(no subject)
The result from a bored night and a decision to write:
Sight, by yours truly.
Colin's dream was shattered once again by the piercing sound of the alarm clock. Every day that sound tears him away too soon; he never gets to see her. The same dream every night.
"KATE, NO! PLEASE." Please.
BZZZZZT BZZZZZT. "Colin it is Seven A.M., wake up sweetie." Only when her voice plays those eight words each morning is he grateful the two of them bought the alarm clock that allows voice recording. He found that after two years he still remembered the sights his apartment has to offer, allowing him to move gracefully to and from any location in his loft, one last remaining comfort he found in his home.
While showering on this day, he realized he once took the white, featureless linoleum for granted. He could only touch his shower, the sights it offered he could not recall. Apart from Kate, Colin found that we would come to miss the little details the most. The sunlight shining in through the blinds in the morning, the view from the 3rd story window, and the decorations in the apartment that he still remembered choosing with Kate.
Left arm into the left sleeve and right arm into the right sleeve, pants up, hand through his hair and shoes tied, and Tuck was leading him out the door by 7:27. Right on schedule.
Tuck had no problem with the task at hand, it was his only job and he was very efficient. Lead Colin to the place where people treat him like royalty and give him treats all day. Watch out for cars, stop when the light tells him to and be mindful of the other walkers. Tuck knew that he was Colin's only friend, he would die for Colin if it was needed.
7:31 and he was a minute late, somehow. "Hey, uh, Colin?" "Dan?" Colin was already apprehensive, would one minute matter? "I'm sorry, but I have some terrible news." He was greeted by what sounded like dread in the voice of his boss. "Ok, it can't be too bad." Dan hesitated, "Our new Regional Manager got word that we have a blind man working front desk in our biggest building in Pennsylvania, and once he heard that we've spent money for electronics that come equipped with braille capabilities, and that you've had to bring your dog into the office for the past two years," Dan stopped when he saw Colin's face tighten and his head lower. "We're really sorry, Colin, it's out of our hands. You have been our favorite person here since the day you were hired, but this new manager wasn't around for that, he doesn't understand. There's nothing we can do." Colin would never know, but a single tear welled up and fell from Dan's left eye. "Oh, well, alright. I guess I can understand. I've become more of a hindrance than an aid around here lately, and I'm sure I look even worse on paper. Don't think I haven't realized it. I knew today was coming." Dan felt himself begin to lose his composure, "Colin," Colin interrupted, "Dan, it's ok. I'm going to go back home. I'll be around, I'm sure." It was as if Tuck could understand what was happening, and with that, he was leading Colin back through the door he just led him in.
He hadn't wished to go to the local park in almost a year, but today was obviously different. Maybe the calm spring air and warm sun would lift his spirits slightly. He knew that even after a year, Tuck would still remember the route to the park through the busy city. Colin figured that the sounds of the river and of children playing would work wonders for him.
He was right about something, Tuck got him to the park like their last visit was yesterday. He quickly realized there were no children playing on this day. The river was so quiet that his only reassurance that it wasn't frozen were the sounds from the splashes caused by the pebble he threw. Instead of lifting his spirits, the land embodied what he felt and made it real.
There was nothing. He couldn't hear the wings of birds as they flew by, or the sounds of joggers, not even of leaves rustling, until he realized the noises in his own mind had drowned out everything else. Quickly, almost all at once, Colin realized that was what he felt. It took a lonely trip to a park for him to realize the emptiness in himself. For two years he had lived and when he lost his sight, he lost so much more.
"Hello, sir!" He could hear the excitement and wonder in a little boy's voice, a smile found its way across Colin's lips. "Hi there." "Can I pet your doggy?" It sounded like the boy had never seen a dog before. "Sure, Tuck loves new people." He could hear Tuck's chain dangling and he felt his tail brush against his own leg several times. "He's really pretty, why aren't you walking him?" Excitement, he could tell, was turning to curiousity, as it always did. "Well if we're walking, he's the one walking me, he is my seeing-eye dog." "Seeing-eye dog? What's that mean!?" Colin grinned unexpectedly, "Well, I was in a car accident and I lost my sight, so I have Tuck, here, to help me get around in the city and inside buildings. He's my best friend" A new voice, his mother, surely, "A car accident? I'm sorry to hear that, you two seem like such a cute couple, he's really adorable." Colin was surprised to hear a second voice, he was usually great at counting people by their footsteps. His thoughts may have pre-occupied him this time. "Ah, well thank you. I'm lucky to be here, Tuck has been the most important thing in my life for the last two years." "How sweet," the mother said, "it was nice to meet you, but we have to be on our way now." "Alright, you too, goodbye." Colin felt the two served as a great distraction from his recent epiphany. He didn't feel as alone at that moment.
