Many thanks to Kaitlyn Sanchez and guest judges Ameerah Holliday and Ebony Mudd for hosting this year's contest and to all the fabulous prize donators! #FallWritingFrenzy
To learn more about it, click here: https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/fall-writing-frenzy-2023/
NOTE: To comment on my entry please scroll ALL THE WAY DOWN to the bottom of the page and you'll see the comment section below where it says 'recent posts'. Thanks!
Image #7. Photo by Jonas Mohamadi on Pexels.com
Here's my entry:
GOLDEN SILENCE (WC 182)
by Michelle S. Kennedy
In a world of sensory overload, my Autistic brain silently screams—"QUIET!”
Sounds of autumn pierce my delicate ears:
Birds CHATTER. CAW. CHIRP. CHITTLE-CHEEP!
Leaves CRUNCH. CRINKLE. CRACKLE.
Trees SHIVER and SHUDDER.
Wind wildly WHISTLES and WAILS.
Leaf blowers BUZZZZ. BUZZZZ. BUZZZZ.
I slip off my backpack. Even the sound of the zipper’s ZZZZZZIP! sends unwanted signals
to my brain.
“Noise OFF!” I say in a defiant tone.
I pull out my blue headphones, the ones that save me from the sounds—sounds that most people can ignore, but for some reason, I can’t.
I close my eyes and breathe.
With nerves calming, my other senses come alive. At last, I can focus again.
My eyes open as I readjust to my surroundings:
Birds FLITTING and FLYING.
Leaves TWISTING. TWIRLING like a tornado around my feet.
Trees SHIMMER and SPARKLE in the warm sunlight.
Wind BREEZES through my hair and tickles my skin.
Leaf blowers still BUZZZZ. BUZZZZ. BUZZZZ. But now, I no longer care.
With my trusty headphones, I walk home enjoying the golden silence with a smile on my face.