Chapter 40: Glass

"Does anyone know how to sign?"

Zayn stared blankly at the two.

’...’

He had his own problems to worry about, but...

Zayn walked away from the group and approached them.

"I can... but why do you...?"

Julia, her eyes sparkling, ran up to Zayn and clutched his hands in hers.

"T-thank you!"

’What the...’

Zayn looked past Julia at the beautiful woman behind her, whose eyes brimmed with tears as she held up shaky hands.

«Can you?»

’Ah, I understand.’

She was deaf.

But...

’That sign for "can" is different from the one I know, yet I understood it?’

Zayn’s mind drifted to [Fall of Babel], and he quickly reached a conclusion: it referred to more than simply spoken language being understood.

Julia lowered her head slightly.

"This is so painful! She’s able to communicate with us, but we can’t communicate with her! I don’t think she even understood that woman in white. Please, you have to help!"

Zayn gave Julia a quiet smile.

"I understand."

Pulling his hands away, he stepped to the side, then signed:

«I explain best I can. It has been long time since I signed.»

After a moment, the woman managed to will her shaky hands to reply:

«Thank you.»

With a light smile, Zayn gave her the clearest explanation he could. He explained the tasks they had been given, that someone named Lucas had become their leader of sorts, what they were all about to do, and that she and Julia were part of a hunting and gathering group...

...

«Can say word task?»

«Can try.»

Julia had stepped aside and was now watching their interaction with wonder. She looked on giddily as the green-haired woman opened her mouth.

"Tath."

The woman pouted, her eyes once again threatening to fill with tears. Her hands still shaking a little, she signed:

«It not work.»

Zayn smiled as reassuringly as he could.

«Try clicking your tongue at the end.»

Tentatively, the woman nodded and tried again, speaking slowly.

"Tastc... Tasthk. Eek!"

When the green-haired woman jumped back in surprise at seemingly nothing, Julia and Zayn both smiled.

"Yay! Thank you so much... uh..."

"Zayn."

"Zayn! Thank you!"

"Ah, no worries."

Zayn’s gaze drifted back to the green-haired woman. Her tears had begun to fade, replaced by an odd curiosity as the [Tasks] screen before her stole her attention.

’I should probably introduce myself to her as well, right?’

Nobody else there knew how to sign, as far as he knew. It seemed he might be talking with her the most.

«Z A Y N.»

The woman looked up from the invisible screen and back at him, then held up her hands.

«J A D E.»

Zayn smiled.

«Both four letters.»

Jade chuckled, then signed back with a wide grin:

«Both four letters.»

A sudden shout rang out across the field.

"Attention!"

Zayn glanced over toward the blond maniac who was once again committing to a cringey speech.

«L U C A S wants us to head out. Stay with J U L I A.»

Nodding rapidly, she signed:

«Thank you, Z A Y N.»

Then, she turned toward Julia and signed again:

«Thank you, J U L I A.»

The woman with long brown hair immediately hugged Jade, pulling her in tight.

"Anytime!"