This story is about a girl, who was blessed with a gift. She could hear things which others couldn’t. She wished to keep it a secret from everyone. And it was easy to conceal it from the world, at least when she was younger. But as she got older, things altered for the worse. What started as a gift, matured over the years. And that is when she realized, the gift was not a blessing, after all.

Gemma Cairns was living this life for the past 32 years of her life. From the instant she was born, Gemma could hear more than what was said. She was the girl who didn’t know the sound of silence.

A Regular Morning

It was a rainy morning in the old town of Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Gemma was peacefully asleep, her body buried under layers of blankets and sheets. Her eyes fluttered open to the sound of the rain getting heavier and hitting the window above her bed. She slowly sat up, rubbing away the remainders of sleep from her eyes. She reached out and grabbed her phone from the nightstand.

It Hits Again

Gemma’s eyes went wide when she looked at the time. She was late for work. Before even thinking twice, She jumped out of bed and stood up in a rush. And that is when it hit her, again. The dizziness, the headache, it threw her off guard and she had to sit back down to get a hold of herself. 32 years later, and she is still capable of being careless.

Rushing To Work

Once Gemma had collected herself, she rushed to get ready. This will be the second time this week when she was late for work. She hoped her manager is not present when she reaches the cafe. Gemma has been working at this cafe for the past three years. Ever since she became a mother, she knew she had to find a means of stable income for her kid.

Single Mother

Being a single mom is not a piece of cake. Gemma loved her son more than anything and anyone in the world. But sometimes she wondered if he misses the presence of a fatherly figure. Maybe not yet because he is still really young but maybe down the line one day, he might feel that absence in his life. 

Driving To Work

Gemma’s shoes splashed water as she sprinted across her driveway to get to her car. Once she was on the main road, Gemma ensured to keep her windows shut tight. She couldn’t afford to repeat this morning’s episode, especially when she was driving. The wiper blades ran aggressively on her windshield to clear the view. The mist from the rain had descended in the air, she could see a hint of the cafe’s sign on the horizon. 

The Secret

The “episodes” as Gemma liked to call them, occurred more often than she would like. Her head was always in a constant buzz. She had kept it a secret because she didn’t think anyone would understand. Especially when she didn’t even know how to explain it.  The only person she has ever told this to is her mother.