My name is William. William Smith. I was once an ordinary... scratch that. I was once just a guy who was bullied for looking girly and weak. But everything changed the day I woke up with the ability to hear what others think. Sounds cool, right? Wrong. It's more of a curse than a gift. I'm constantly bombarded with the unfiltered thoughts of everyone around me, a cacophony of voices that never stops. I can't control it; it's like being trapped in a crowded room where everyone's thoughts echo endlessly in my mind.
At first, I thought I could handle it. I tried to focus on the positives, like using my newfound ability to anticipate people's reactions or to detect lies. But soon, the constant barrage of thoughts became overwhelming. I couldn't escape them, not even in my own solitude. It's like living in a world where there's no such thing as privacy, where every thought, no matter how fleeting or embarrassing, is laid bare for me to hear.
And as if that weren't enough, someone or something is chasing after us, and we don't know who or why. It's like being hunted, always looking over our shoulders, never knowing when the next attack will come. Is it the government experimenting on people like us? Or is it something even more sinister, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike?
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.
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Before I became William Smith, the guy who could hear everyone's thoughts, I was just Will. A quiet, unassuming kid who preferred the company of books to people. I wasn't popular, but I wasn't disliked either. I had a few close friends, and that was enough for me. But then puberty hit, and with it came a flood of insecurities. I was small for my age, with delicate features that made me an easy target for bullies. They called me names, pushed me around, made me feel like I didn't belong.
‘God, why do they always have to pick on me? What did I ever do to deserve this?’
It was during one of those dark moments, when I was lying bruised and broken on the ground, that my powers first manifested. At first, I thought it was just a trick of my mind, a coping mechanism to deal with the pain. But as I lay there, listening to the thoughts of those around me, I realized that it was real. I could hear every cruel word, every mocking laugh, as if they were being whispered directly into my ear.
‘I... I can hear them. Their thoughts... it's like a torrential downpour, drowning out everything else.
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From that moment on, everything changed. My once quiet existence was shattered, replaced by a constant barrage of noise that threatened to overwhelm me. I withdrew from the world, retreating into myself as a way to escape the cacophony of voices. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shut them out completely. They were always there, a constant reminder of my newfound curse.
‘I just want it to stop. Is that too much to ask?’
And as my powers grew stronger, so too did the impact they had on those around me. Friends became distant, unable to handle the weight of their own thoughts being laid bare. Family members tiptoed around me, afraid to say or even think anything that might upset me. And the bullies... Well, let's just say they learned to keep their thoughts to themselves.
‘It's like I'm living in a prison of my own mind. No one can understand what it's like…
My life went on like this for a few months, i was isolated, alone and lonely, when finally an event occurred that would flip my world upside down…
My life went on like this for a few months, isolated, alone, and lonely, when finally, an event occurred that would flip my world upside down.
It was just another mundane day at school when Laura walked into the classroom. She was a transfer student, with a quiet confidence that immediately caught my attention. As she introduced herself to the class, I couldn't help but notice how her thoughts seemed to echo with a sense of determination and resilience.
Who is she? There's something different about her.
Despite my curiosity, I kept my distance, content to observe from afar. But fate had other plans. One day, as I was walking home from school, I found myself cornered by a group of bullies. They taunted and jeered at me, their thoughts filled with malice and cruelty.
Please, just leave me alone.
But just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, Laura appeared out of nowhere, her presence commanding and authoritative. Without a word, she stepped between me and the bullies, her eyes flashing with determination.
"Leave him alone," she said, her voice firm but calm.
At first, the bullies hesitated, taken aback by Laura's sudden intervention. But as she stood her ground, they begrudgingly backed off, casting one last glare in my direction before slinking away.
As the adrenaline of the moment began to fade, I found myself staring at Laura in awe and gratitude. She turned to me with a small smile, her eyes kind and understanding.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle.
I nodded, unable to find the words to express my gratitude. From that moment on, Laura became more than just a classmate; she became my protector, my confidante, and my only friend.
Over the next few weeks, Laura and I grew closer, spending more and more time together both at school and outside of it. We talked about everything under the sun, from our hopes and dreams to our deepest fears and insecurities. With Laura by my side, the constant noise in my head seemed to fade into the background, replaced by a newfound sense of peace and belonging.
Though there was something I didn't know about her at this moment… something that would change a lot between us. But amidst the happiness of our burgeoning friendship, there was an undercurrent of tension lurking beneath the surface. Strange things continued to happen at school, whispers of a mysterious figure stalking the halls at night...
To think... I was once ■■■