SHY

Next time you see a quiet person, you may think twice about what's going on in their head.

This is from the victim's point of view. Who is this victim? It could be any shy person. Perhaps even someone you know...

I've been shy for a while. It's normal to not want to speak to anyone, right? But is what I experience normal? I was actually really talkative before this started happening. I don't know what triggered it. But this voice started telling me I need to shut up. I shut up for the time being, but eventually start talking again. It keeps telling me. Shut up. Same thing happens.

Finally I guess it got angry at me or something cause I started feeling this weird sensation in my neck like a hand threatening to choke me. I hear it again as this happens. "Shut up. No one cares what you think" That's when I started being shy. I don't know what or who this voice is, but it's creeping me out.

Over time of getting into different shows and books, I started to try and use my imagination to give this voice some sort of appearance so it's less scary. First I tried a puff of black smoke. That didn't help at all. I guess it got the same idea because it started to give itself appearances and even voices of people I hold dear to me like my best friend. This freaked me out so I finally gave it an appearance it hasn't changed out of for a while. He is mostly human, with sharp teeth, yellow eyes with no pupils, red, messy hair, and grey sweater.

For a while, this voice has been bugging me but not doing anything different than the occasional threat. Though over time, the feeling of a hand on my neck became more and more real. I only told my best friend about it, but she couldn't help. At this point, I'm generally freaked out. However, this was only the beginning.

As the feeling of the hand got more real and his voice got louder, I spoke less and less until I was close to mute. At the same time, I seemed to recoil whenever I heard him. Even my online activity slowed to a halt. Usually I only said short replies like "your welcome" and "thank you" but mostly "sorry". I always felt sorry. I just felt the need to apologize, at least to him. I don't know why he hated my voice but he just did.

He was loudest at night, cutting into my sleep. "Nothing you say is important" he said. "Telling people about me will just make you look like the weakling you are. Everyone else has it way worse than you. Why even bother complaining? No one cares anyway" On some occasions, he ends up forcing me to tears. This only opens up more opportunities to insult me.

Eventually, I became an empty shell. I never spoke. I never felt. All the emotion was drained from me. As I walked to school, I could have sworn I saw a grey sweater to my right. However, I ignored it. Then I heard footsteps getting closer to me. I only ignored it and walked farther left towards a wall to let whoever it was pass. But they didn't pass. I looked up to the person and stopped dead. There, looking at me with those angry yellow eyes, was the embodiment of the voice in my head himself.

I stood terrified. He was far more meanacing than I imagined. The person before me had dark rings under his eyes, and overall looked like a shadow was being cast over him. That's when I noticed he didn't have a shadow of his own.

I tried to say something, but before I could, he grabbed my neck again. His other hand formed a fist. "How many times do I have to say it?" he said threateningly.

"Shut up"

As he threw the punch, I closed my eyes. When I felt nothing, I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in a dark, nearly black room. I got up and looked around, feeling the walls for a light switch. I couldn't find one, nor could I find a door or window. I started to panic and yelled for help, only I couldn't. It came out as a hum. My mouth wouldn't open. I felt my lips and found they were sewn shut. I started to panic as I started to hear his voice again, this time not in my mind. "In case you're wondering, you're in my mind" his voice seemed to come from everywhere. "But unlike me, you can't get out" He chuckled darkly.

"Finally you'll shut up"

I sit upright in my bed, gasping for air. Feeling my lips, I discover the stitches are absent. In my room, it seems the recent events were just a dream. However, it seems to be only the night before such events would have taken place. He can't be real. It was only a nightmare. As I lay back down and drift off, I pray it was not a prediction.

After two days, the dream has yet to come true. In fact, I haven't felt his presence at all. Days turned to weeks which turned to months. My confidence slowly began to improve. The grim life I once lived finally began to look up. I even began to speak again! Progress was slow, but the yellow eyed figment slowly faded into a distant memory.

Six months later, my life was back on track. Things were looking up. However, an argument broke out with my best friend. Words were said that we both regret. Mostly my words, however. They seemed to sting the most. That night as I lay to sleep, I ponder the argument.

Slowly, I feel a familiar sensation around my neck. I smile, turning my head to the familiar yellow glint of two angry eyes.

"My old friend. It's been a while, hasn't it?" I greeted, odd comfort seeping into me.

"Is it me, or did your voice get more annoying?" he replied, his grip on my neck tightening.

"Oh, it's not just you. I agree" I replied, closing my eyes.

I have accepted my fate. After all...

Who would want to hear my voice anyway?