly felt a jolt in my stomach. I heard her whisper. She said she loved me and missed me. I then heard his steps. Philippe was here. He hugged my from the back, his face nestled against my hair. We went back to the log and fell asleep.
When I woke up the next morning. I heard his scream. Then a faint whisper, then nothing. I opened my eyes and he was gone. I looked at the lake closely; his face was staring back at me. Why? Tears welled up in my eyes, emotions leaped over me. I can't take it. Why did he do it? Why? Then I saw a mark on my wrist. Who did this? It wasn't him obviously. I then saw a beer bottle hanging from a tree. It was Him. How could He do this to my other loved one? How? I ran to school with nothing, I looked like a mess. I got into the school, class was already started but that wasn't my biggest concern. I went to Her locker and opened it. She never locks it. I looked for a pen and found a smiley face pen in the back of her zac Effron poster. I ripped Zac's hair off and wrote on the bag of the hair.
Don't do this. He will hurt you, like he did to me. He has issues, don't do this Leila, don't.
I didn't sign my name. I knew she would know who it was from. I stomped out of the school, anger boiling up inside of me. When I got to my house, my dad was still in the kitchen reading the newspaper over some eggs.
Dad: Where were you? Why are you here? You're supposed to be at school.
Me: …
Dad: Go, now.
Me: …
Kicked out of home for now, I left. I sat on the front door steps and admired the sky for a bit. The sun was out. Even though we were in the month of March, there was the sun of June. I got up eventually and went to the lake. I cried a bit there, the warmth of the sun warming my face. I listened to the lakes cries. I heard his whispers. He said he loved me and will always love me. He said I was a mother for him. I was happy. I took a nap. I was too scared to sleep there for the night. If He came back, I don't think I could handle it. Walking back home in the light full night, I thought about him. I thought about his long blonde hair, his green eyes. I loved those eyes with a passion. I remember when he used to kiss my eyes during the summers sun. I remember everything about him. How could I forget? How could I forget the only human still alive that I love? I arrived home and went upstairs to my Dad's room. I fell onto his empty bed and slept on mom's old side. The sheets still smelt like her. I cuddled up in the blanket and fell asleep, with only one thought in my head. Him.
He opened the door, I wasn't expecting him. What was he doing here? He was supposed to come later; I wasn't even ready to talk to him yet. Here I went.
Me: Josh, we need to talk. I think I need a break from US. To figure out who I am, what I feel and to work some things out.
Josh: What? Oh no you don't.
The first strike came. I wasn't expecting it. It just hit, it didn't hurt at first, until the second came. Then the third. It was obvious by his tone of voice he was drunk. He promised me he wouldn't go heavy tonight. I told him not to drink too much even if it was a party. He then did something, much unexpected. He got on the window sill and said something very odd.
Josh: If I can't have you, I can't have anybody.
Before I realized what he was doing, it was too late. I ran to the window sill only to see him lose his balance and fall. Fall, fall, to the heavy truck that awaits him. I ran after, they called my name. Over and over again. I heard his scream. From then on, I never said anything more than a whisper, to anybody. He went to intensive care after that. From then on, I could always hear his screams and see him through my reflection in the emergency room. It happened everywhere. I heard it everywhere. It was a scream.
I woke up in a cold sweat. It was just a dream. I woke up next to my dad. He whispered good morning to me and kissed my forehead. He walked off to get some breakfast. I heard his footsteps on the wooden stairs. I got up slowly after. The dream's feelings were so real. I could feel the blows against my head. I could feel the fear. I could feel the love. The love follows me wherever I go anyways. It's the wrong type of long. I want that love to go away, but it won't. I love Josh. I can't do anything about it. After I got dressed and combed my hair until it looked normal, I left for school. When I got to school, everything went normal. I attended all my classes. I didn't skip any. When school was over, I went to the bathroom. I washed my face in the dirty sinks. I went into the same stall that I wrote about Leila. I took out my new sharpie and wrote:
Laura is a loser.
Why did I write that? Because it is true.
The next days, months followed in the same manner. I attended every school day. Months passed by until it happened. I saw Them one morning on my way to school, on the school steps sharing a milkshake. It hit me, he hasn't done anything yet. He left her for a moment to throw out the milkshake and I saw her sleeve go up a tiny bit when she handed him the milkshake. She had a scar on it. I ran to her, when He was gone and did the only thing I could. Speak.
