Tales of the First

"I don't know," Sienna said. "It might be something to do with what I can do. Can we come in?"

Ryan sighed and stood aside. From the look on his face he still mostly wanted to be left alone but his curiousity was getting the better of him.

Inside his room it was dim because the curtains were still shut tight but Sienna could make out the bed and it looked like he'd been curled up in it with his pillow over his head very recently. Probably trying to shut the noise out.

He looked awful as well, pale and drawn with terrible dark circles under his eyes. Sienna bit her lip at the sight.

"Has the noise been stopping you sleeping?" she asked sympathetically.

Ryan nodded miserably. "Yeah. Char told you?"

"She did," Sienna said. "She thought I might be able to help."

"I don't think anyone can help with this," he said bitterly. "Mum's right. I am a freak."

"No, you aren't!" Charlotte said. "Don't call yourself that."

Sienna just sat down beside him on the bed. "If you're a freak then so am I." She looked around the room then grabbed a couple of books from one of the boxes and floated them over to him. "That stupid mist got me too."

Ryan's head jerked up and he stared at her for a moment. "Can you hear everyone as well?" he asked finally. "How do you cope?"

"No," Sienna said. But people can hear me when I want them to.

"But not when you don't?" He tilted his head. Can you hear me?

Sienna nearly fell off the bed in surprise. "Yes! Yes, I can. That's new."