itI sit in the back of Lisa's Car, my legs tucked under my chin away from the prying eyes of the neighbourhood children. I'm Maggie Simpson, Aged ten, a Reserved Girl who doesn't mix very well, Lost in a world of fate.

The Children at school act like I don't exist, Like a soulful speck of dust floating forever in a vacant landscape, Even the teachers treat me with care, I have to have special lessons so everyone thinks I'm thick which I the case I guess.

I'm not like other Children…

Maybe it would have been better if I had died that day I fell from the top of the Climbing Frame. Be free of this pain and exclusion. That's how I got this horrid illness. I had been climbing then suddenly like a hand had pushed me I was thrown back and landed with a smack on the hard concrete. I had passed out.

I remember the rest clearly even it had happened so long ago, when I had come round I had found myself trapped. Unable to hear… From that day forward instead of the chatty and joyful Four Year Old I had once been was gone, Gone Forever just like that. This was the new Maggie, The New me.

I'm Maggie Simpson aged Ten and I'm deaf.

Lisa's gentle, warmhearted hand on my shoulder pulls me out of my sullen daydream. I look up at her, her arms are crammed full of paper bags which she squashes into the seat next to me. I pull on my seatbelt and Lisa points to the Steering Wheel, Signing that she is going to drive off. I don't need her to sign for me, I already understand.

We start to drive away, I still make no noise and it's been years since I have talked.

I feel more comfortable that way, it's hard at school though when people start to pick on me I just want to yell at them, to leave me alone, To think how they would feel in my situation.

But why is Lisa stopping? We can't be at home already can we? I peer out through the weather, washed window onto the world outside. We are at the Kwik-E-Mart…

Lisa mimes opening a wrapper and Licking an invisible Popsicle in my direction. I understand what she's getting at and leap out of the car.

I follow her in through the Sliding doors and to the Popsicle Stand; picking the blueberry flavor as I always did I follow her back to the Counter where Lisa is standing holding up a strawberry one.

We lean on the wall outside sucking away the flavored ice; I have loved Blueberry Popsicles ever since I have been little because they always cheer me up no matter how bad or sorry I feel.

It's late when we arrive home, I pull off my coat and hurry upstairs, I don't feel like eating dinner. I flop down on my bed and roll over wondering a thousand wishes if I would ever hear Lisa's sweet voice again.

All the pain and humiliation from Six years was still with me; wherever I went, and for as long as I have this illness…Oh it's all hard to explain.

I reach for my diary and flick through the many pages filled with Sadness and dread. I'm more prone to write my life on paper seeing as I can't explain it out in words.

I feel tears on my cheeks, why must I always cry when I remember my life.

After I came out of hospital I had to have special lessons with a special tutor in a special school. My Tutor was deaf himself and he taught me sign language.

My Family learnt it to, Endless nights of pouring over hard, merciless books.

My Life had changed…

I didn't need their hands or their voices, I just needed them. When it somebody you love you understand them no matter what they are trying to say.

I sighed and sat up, my dreams were different and in my dreams I was free.

I was like other children that were able to laugh, play and hear. I heard my Family, even though I have forgotten there voices, I had made them up.

I heard Lisa jamming away some jazzy new tune on her sax. Bart arguing with Homer, Mom humming some tune to herself while she cooked.

The force of sleep was great; I rolled back over not bothering to put on my Pajamas. I was too tired, but not all hope was lost. We had been told by Hibbert so many times when we thought all was lost, "Remember never give up hope, One day she may be able to hear again…"

I wished so hard and then I fell away into my dreams,

It was early morning, my eyes were sore but someone was shaking me. I opened my eyes then something amazing happened.

"Mags, Wake up!" Lisa Called

I could hear her, I could, I really could, my eyes snapped open properly and I as I looked up at her I wondered:

"What miracle is this?"