Quiet Little Monsters

I choked on my coffee violently as soon as he finished his sentence. Finn hurried across the table to pat me on the back... well, not a pat more like a punch.

"Are you okay?" Finn asked worriedly as I heaved over the table and shook with coughs.

"What?" I gasped, looking up at his distressed face. It seemed he had decided I wouldn't choke to death after all and sat back down at his chair.

My surprise had let the door swing open and I tried to stamp out the cacophony of voices that filled every pit of my brain.

What the hell is wrong with her? Was it the food? I told Marilyn I didn't want to eat Thai food! The man who sat across from us with his wife thought.

Oh, God. Here he goes again, talking about the health care reform. I don't fucking caaaare. He thinks I care. Did I ever give the impression that I cared? Another woman thought as she nodded her head at her date, pretending to be interested in his monotone argument.

How am I gonna pay the rent? The damned car broke down too. It's just one thing after the other. God. Okay. So if that's two hundred dollars for the car and twenty-five hundred for re- A man thought with his brow furrowed, while his daughter sat across from him, completely oblivious to the fact that her father was over his head in debt.

I struggled with the voices and felt my head throb as I fought to get them behind the door. Finn, however, disrupted my inner battle.

"See. There it is, you're doing it again," he said. His voice then dropped down to whisper, "You're making them shut up, aren't you?"

"No!" I almost shouted, "I'm just fucking trying to wrap my head around your stupid fucking question!"

Finn's grin faded.

"It’s a yes or no question, Dolly. You don't have to fucking yell," he hissed.

"'A yes or no question?'" I repeated.

"Yes. Do you or not?" He persisted.

I gave him a filthy look. Where had I gone wrong? How would he know? This was not supposed to happen. Only Mom and Luella knew. Oh fuck. Did they tell someone? My thoughts mingled with those of the others surrounding me, making my headache worsen.

Finn's gaze was earnest. I met his eyes and then looked away quickly. How the fuck did he know? I weighed my options as quickly as I could. Self preservation won.

"You are insane. I have no idea where you would get such a ridiculous idea!" I hissed.

Finn's eyes hardened and Carrie passed by, she was eavesdropping as she poured a nearby table's drinks.

Looks like there's trouble in paradise. I'm fucking glad. Just look at her, Finn deserves waayyy-

"Shut up, Carrie!" I cried and turned to the perky redheaded waitress. Her eyes widened.

"I –I didn't say anything," she spluttered.

"Oh. Right. Well. Sorry. I..." I murmured, turning a blotchy red. I looked up at Finn. He had a triumphant smirk on his face. I wanted to fucking hit him.

"I'm leaving. Thank you very much, jackass," I harrumphed and stood up.

"No. Don't leave. I need to tell-" Finn started but I began walking out; my heels clicked away as I did.

I stepped out onto the dark night and a wave of nausea rolled through me. The door in my head was left ajar. I couldn't focus on finding the lock. I looked up and down the street, trying to orient myself. The neighborhood was unfamiliar and I merely settled on going east. How was I supposed to get home? Luella was at work till four in the morning and...

"Dolly! Get back here!" I heard Finn's voice yell from behind me. I looked behind and saw that he was sprinting towards me. My quick pace turned into a run and panic filled my chest. I had never been chased before and I did not like it.

"Leave me alone!" I screeched and ran faster, my heels clacking away like Morse code on the sidewalk.

"Stop running! I'm the one running! Stop running!" Finn shouted. He was nearing me.

"No! You stop running! You're scaring me!" I cried back, keeping up my stumbling scuttle.

"Okay, you just stop moving altogether! And wait for me and I'll stop running!" Finn yelled back.

My lungs were about to burst and my pretty lavender heels were new and getting tattered already. My head was also really hurting and this whole running for my life business was making it a whole lot worse. I wanted to stop. I really did.

"Uh," I wheezed, still running, "Do you promise that you won't be mean to me if I stop?!"

"What the fuck? Yeah! I do! Now stop!" He hollered and I skidded to a halt. I leaned on the side of a building and tried to catch my breath. Finn had kept his side of the bargain and had slowed to a walk. It took a few moments for him reach me.

"You run," he panted, "really fast."

"Thanks. I didn't even know I could," I gasped.

"Don't do that again," he huffed.

I rolled my eyes.

"Look," I said, "What else was I supposed to do? You're obviously a fucking loon. Accusing me of being a mind reader. That is just the most absurd thing I have ev -"

"It's not absurd! I know you can do it. I know," he said sternly.

"Yeah. Okay. I think you've watched one too many sci-fi movies-"

"Shut the fuck up," Finn said, "I know you can, Dolly. I know... I know because my dad can."

I was caught off guard and my heart stopped.

"W –what?" I asked, "What did you say?"

"My dad. He can read minds. He's always been able to do it."

"That's... that's impossible," I breathed.

"No. It's not. It's very possible. So tell me, Dolly Gunn. Once and for all, can you hear people's thoughts?"

I looked up and down the street desperately. The voices were whispers now; I was too caught up with Finn to piece them out. I took this opportunity to heave the door shut again. Then I looked back up at Finn Watson and took a wild gulp of air.

"Yes. Yes," I murmured and bit my lip as I fought back tears, "Except for yours. I can't hear yours."