Language

She lost her voice, so she learned how to talk with her hands.

Ariel wanted to trade her tail

for the love of her life.

His voice she has never heard

and a touch she has never felt

but admired from afar.

A pair of legs would do the trick

and they could take her into his arms.

She met Ursula, the sea witch

that granted her the one wish

to let her have her legs, in which

she let Ursula bewitch.

But as payment for this choice,

Ursula wanted her voice.

When she realized she couldn’t use her voice,

she was heartbroken.

But then she looked down at her hands.

She remember the stories she’s heard

of humans who can’t hear.

And they didn’t trade their hearing for legs.

They were born deaf.

And they had to learn how to communicate with hands.

Hands.

Ariel went to the closest library her wobbly legs could take her to

and picked up the first book she could find on her new language.

Sign language.

She studied

day and night

until she could

sign the alphabet

in her sleep.

Signing was

S L O W

and then

she began to understand.

Her sentences came quicker and were longer and things began to connect.

Eventually, she gained the courage to communicate

with her prince on her new legs.

his eyes seemed like an open invitation as she

took a deep breath

raised her right hand

and

signed.

“Hello. My name is Ariel.”

His eyes of curiosity quickly changed to relief and shock.

“My name is Eric” he signed back.

He continued;

“I didn’t realize you knew how to sign.

You’re the first girl I’ve ever met that can’t speak either.”

Ariel smiled.

She was thankful that she lost her voice, and she learned how to talk with her hands.