A Silent Romance
For an entire year, Tracy Daniels and everyone else on Earth had been fighting the Silence without even knowing it. Sometimes people would yell or duck and people around them would look to see what was the matter. Eventually, though, they would all turn away and seem to forget anything had ever happened. Nobody spoke of the strange creatures that sometimes appeared in the streets. Nobody seemed to notice they existed. The Silence had fallen.
Today was another average day in Tracy's life. She had finally earned enough time off for a relaxing walk through the woods, an adventure she seldom had the opportunity to take since she had gotten her promotion. She was carrying a bottle of water in one hand and holding the strap of her backpack with the other. Her hair was pulled back in a loose brunette ponytail, the very opposite of her usual business-woman, perfectly straight, not a hair out of place style. She was happy out here. She was free.
She trekked up a few jagged rocks and reached the plateau, where she sat down to rest a bit before heading back down to civilization. As she lowered the bottle and looked around, she felt her heart skip a best. Just five feet away stood a tall man with a very large and fleshy head. He wore a suit that seemed almost out of place out here in the wilderness. At first, Tracy believed perhaps it was a wounded or disfigured man, to whom she would feel much sympathy for, but upon closer inspection, it was made clear to her that she knew what this 'man' was.
It was like she had seen him in a dream. She knew she hated him and that she had fought his kind before, but at the same time she couldn't really remember where or when she had done any of those things. Absentmindedly, she felt around for a weapon. Her hand grasped a small pocketknife in her backpack and she slowly approached the creature. "I've seen you before."
The creature raised it's hands in the air, almost desperately. Tracy hesitated for a moment. "Can you understand me?"
The creature nodded it's head up and down, which Tracy took to be a "yes".
Without lowering her knife, Tracy took a step towards the creature. "What's your name?"
The creature replied, in a raspy sort of voice, "I am Seth of the Silence."
"Nice name. I've never met a Seth before. I'm Tracy."
Seth took a step forward, sending Tracy back a few steps.
"Do not fear us. We are not here to hurt you."
Tracy looked at the knife in her hand. "I've been killing your species since I was a little girl. You've been enemies to the human race for years. It's odd-the more I look at you, the more I remember. My mother showed me a video of the moon landing. Just in the middle, one of your kind came on and told us to kill you all on sight. I don't really know who I should listen to now."
Seth took a careful step towards Tracy. "You are the prettiest of all the humans, yet you seem so sad. I have watched you every day for two years. Each day, I love you even more. Each day, you know me less and less. Why must you always look away? Why must you always forget?"
Tracy's eyes grew as her hand began to shake. The knife dropped to the ground beside her as she ran up to Seth. "Seth! My Seth! I remember now! I brought you away from the city before my friends could see you. I know you, Seth, and I love you. It's been so long. I'm so sorry. I wish there were some way we could be together forever."
Seth backed away as she neared him. "You can't touch me. I'll hurt you. We're born with electricity coursing through us. Please, go, my Tracy. Run away and find someone better than I."
Tracy looked at Seth with utter devastation. He loved her. She loved him. Why did she have to leave? Why did he have to remember? She remembered everything now. The running. The craziness of it all. The joy. The rebellion. She spoke, nearly in a whisper, "I won't forget you, Seth."
Seth replied sadly, "You will, Tracy. But that's ok. I won't ever forget you. I'll stay here. Next time you go for a walk, I'll still be here and we'll fall in love all over again. Please come again soon, Tracy. I don't know how long I'll last without you."
Tracy, tears running down her face, forced herself to turn back down the hill. The sky was turning purple and the forest was no place to be at night.
From behind her, Tracy heard a man calling. "I love you! I'll never forget you!"
Tracy didn't even bother turning around. People in the park at night sure did have nerve, professing their love for total strangers. Who did they think they were, prying on women at this hour? She turned for a moment and watched the shadow of a tall man descend the other side of the hill. For just a split second, she heard her heart in her ears from the shock that overcame her body. Then, all she heard was silence.