Kart's fantastical journey!

Mute

"Why has he still not said a word, Charles?" asked Daphne Dragoneer.
"He must still be learning!" reassured Charles Dragoneer.
The parents of Dagobert Dragoneer are having a discussion in their house's living room. They live in a peaceful place called Marrow. It's a small place in Ireland consisting out of a few houses. The Dragoneer household lives in a big building made out of black bricks and a black, stone, triangular roof. They have a big garden with dark fence marking the outline. The trees are all blooming wonderfully. The green looks really succulent. It's a wonderful spring day. Dagobert is playing outside, he is only four years old.
The sky is pastel blue. Dagobert doesn't understand why he can't touch the sky. As much as he tries to unsuccessfully reach out for the sky with his little hand, it isn't working. He can't grab the sky.
Dagobert has been living in Marrow for quite a while. He was born in it too, and he likes this place. His parents care a lot for him. He also sees a lot of animals pass by his house every day. And some of the neighbours always come by to greet his family. However, Dagobert's house is far away from the other houses in Marrow, so Dagobert feels quite lonely. Additionally, he can't talk. His vocal cords are damaged. To be certain, his mouth is filled with steel. It's something his parents haven't noticed yet, because the steel isn't bothering Dagobert.
That was until he started growing older. His life without being able to talk wasn't that bad, he always thought, but he had been wrong.
Dagobert couldn't communicate with the neighbouring kids. Even though he started learning sign language, and decided to show his parents his throat of steel, nothing changed.
His parents brought him to several hospitals, but no one knew the cause of his sickness. He wasn't a cyborg or a robot, that was for certain.
One doctor said it was a curse, one that he was possessed with since the day of his birth. It happens rarely, but it is possible.
"Doctor..." Daphne sobbed. "Is this true?"
"Ma'am Dragoneer, I am afraid so." Doctor Yuan frowned. "There is nothing I can do."
Dagobert is now eight years old. After having tried everything to save this poor little boy's voice, nothing happened.
"What are you saying?" Charles is shocked.
Doctor Yuan, the nicest person Dagobert has ever met, seemed to be at his limit.
Over the past few years, a lot of the people Dagobert's parents had asked for help seemed uninterested and unbothered by Dagobert's state. Since it was difficult finding an antidote to this mysterious case, many gave up. They thought it wasn't worth it.
Why even bother saving an ill child when there are plenty of healthy ones? That had been the mindset of the majority of the helpers, but not Doctor Yuan's. He put his body and soul into trying to find a cure. Sadly, nice people don't always succeed, because Doctor Yuan never found anything. He wasted his time on Dagobert Dragoneer. The boy who can't speak. The mute who is pitied by the Universe.
"Sir, Ma'am," Doctor Yuan scratches his forehead. "Dearest apologies, but I couldn't regain your child's voice."
Daphne looks upset, "Don't worry about it, Doctor, we'll just have to work harder next time, thank you for trying to help us."
Charles pats his wife's shoulder, "That's right, we're going to find the cure one day, this is a promise."
The doctor stares at the ambitious couple and then looks at Dagobert, an innocent boy who doesn't understand what's going on, or does he?
"I don't think you follow." Doctor Yuan looks the couple in the eyes.

"There is no cure."

"Charles, what are we supposed to do now? We tried everything!" Daphne is crying into her husband's arms.
"There, there. Life gets better. I'm sure there will be a solution to this." Charles has tears in his eyes as well.
"Dagobert..." Daphne murmurs. "He's an abortion..."
"Daphne..." Charles mumbles. "It's not his fault he's retarded."
"I know...but what are we supposed to do?"
"There is nothing we can do, you heard what Doctor Yuan said."
Charles and Daphne hug tighter and sob even more than before.
Dagobert had been watching them this entire time from the stairs. He first had been curious to see what was going on due to the thunderstorms outside, but now, after he heard his parents call him a miscarriage, his inquisitiveness disappeared.
Dagobert read enough books to know what they said.
Is it really all Dagobert's fault? Dagobert is causing his parents a hard time. He doesn't know why he can't talk, or why he was born with steel in his mouth. That steel probably damaged his vocal cords, but there's nothing he can do about it. Not being able to talk doesn't make him less of a human.
Tomorrow is Dagobert's ninth birthday. He isn't as excited anymore as before, but he decided to go to bed. Perhaps this was all just a bad dream. Maybe he would be able to talk tomorrow and everything would be fine.

Goodnight, Dagobert.

"Good morning, Dagobert." Daphne is sitting at the foot of his bed. "Your father and I have a surprise for you!"
Dagobert wakes up and looks into the smiling face of his mother.
"After all," Daphne continues talking. "You're our birthday boy today!"
Dagobert only focuses on her lips moving. She has a voice. His mother can talk, sing, scream, cry. He can't.
"Dagobert!" Charles is shouting from the living room.
"Ah!" Daphne looks excited. "Your father is calling you! Go get dressed and come downstairs."
His mother smiles and leaves his room. She closes the door behind him.
Dagobert stands up and looks out of the window. He can hear the birds chirping beautifully. He can't sing like the birds. All the trees are shining and some rabbits are running around outside. Today is a pulchritudinous day. Alongside that, it's his ninth birthday! Dagobert grabs his bunny plushie and runs downstairs, already changed in his casual wear.
"Dago!" Charles greets him and lifts him up.
His father is laughing. Dagobert can't laugh. He lets Dagobert down and grins.
"You're already nine! Kids grow up so quick, don't they?" Charles smiles.
"They do." Daphne smirks.
The table is decorated. There is a delicious-looking cake on top of it.
Dagobert sits at the table next to the window with a view of the garden.
He sees some dogs barking. Even they can use their voice, but he can't. The neighbours are enjoying their morning walk with their pets.
"Shall we sing the song?" asks Charles.
"What kind of question is that? Of course!" Daphne snickers.
Dagobert's parents start singing him a happy birthday. He can't sing. Their voices are beautiful. His isn't. They look so happy.
Dagobert hugs his bunny tightly and blows out the nine candles after his parents finish singing.
"Congrats!" they clap.
Dagobert feels a little embarrassed, but quite happy.
"Bert." Daphne places a brown present on the table. "Here is your gift, birthday boy."
Dagobert grabs the present and looses the ribbon.
"Know that we will always love you, no matter what." Charles smiles.
"We are all human beings." Daphne grins.
Dagobert now rips the cardboard apart. What he finds inside stunned him.
There is a doll.
"Pull the cog on the back!" cheers Daphne.
Dagobert looks at the back of his doll and sees something he can pull. He pulls it and the doll starts talking.
"Hello, my name is Milton. Nice to meet you."
The doll can talk, but he can't.
"Isn't it wonderful?" Charles laughs. "Now you have a friend!"
Daphne giggles, "We hope you like it."
His parents both look happy. He can see their genuine facial expressions. He can't deny his feelings, so he smiles.
Dagobert opens his mouth and forms Thank you with his lips.
His parents gasp out of contentment.
"We're proud of you. You're strong." Charles smiles.
"Never stop being yourself." Daphne smiles.
Dagobert smiles and forms something with his lips. And at that moment, it felt like he could talk. It felt like he could feel the warmth of his voice. His mind started opening up. His head is clearer now.
With the support of his two loving parents, and with the self-love of himself, that's how he'll be able to achieve what he prolongs for. He will go out into the big wide world to search for what he always wanted to find. Hedonism. That's what he wants in life, and today, on his ninth birthday, he finally realized what it meant to be alive. Dagobert felt relieved...

...because now he finally understands that not having a voice is okay.