Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

stepped in front of us.

"Why was she listening to music if she's deaf?"

she asked with a wide grin on her face. She practically

screamed the question so the others would hear. I tried

to ignore her, but she followed alongside and repeated

the question, punctuating it with a louder "Huh?

Well? Huh?"

Finally. I stopped and turned on her. The others

drew closer. "You're a very cruel person, you know

that," I said.

"Cruel? You're weird. Why did you bring her to

a music store?"

"Because she's never been to one!" I screamed

at her. She took a step back. "She's your age and she's

never heard music. She didn't even see a music store

until recently and she wishes with all her heart she

could be like you and be like them." I said. Gesturing

at the group behind us. "She was pretending, all right?

She was just pretending that she didn't have any

disabilities at all."

"I still think that's stupid," the girl replied,

angry now that I had made her retreat,

"That's because you're stupid. Its a shoe that fits

and fits well," I said. "Now just leave us alone. Go

back to your own deafness."

"Huh? My own deafness? What's that supposed

to mean?"

"Figure it out," I said, and moved Echo

forward,

"You're weird! Nuts! Freaks!" the girl shouted