Sign Blessing

Jeht's determination was unwavering, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration creeping in. Learning a new language, especially one as visual and intricate as sign language, was proving to be more challenging than he had anticipated. He glanced at the book in his lap, its pages filled with diagrams and explanations that seemed to blur together after hours of study.

For the seventh time in five minutes, he sighed heavily, his fingers rubbing his temples. He felt like he was stumbling through a maze of symbols and gestures, his efforts disjointed and clumsy. He had practiced the signs on himself over and over, trying to commit them to memory, and then attempted to string them together into sentences. But each time, he felt like he was tripping over his own hands, his movements awkward and uncoordinated.

Jeht was aware of the miner's presence beside him, but he dared not look in his direction. He couldn't shake the feeling that he must appear foolish, struggling with gestures that were likely second nature to Bliss. He wondered if the miner found his attempts at sign language amusing or pitiable. Regardless, Jeht was determined to persist, to overcome the initial hurdles and communicate with the miner.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them, refocusing his energy. He needed a starting point, a simple question that would hopefully lead to an exchange of information. He remembered the importance of introductions, and so he took a moment to form the signs for "What is your name?" in his mind.

With newfound determination, he turned towards the miner, his gaze meeting the miner's purplish eyes. He swallowed nervously and then, in a slow and deliberate manner, he formed the signs for "What is your name?" He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he finished the signs, his hands hovering in the air as he anxiously awaited his response.

The miner observed Jeht's movements, his gaze focused and attentive. And then, to Jeht's astonishment and elation, His hands moved in response. The gestures were graceful and deliberate, conveying meaning with a precision that spoke of experience.

"My... name... Bliss." Bliss signed, his hands forming the signs with a fluidity that left Jeht in awe.

A smile of pure delight spread across Jeht's face as he watched Bliss's hands. It was the first time they had exchanged meaningful communication, and it was a breakthrough that filled Jeht with a rush of exhilaration. He was communicating with Bliss, understanding and being understood through the language of signs.

Jeht quickly formed the signs for his own name. "My name... Jeht." he signed, his fingers moving more smoothly now.

As the signs took shape in the air between them, Bliss's expression seemed to soften, his purplish eyes holding a warmth that had been absent before. He looked at Jeht with a sense of recognition, as if acknowledging their shared accomplishment.

"Bliss."

As Jeht continued to practice the signs he had learned from the book, he occasionally glanced at Bliss, seeking validation in the miner's reactions. It was a slow process, but each successful exchange filled Jeht with a sense of accomplishment. He was building a bridge, one sign at a time, connecting their worlds in a way that felt incredibly meaningful.

Bliss responded to Jeht's signs with gestures of his own, his hands moving gracefully through the air. Jeht found himself captivated by the beauty of Bliss's movements, the way each sign seemed to carry a depth of emotion and intention. It was a language that went beyond words, a language of expression that spoke directly to the heart.

Encouraged by Bliss's engagement, Jeht decided to take a bolder step. He formed the signs for "Thank you," a gesture of gratitude that he hoped would convey his appreciation for Bliss's patience and willingness to communicate. Bliss's response was a gentle smile, a subtle curve of his lips that held a world of understanding.

Hours passed in the blink of an eye, their silent conversation carrying on through the morning. Jeht's fingers were growing tired from the constant movement, but he refused to stop. He was determined to keep the momentum going, to learn as much as he could from Bliss.

Eventually, the sound of footsteps echoed outside the cell once again. Jeht looked up, his heart skipping a beat as he saw Olga approaching with a small smile on his face. Beside him, Jeht could sense Bliss's curiosity and wariness.

"Well, Jeht. It seems you've been busy." Olga remarked, his gaze shifting between Jeht and Bliss. His dark red hair was in a ponytail as always.

Jeht nodded enthusiastically. Olga's arrival was just what she needed right now.

"Olga."

Jeht signed, his movements were clear and deliberate.

"His name is Bliss."

Olga's facial expression changed in an instant.

“Did you learn his name?”

Jeht smiled proudly.

“I did in a few hours what you couldn't do.”

Normally, Olga would have responded well to Jeht's words, but the fact that Jeht was able to learn the miner's name was a big improvement for them. In fact, it was such a big improvement that he started thinking about giving Jeht a favor because, as he said, they themselves hadn’t found any information about the miner after weeks had passed. This included even photography.

"Did you learn anything else?"

“It's not that easy, genius. We are just now able to communicate.”

“Then try a little harder. It would be very helpful if we could get some more information before you leave here tomorrow.”

"Tomorrow?"

Jeht's eyes opened wide.

"Does my punishment end tomorrow?"

"Yes. Think of it as a reward for learning his name.”

Jeht rushed forward to hug Olga, but Olga immediately reached for his gun.

"Don’t you dare."

Jeht grimaced like a little boy and sat back down, arms crossed across his chest.

After making sure Jeht wouldn't be heading towards jim, Olga reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device. Jeht couldn't quite tell what the device was from afar, Olga's hand gripped almost all of the circular device.

“This is my honor for you.”

Olga threw the device at Jeht. Jeht briskly leapt forward from his seat, catching the device.

"This…"

"Hearing aid. It seems that there is no longer any need for hearing tests. When I said you needed a sign language book, they handed me this. Advanced technology. If you break it, you will see the new one in your dreams.”

After saying that, he turned around, but just as he was about to leave, his step remained in the air. He turned his head.

“Oh, by the way, you have important business with him right before your punishment ends tomorrow. Then we'll take him to the mine. It looks like he can work now.”

Jeht turned the device in his hand, looking first at Olga, then at Bliss. While Bliss was trying to grasp the situation with her blank stare again, Olga walked away without saying anything else.