Back home, on the other hand, it felt the same. A barren landscape where vague memory served as a compass and a fading map. Walking in the door, familiar smells greeted him. The smell of Kate's perfume that he sprayed occasionally as a reminder, the smell of Tuck and of cool air from the air conditioner. Shortly after the accident, Colin realized that his sense of smell would keep his memories strong and prevent them from fading. Two years later and the perfume has proven itself worthy of thirty five dollars for every six ounces.
Colin decided he would listen to music until he fell asleep. It was only 11 A.M. and he couldn't imagine anything more worthy of his time than sleep.
Quickly he found himself in a familiar environment. He looked to his right and he was relieved to see the face of his wife, Kate. Her big, brown eyes offered a sense of calm before what Colin knew was the storm. Every night this part was the same. Her eyes, her hair, her lips, always the same hue. Always as beatiful as they were the previous night. Then the sound came, the rumbling, growing from a dull vibration to a sound of bending steel and metal and shattering glass. Then there was black. Even during the darkness, Colin knew what was coming. The sight of blood flowing onto the steering wheel from his own head. The hole in the windshield on the passenger side, the empty passenger seat. And Kate. Her body lay motionless on the road thirty feet ahead of the car. Darkness again. Sounds continued and he realized he was by Kate's side, although he couldn't see her, he could feel her and hear her and smell her still. What happened? Why couldn't he see her?
As a torrent of memories and emotions rushed in, he remembered why he couldn't see her, why he could only hear her. As the events played back in his mind he realized he wasn't dreaming, he was reliving the last moments of his life, of Kate's life.
"Colin? Is that you?" "Kate stay with me, you are going to be alright, you just landed on your legs wrong, you have to stay with me baby. Why can't I see you? What happened?" "Colin, your eyes, what happened? I love you, Colin." "KATE? KATE, NO! PLEASE."
As Colin awoke, he felt tears fall from his eyes. He stumbled into his kitchen, above the sink, the medicine cabinet, reaching for anything, for everything. His hands fumbled across different medicine containers, he grabbed them all. He popped open the tops on all of them, pouring their contents across the counter, scooping them all into his hand, he threw them into his mouth and swallowed. Before he could fully realize what he had done, he was back at Kate's side, but he could see her. Her face was as beautiful as it were in the passenger seat. She lay on the road beside him, only she wasn't injured. Her lips, eyes, her scent pulled at him as she said, "Colin, your eyes, what happened? I love you, Colin."
A smile formed on Colin's lips, a smile that stayed with him for all eternity.
Sight, by yours truly.
Colin's dream was shattered once again by the piercing sound of the alarm clock. Every day that sound tears him away too soon; he never gets to see her. The same dream every night.
"KATE, NO! PLEASE." Please.
BZZZZZT BZZZZZT. "Colin it is Seven A.M., wake up sweetie." Only when her voice plays those eight words each morning is he grateful the two of them bought the alarm clock that allows voice recording. He found that after two years he still remembered the sights his apartment has to offer, allowing him to move gracefully to and from any location in his loft, one last remaining comfort he found in his home.
While showering on this day, he realized he once took the white, featureless linoleum for granted. He could only touch his shower, the sights it offered he could not recall. Apart from Kate, Colin found that we would come to miss the little details the most. The sunlight shining in through the blinds in the morning, the view from the 3rd story window, and the decorations in the apartment that he still remembered choosing with Kate.
Left arm into the left sleeve and right arm into the right sleeve, pants up, hand through his hair and shoes tied, and Tuck was leading him out the door by 7:27. Right on schedule.
