Written in the ten minutes I had before physics class while I was waiting for the instructor to shoot off his home-grown tennis ball cannon. Inspired by Shirow Masamune’s Ghost in the Shell.

I thought I would pretend

that I was sympathetic

I thought it could be so new

So I thought what I’d do is

stare off into space.

Pretending that I was one of

those deaf-mutes.

I couldn’t hear you when

you called my name.

I couldn’t scream when

I saw you were in pain.

So I rose to my feet.

I shed my mask.

In my own voice,

I called your name

with one desperate hope

that you would find me.

But it was too late.

I saw his words when

I saw your face.

A softly whispered intonation.

A sense of foreboding…

“I thought what I’d do

was I’d pretend I was one of

those deaf-mutes.”