The story revolves around the lives of identical twin sisters, June and Jennifer Gibbons, born in 1963 in Aden. They were nicknamed the "Silent Twins" due to their unique behavior of not speaking to anyone outside of their family, and even then, only in a private language that no one else could understand.
As they grew older, their behavior became increasingly strange, and they began to attract attention from their peers and eventually, the authorities. The twins were institutionalized and subjected to various forms of treatment, including antipsychotic medication, which had severe side effects.
A journalist, Marjorie Wallace, took an interest in the twins' story and began to visit them in the hospital. Through her interactions with them, she discovered that the twins had a deep-seated desire to be free from their oppressive situation.
Tragically, Jennifer died in 1993 at the age of 29, allegedly due to a heart condition. However, the circumstances surrounding her death remain shrouded in mystery. After Jennifer's passing, June suddenly began to speak and interact with the world around her, as if she had been freed from her silence.
June eventually went on to live a normal life, surrounded by her family, and even gave an interview about her experiences. She revealed that she and Jennifer had made a pact to remain silent as a means of coping with their situation, and that Jennifer's death was a tragic consequence of their desperate attempt to break free.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. John and Jennifer Gibbons were born in 1963 in a military hospital in Aden.
2. The twins were premature and their birth was not unusual, but their upbringing was different from other children.
3. The twins' parents, Gloria and Aubrey, noticed that their daughters were not developing speech skills.
4. The twins were inseparable and seemed to communicate with each other in their own language, but not with the outside world.
5. The twins' father recalled that they made sounds at home, but it was difficult to call it speech.
6. The twins began to attract attention in elementary school due to their unusual behavior.
7. The twins' language became incomprehensible to others as they reached adolescence.
8. The twins were unable to read or write and only repeated each other's actions.
9. In 1974, a doctor noticed the twins' strange behavior and considered their behavior "puppet-like."
10. The twins were sent to two different boarding schools, but this did not have a positive effect on their communication with the outside world.
11. The twins became catatonic and were eventually hospitalized.
12. The twins spent 12 years in a high-security hospital, where they kept a diary.
13. The twins were given high doses of antipsychotic drugs, which impaired their vision.
14. In 1993, the twins were transferred to a clinic with a lower level of security.
15. Jennifer died in 1993 at the age of 29 due to inflammation of the heart.
16. After Jennifer's death, John began to communicate with everyone as if she had been doing so all her life.
17. John was discharged from the clinic and began to live a normal life.
18. A journalist, Margery Wallace, studied the lives of the twins and wrote about their story.
19. Margery discovered that the twins had a complex and troubled relationship, with Jennifer dominating John.
20. The twins' death is still shrouded in mystery, with some believing that the medications they were given contributed to Jennifer's death.