Chapter 6

“No, wait. Don’t go!”

He starts to wave his hands and I know he is using sign language, but I don’t understand it. Shit! I try again to grab his hands to make him stop. I need for him to look at my lips.

“Lucas, stop. Calm down! I didn’t mean to scare or offend you. I just wanted to give you a warm place to stay. Look at me!”

Fuck! He doesn’t look at my face, he doesn’t read my lips, and it’s so frustrating. I get up to try to stop him, but he wriggles out of my grip and in a moment he’s outside, engulfed by the crowd.

* * * *

Lucas

What the hell was I thinking? Was I deluded enough to believe Pete wanted to help me without anything in return? I don’t even know him, and he doesn’t know me. Just because he was dressed as Santa doesn’t mean he’s a good person.

They’re all the same. They’re all equally disgusting. Since I’m deaf and mute, they think I’m some kind of rag doll to use as they wish.