Chapter 9

The first thing I decided to do, besides trying to learn the language, is teach myself echo location while I was still very young. I didn't want my family to question why I all of a sudden started making funny noises. It would be much better if they got used to it while I was still an infant. That way it would just be my funny quirk.

One quiet day while I was practicing making the clicking sound required for echo location, I heard the sound of very soft footsteps. They made their way past the soft snores of the sleeping nurse in the corner, and stopped right next to my crib.

My body was tensed as something touched my face, causing me to flinch.

"It's alright, Baby, it's just big brother" the soft voice of Jasper said. I could feel my tensed body uncoil and relax at his voice. He had come into the nursery, mostly when the nurse was asleep, to teach me words. He said his name is Jasper, our sister's name is Sapphire, mom is mom and dad is dad and the sleeping nurse's name is Daysha.

It was really thanks to him that I had any knowledge of the language at all. It is really hard to learn words when you can't see to reference what the objects they are talking about is.

"Want to go on an adventure?" Jasper asked excitedly. I cocked my head to the side; I didn't know the word adventure, but he made it sound exciting.

"Want to go out of the nursery?" Jasper asked again, realizing I did not understand his first question.

"Umph" I nodded enthusiastically.

"words" Jasper demanded

"Yeth" Was all I could manage to say. Relearning to talk again was not as easy as it sounds.

Jasper picked me up and carried to down a covered area and into a large open room. All the time we were moving, I was clicking to get an idea of my surroundings. I didn't feel I was making much progress, but I was never going to give up!

That day Jasper had taken me to the dining room. A couple days later it was his room, then the armory, then the library, before finally going outside into the woods. In each place he taught me the words and let me feel each and every item. We would only be out for a short time before he would help me wash up, before bringing me back to the nursery with no one the wiser...or so we thought.

One day Jasper came to take me out to the small garden in the back of the house. This was the second attempt; the first time we ended up sneaking into the kitchen instead because it was pouring down rain. That time I got to try very soft cookies for the first time. It was a very good day!

By this time I was able to walk with some assistance and so Jasper held my hand and helped me stabilize as we walked around the garden. He taught me the name of flowers and grass. I already knew trees thanks to a previous outing, but now I also knew bush. My vocabulary was increasing and I was thrilled.

Then I proposed the game of hide and go seek. I wanted to test how well my echo location skills were progressing. It was hard because my balance is still so poor and I fell over a lot, but we had a lot of fun and I felt so grateful to Jasper for our educational outings.

"Uh, oh. It is getting late and if we don't get you back soon, everyone will worry" Jasper told me.

I heard the sound of a throat clearing and I felt the hand holding mine jump at the same time I did, and then let my hand go.

"I have nothing against you bringing your sister out, but I do ask that you make sure her own nurse knows beforehand" I heard my mom say harshly.

I was sad that my beloved brother who had taught me so many things had gotten in trouble on my account. I wondered if this meant he would no longer take me out of the nursery. 'Would he stop coming to see me?' I could not help but ask myself.

"Ok mum, I'm sorry!" Jasper said. He then grabbed my hand again to go back to the nursery.