Hell's Book of Random One-shots

The Quiet - Soulmate AU

For the most part, the world we lived in was near silent more often than not.

There were still discussions and arguments about when this started.

When did the vast majority of voices disappear?

No one could fully pinpoint when singer's voices started to fade and only instruments could be heard, everyone had a different year in mind but it was estimated to have started around the 1930's.

I'm glad to have grown up in a time that missed the initial panic and had adjusted well enough to the situation, the history books made the ensuing worry and societal blowout from this sudden occurrence sound horrific and stressful.

Voices filtered out slowly, some had gradual hits and others were instant.

Soon, the world was filled of signs of life other than verbal noises beyond small sounds like whimpers, grunts and whistles.

Life around everyone became a bustle of pure sounds, feet scuffing the pavements and the rustling of bags or coats in otherwise silent streets, music became pure instrumental work and over time it grew almost peaceful unless construction or the like was going on around the town.

Over the years, communication adapted into more use of sign language, carrying written boards or, as had become popular in the more modern day and age, using artificial voices on phones and computers.

I opted for sign language most commonly and written for work, many stuck with written until new apps started to appear that made everything considerably easier for the most part, even if the initial use of computerised voices was a little jarring to begin with.

Scientists were struggling to explain the strange phenomenon and why only certain voices, those of families and strange still, the voices of friends you've kept for over five years, were all that could be heard.

"Though rumour has it," started Sean, the four of us sat around a table strewn with food packets and drinks, "that if you're destined to be with someone then you can hear their voice instantly."

"Please," Alex rolled his eyes, stabbing his fry into his ketchup quite violently before shoving it into his mouth so he could continue to sign as he spoke aloud, "that's bull, ain't no such thing."

The Quiet one of the group, Millie, a girl we had met barely three years ago, glanced between us all with a smile and set down the top bun of her chicken burger, which she had been plucking lettuce off of.

"I think it's cute," she said, "my parents said that theirs was instantaneous, I believe in it."

"I'd like to believe in it too," I agreed, pausing a second to set the gherkins from my own burger aside and free up my hands once more, "it's romantic."

"It's gross."

"He's just pissed that cute barista he's been eyeing up hasn't shown any signs yet," grinned Sean.

"He's probably just too busy focusing on working to speak to you," I shook my head then took a bite of my burger, "maybe if you tried actually attempting small talk you'd get somewhere."

Alex rolled his eyes and flipped me a bird, which only resulted in us all laughing at him.

Small chit-chat continued and we went on with our cinema plans, the topic of conversation forgotten.

Over the next week, I completely forgot about the conversation altogether.

Life went on as it ever did.

I worked, came home to eat and have a bit of downtime before bed and then the routine started all over again until the weekend, when I got to meet up with friends or hang out with my family.

One such weekend happened to fall on my brother's birthday and so, as we typically did for such an occasion, we decided to take a drive to the nearest town with a beach that also had an arcade.

As usual we started off with food then a traipse around the shops, not really with the intention of buying anything but sometimes window shopping becomes expensive, especially when being dragged into what we called the 'nerd shop'.

The place was full of Funko pops, DVDs and games, tons of Lego and glass cabinets of random figures, big and small, cheap and expensive from various shows, movies and books.

There were also two cabinets filled with some bits and pieces that were purely gothic or wolf based.

Pure heaven.

It was by far my favourite indie shop and when I knew we were coming to this town, I would keep a bit of my wages just to spend here if something caught my eye.

I was happily perusing their horror movie figures, eyeing a toddler sized doll of a particular character that I adored.

Despite my, supposedly, composed adult nature, I let out an excited gasp and found myself hopping on the spot in excitement at not only the find but the cheaper than online price it was going for.

"There is no way I'm leaving without you, what a beauty."

From somewhere behind me came a voice, accented and unfamiliar from the ones I had grown accustomed to hearing over the years.

"It is, isn't it?"