Insomnia Horror Collection

Pepper's New Words

Cecilia McClain lives alone in a historical manor home on the outskirts of Jupiter, Florida. She was from a well-to-do family that, unfortunately, had mostly died off. Only a few members remained and they were spread throughout the country. Money had begun to dry up and, with it, the team of people needed to maintain the home, leaving the manor to begin to sink into being unattended.

With the last of her savings, Cecilia is now kept company by only her caretaker and her beloved parrot, Pepper. Cecilia is a deaf mute from birth, so twice a week, Stacy, her caretaker, stops in to check on her. It is welcome to Cecilia, as Stacy knows sign language and she enjoys the conversation. Today is Monday and Stacy is due for a visit, so Cecilia is moving about the home, opening some windows to allow sunlight to pour into the tea room.

Pepper is Cecilia's twenty-three year old parrot and longtime friend from when she was just seventeen years old. Pepper has long since stopped talking now, seeing as the only conversation Cecilia gets these days is in sign language, for obvious reasons.

Cecilia moves into the tea room and in front of Peppers perch. She pulls back the last of the shades and a sun beam rests on Pepper's wings. She smiles at him and signs, Good morning Pepper. Sleep well?

Pepper flaps his clipped wings quickly. Cecilia takes it as a sign he did. She calls it his 'stretches'. Cecilia walks into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee, but, as she enters the pantry for filters, she can't seem to find them. Or the sugar, for that matter.

She is confused and a bit frustrated. She scans the pantry once more and eventually finds them on top of the refrigerator; not at all where she normally places them.

About the time she gets the coffee on, finally, she feels her phone inside of her robe pocket vibrate. She unlocks her cell and sees a text from Stacy that she is pulling up. Cecilia enters into the entryway connecting the large staircase to the landing and follows it to the front door. She opens the door and is met with a hug from a smiling Stacy.

Stacy signs to her, "Hey, girl. Sleep in late?"

Cecilia nods and shrugs as she signs back, "Had a couple glasses of wine last night. Guess it did the trick."

The two smile at one another as they turn and enter the home. Cecilia has become an expert lip reader, so communicating with her is not as difficult as one may think. If Cecilia can see your lips, she will know what you are saying with near pinpoint accuracy and, to top it off, the sign language only shortens that gap. Being born a deaf mute has made life for her difficult, but Cecilia does not know it. This is the way it has always been for her.

Stacy begins to go about her routine of checking the home for things Cecilia may have missed or may need doing. It's not so much that Cecilia needs a caretaker as it is the company and companionship. Her condition isn't considered severe by those who share her physical disabilities— it is her chronic depression and anxiety disorders that keep her to herself and away from others. Losing her family tragically between a car accident, cancer, and the overdose of her brother is what has left her with a deep depression and anxiety disorder that, unfortunately, even years of therapy have done little to remedy.

Stacy gathers some loose laundry and puts them in the wash. She enters the bathroom and notices Cecilia's conditioner on the highest shelf of the built-in shelves in the walk-in shower. Stacy finds this odd, as Cecilia is only 5'3" and it would take a minimum height of 5'10" to reach the shelf. Of course, Cecilia had a step ladder she could have used. Curious as to why she would go far out of her way to place her conditioner there, Stacy finds Cecilia outside on the back patio drinking some tea and decides to ask her.