about yourself isn’t exactly making things right, but it’s the best I could think of. I know I would want to know if it were me. So I decided to go check on you in the hospital and see what your condition really was. I’m glad to report, that you have some brain damage.”
If Lily had a hand to smack him with she would have done so. Repeatedly.
“Mother, why did you marry him? I just don’t get it.”
“No wait, let me explain!”
“You’d better.”
Her father nervously began again, “You see, you don’t have any other damage really, just brain damage. Alright, that still doesn’t sound good. Well, here is the situation. It appears to the hospital staff that you are slightly brain damaged; however, that really isn’t the case exactly. I mean you are, but not in the way you think. It’s not a bad kind of damage.”
“You aren’t making any sense at all. Any type of damage is bad. I’m going to spend the rest of my life as a vegetable. The end.”
“No, you don’t understand. I’m not explaining this very well, am I? Okay, let’s try this again. Your brain has been damaged, no, changed is really a better word for it. A small portion of your brain has changed, and because of this change it’s like a doorway has opened. This doorway is left open for certain information on selected frequencies to pass through.”
“So I have a door installed in my brain?”
“I think you should get to the point Avery,” Lily’s mother snapped. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about either.”
“It’s almost like you’ll have a super power.”
“So what’s my super power?”
“I guess it isn’t really a super power, it’s more of an ability, and a selective one at that.”
It was Mom’s turn to interrupt, “Just get on with it.” Lily could tell her father was not thrilled at their reactions.
“Lily, when you wake up from your coma you will have the ability to hear the thoughts of the wicked.”
All three were silently rolling the words around in their heads. What did that mean exactly? Lily decided it was up to her to break the silence.
“What does that mean anyway?”
“Well, to be wicked is to be morally corrupt or to intend harm to others. Wicked people are people who make bad choices and do despicable things and you will hear all their deepest, darkest, most personal thoughts. That’s as much as I know.”
“Why can’t I have x-ray vision or fly or something cool like that? What good will it do me to listen in on peoples thoughts?”
Lily wasn’t really sure what to think of this. What good would it do her? There had to be some mistake.
“There’s no mistake. I don’t know the reason why you have been given this gift, but it must be an excellent one.”
Lily forgot he could hear her thoughts. So annoying. What if those wicked people found out she was hearing their thoughts? What would they do to her? There isn’t any way they would know unless she told someone. That could never happen. This would be her secret.
“Yes it would be best to keep it a secret. Except I think you could tell Malaya. I know you can trust her.” Her mother always knew what to do.
Yes she would tell her best friend, but would Malaya believe her? Lily could hardly believe it and she was hearing it firsthand. It all seemed so unreal.
“Sweetie, I know this is quite a shock,” her mother continued. That was an understatement, “but this is actually very good news. It means any other injuries you have will heal quickly and you will go about your life as normal. Your cast will come off and you’ll be twirling on the dance floor at the next school dance. Maybe that boy will ask you.”
Lily couldn’t believe this was coming up again.
“Mom, I think I already made myself quite clear that I never want to see him again.”
“Boy? What boy?”
“Don’t worry about it dad.”
“Aw, you’re calling me dad again. Does that mean I’m forgiven?”
“Not yet. Okay, so let me get this all clear. Part of my brain has changed so that I will hear all the thoughts of all the bad people in the world. Can I ever turn it off? What if I don’t want to know what they’re saying? Do I hear the people who are bad all the time, or who are just thinking bad thoughts at the moment?”
“Lily? Sweetie, your voice is getting