Silence

They called it evolution.

The first virtual reality helmet, once mass produced and widely used, unlocked an unknown section of our brains. A once dormant cluster of matter was awakened, and we as a people were never the same. They called it neo-intuitive thinking, which was the scientific term for being able to read another person's mind. NT was a side-effect that they sold as a blessing, but what had started as an abnormality eventually became the norm. Wars were waged, countless crimes committed, but over time humanity adapted. Generations later, after years of research and the development and widespread use of neural-invasion blockers, unwanted mind-reading had become a thing of the past. Neo-intuitive thinking had changed, and replaced what people used to call "talking".

No one could have predicted the ramifications of technology on our ever-changing species. Man was evolving at a rapid pace and the scientific community could not keep up. With the eyes of science focused on the brain and the development of telepathic speech, changes that occurred elsewhere went unnoticed. The audible voice had become useless and nature reacted. An increasing number of mute-born children led to studies revealing paralysis in the vocal folds and a deformation of the glottic opening in all subjects examined. Three generations after the discovery, the majority of the world's population was mute-born. Once a minority, those labeled the Silent Ones ascended the evolutionary ladder and those with a voice died out. The power to speak became a thing of the past and the world was silent.

It had been raining all month, but that day the clouds parted, and yet the skies seemed darker than before. In Room 163 of the Stillemorte Medical Center, Daniel Hulot stood bedside, clutching his wife's hand. The pain she felt filled the room, but the feeling of fear was his alone. Never comfortable outside of his home, Daniel seemed awkward in most situations and was encouraged from a young age to keep to himself. Maggie understood this, understood Daniel, but his attitude had changed once she became pregnant. He did everything he could to make sure his wife was taken care of during the months leading up to the birth, but that day in the hospital he could barely stand on his own. Had it not been for the breathing exercises they had practiced for weeks, Daniel certainly would have passed out and missed the biggest event in all of their lives.

The moment the baby arrived into the world, it's cry was heard as far as the edge of town. The scream shocked the doctor and nurses, who were unsure of how to respond to the anomaly. The baby was placed in a small cradle next to Maggie, and the staff rushed to find help. The newborn's arrival was startling enough to give Daniel the opportunity to take the child and run before the police arrived. There was only so much time before the staff would return with security. If that happened, it would be the last they would ever see of their baby. Turning back, Daniel locked eyes with his wife. Knowing he may never see her again, Daniel let himself speak in public for the first time in his life. Overwhelmed with feelings of panic, joy, fear, love and regret, the words caught in his throat. "I'm so sorry," he cried. With tears streaming down her face, Maggie responded with a single thought - "Run."