The Deaf Orphan

'I've trained for this,' I chirped standing straighter for the katragoon standing in front of me. I've been selected to help another katragoon. I don't know why I was chosen over the others, but I was finally picked! I followed the katragoon from the room where I was relaxing with a few other Sikeri I had been training with.

"This is a very special case you're being assigned to, Cecilia," the katragoon said without looking down at me.

'Why is that?' I chirped tilting my head as I watched the katragoon rather than where we were going.

The katragoon let out a laugh like I had just said something funny. She looked down at me then. Noticing that I had cocked my head, she continued, "The katragoon you're being assigned to just lost her parents. While the doctors were able to save her, they haven't been able to fix her hearing yet." I widened my eyes in shock. "Yes. That is why you were chosen. You were able to pick up sign language faster than the others."

I stop for a moment now that the katragoon was watching me. I sit down so I can sign to her "Who is she staying with now?"

The katragoon pauses so she doesn't get too far ahead of me. "Now that she is out of the hospital she will be moving to an orphanage," she said.

I reeled back in surprise. An orphanage? This child has no one else to take her in? "We need to keep moving."

I nodded to show I understood and then stood up. We resumed walking and approached the door at the end of the hall. The katragoon opened the door and stepped aside to let me walk through first. I stepped into the waiting room where two other katragoons waited. I walked to the center of the room and sat down. As the katragoon that retrieved me came up behind me the smaller of the two katragoons tried to hide behind the other. "This is Cecilia," she said speaking to the other two. "She's the best we currently have at sign language. Not only will she be able to translate for little Claude once she learns but she can also help her learn as well."

"Oh that's wonderful," the older of the two Katragoon said with a smile. She looked down and put a hand on the head of who I assumed was Claude. "Claude hasn't been able to start learning yet as she was just discharged yesterday."

I raised a hand in front of me to get their attention. Once I had the attention of the two adult katragoons I signed, "I will help Claude with anything I can."

The katragoon with me translated for me, "She said that she's willing to help Claude." She smiled. "I'm sure the two of them will become very close."

"That's good to hear," the other katragoon said. She looked down at Claude who was still clinging to her. "It will take time for her to adjust to things. I'm just glad she'll have someone with her that can help with that."

"There are just a few more documents that we need to go over and then you're free to take Cecilia with you," the katragoon next to me said. "If you would come with me. We can leave them here to become acquainted with one another." The other katragoon nodded and stood up. Claude looked up at her trying to still hold on to her. She held up a finger to her to try to signal to wait there for her. Then she walked across the room with the other katragoon to go over the rest of the paperwork.

I watched Claude for a few moments and she stared back. I held out a hand to her and she shrunk back. I signed my apologies hoping that she could piece together what I had meant. She tilted her head at my gesture and then pointed at me. I signed my name. Maybe she knew more sign language than they knew? She blinked at me. How old was she? Did she understand speech at all? I guess I would find out.

After a few more attempts at trying to talk to Claude, the other two katragoons came back. "Alright, Cecilia," the katragoon that I had been with for most of my life said. I looked up at her. "This is goodbye. Take care of little Claude alright? Maybe we'll see each other again."

"Thank you," I signed. "I will."