Me: I told you, you shouldn't have done this. Look what he is doing to you. Sure He held you wrist a little too tight, and you think it was an accident. Do you also think his being drunk is an accident?
Leila: What? What are you talking about Loser? Are you just jealous that you messed up your shot with him? He hasn't done anything to me and he doesn't have a drinking problem. Was it you, who left the note in my locker? Figures. Why don't you just go home and cry to mommy? Oh wait, she's dead.
I didn't have control over my actions. I did what I did. It felt right. I pushed her; her head hit the hard concrete stairs. I could see the tears well up in her eyes. The same tears that welled in Philippe's when he broke his toe. Except these weren't tears of innocence. I saw the bleeding in her head. Then suddenly, everything turned into slow motion. The screams, the phone calls. The ambulances and the lights. I ran the scene, the sounds distancing as I distanced. I ran to the lake. I slept there another night. My dad knew I was there, I have slept there so many nights, and he was used to it. I didn't go back to school for another month. The principal called and my dad said she needed some Her time. My dad decided not to really get into my life anymore. When I came back to school, everybody was whispering about me. I heard from there whispers that she was in intensive care. The whispers were too much for me to handle anymore. I left the school before it was over. I walked through the familiar smell of grass once more. I sat down in the apple orchards for a bit, then I went back home. I started to go to school on a regular basis now. Leila came back some time ago. She was still with Him. I saw Them everywhere. Even in my dreams. The thing my heart did when I saw his hand around her waist or his eyes on her hurt me even more. Months passed, until one day I stayed at school late. I heard a scream coming from the gym. Nobody was around just me, or so I thought. The gym doors opened and she ran out crying, bruises across her face. He came out next; He screamed something vulgar and went back to the gym with a beer bottle in his hand. I followed Leila's tears outside the school. She was sitting on the same stairs I pushed her on. Her tears this time was of innocence. I sat down next to her and put my arms around her. For once, she didn't push me away.
Leila: I'm sorry. Yo-you were ri-right. I sh-should've list-stned t-to you.
Me: Shhh, it's alright. I'm here.
She sniffed once more and I saw that she took a lot of courage to say what she said next.
Leila: No, it's not alright. I have been mean to you, everybody has. Especially me though. You were right; I can't believe I was such an idiot. He did grab my wrist but I thought it was an accident. I was wrong, the warning I got from you seemed so like jealousy. I knew somewhere inside of me you were right. It was Him. I wanted to believe him, not you. I was wrong. Laura, I really hope you will still be my best friend after all I have put you through. I am here to listen to the truth. I'm so sorry.
Me: Shhh, it's alright. You want to hear that night?
Leila: Tell me. I am ready to hear the truth.
Me: Alright.
I whispered to her the story. The pain, the emotion, the feeling. Everything.
Leila: God, I'm so sorry. I wish I could've believed you. I'm such an idiot.
Me: It's fine.
Leila: Tell me about your life.
Me: What?
Leila: Your mother, I hear she was beautiful. I know you had this stalker, who was he?
I told her everything. The whispers and everything, I told her how I still loved Him. I saw her tears. She cried and cried and cried. After the story telling I brought her to the lake. She loved it. I told her the meaning and the whispers. She said she could hear some whispers too. We laid down next to the log, like me and Philippe, and she whispered something I needed to hear.
Leila: Shhh, mother is here, she's right here. I love you.
I then whispered the last word of the night.
Me: I love you too momma.
She patted my hair, and gave my hand a squeeze. I realized it's here where I belong. With my second mother, right here. With all the other whispers. My Mother's whispers, Philippe's whispers and now Leila's real whispers in my ear.
Epilogue:
Josh went to alcoholic management in jail. He was accused to a prison sentence for life because of the murder of an innocent boy. Ever since that day, Leila and I went to the lake every night to hear the whispers.
Laura's mom died at the age of 5. She has been abused at the age of 15 and feels as though her life is at the age of 30. She has never spoke a word since 15. Her friends hate her, she has nobody but a little boy who stalks her. She ends up to fall in love with this little boy and he reminds her more and more of herself and her mother. She starts to skip school. She starts to change. Finally one day she whispers. She admits the whispers. Whispers follow her everywhere. Whisper.