Member-only story
The Girl To Whom Everything Spoke
Part one — different kinds of messages
On the surface, Julia seemed like any other eleven-year-old girl. She lived with her parents, two older brothers, and a younger sister with whom she shared a bedroom. Their modest-sized home was in a suburb, only a few miles from a big city. The family dog, Percy, she often thought of as a better friend to her than her two brothers, who constantly teased her about everything. She could tell Percy anything, without fear of laughter, and receive excellent advice.
There was nothing in Julia’s appearance to distinguish her from any other girl of a similar age. She applied herself in school and was considered to be quiet but kind and approachable. What people didn’t know was that everything she encountered spoke to her in one form or another. It wasn’t just with her ears, but she listened with all of her. For a long time, Julia assumed this was an innate ability that other people experienced as well, and that was why no one talked about it. That changed when she mentioned her then-best friend, Amanda.
“Wasn’t that funny what that chipmunk said to that little boy?”
Amanda looked at her like she had two heads or something. From then on, she knew that she had a secret she had best keep to herself.