Tuck had no problem with the task at hand, it was his only job and he was very efficient. Lead Colin to the place where people treat him like royalty and give him treats all day. Watch out for cars, stop when the light tells him to and be mindful of the other walkers. Tuck knew that he was Colin's only friend, he would die for Colin if it was needed.
7:31 and he was a minute late, somehow. "Hey, uh, Colin?" "Dan?" Colin was already apprehensive, would one minute matter? "I'm sorry, but I have some terrible news." He was greeted by what sounded like dread in the voice of his boss. "Ok, it can't be too bad." Dan hesitated, "Our new Regional Manager got word that we have a blind man working front desk in our biggest building in Pennsylvania, and once he heard that we've spent money for electronics that come equipped with braille capabilities, and that you've had to bring your dog into the office for the past two years," Dan stopped when he saw Colin's face tighten and his head lower. "We're really sorry, Colin, it's out of our hands. You have been our favorite person here since the day you were hired, but this new manager wasn't around for that, he doesn't understand. There's nothing we can do." Colin would never know, but a single tear welled up and fell from Dan's left eye. "Oh, well, alright. I guess I can understand. I've become more of a hindrance than an aid around here lately, and I'm sure I look even worse on paper. Don't think I haven't realized it. I knew today was coming." Dan felt himself begin to lose his composure, "Colin," Colin interrupted, "Dan, it's ok. I'm going to go back home. I'll be around, I'm sure." It was as if Tuck could understand what was happening, and with that, he was leading Colin back through the door he just led him in.
He hadn't wished to go to the local park in almost a year, but today was obviously different. Maybe the calm spring air and warm sun would lift his spirits slightly. He knew that even after a year, Tuck would still remember the route to the park through the busy city. Colin figured that the sounds of the river and of children playing would work wonders for him.
He was right about something, Tuck got him to the park like their last visit was yesterday. He quickly realized there were no children playing on this day. The river was so quiet that his only reassurance that it wasn't frozen were the sounds from the splashes caused by the pebble he threw. Instead of lifting his spirits, the land embodied what he felt and made it real.
There was nothing. He couldn't hear the wings of birds as they flew by, or the sounds of joggers, not even of leaves rustling, until he realized the noises in his own mind had drowned out everything else. Quickly, almost all at once, Colin realized that was what he felt. It took a lonely trip to a park for him to realize the emptiness in himself. For two years he had lived and when he lost his sight, he lost so much more.
"Hello, sir!" He could hear the excitement and wonder in a little boy's voice, a smile found its way across Colin's lips. "Hi there." "Can I pet your doggy?" It sounded like the boy had never seen a dog before. "Sure, Tuck loves new people." He could hear Tuck's chain dangling and he felt his tail brush against his own leg several times. "He's really pretty, why aren't you walking him?" Excitement, he could tell, was turning to curiousity, as it always did. "Well if we're walking, he's the one walking me, he is my seeing-eye dog." "Seeing-eye dog? What's that mean!?" Colin grinned unexpectedly, "Well, I was in a car accident and I lost my sight, so I have Tuck, here, to help me get around in the city and inside buildings. He's my best friend" A new voice, his mother, surely, "A car accident? I'm sorry to hear that, you two seem like such a cute couple, he's really adorable." Colin was surprised to hear a second voice, he was usually great at counting people by their footsteps. His thoughts may have pre-occupied him this time. "Ah, well thank you. I'm lucky to be here, Tuck has been the most important thing in my life for the last two years." "How sweet," the mother said, "it was nice to meet you, but we have to be on our way now." "Alright, you too, goodbye." Colin felt the two served as a great distraction from his recent epiphany. He didn't feel as alone at that moment.
Back home, on the other hand, it felt the same. A barren landscape where vague memory served as a compass and a fading map. Walking in the door, familiar smells greeted him. The smell of Kate's perfume that he sprayed occasionally as a reminder, the smell of Tuck and of cool air from the air conditioner. Shortly after the accident, Colin realized that his sense of smell would keep his memories strong and prevent them from fading. Two years later and the perfume has proven itself worthy of thirty five dollars for every six ounces.
Colin decided he would listen to music until he fell asleep. It was only 11 A.M. and he couldn't imagine anything more worthy of his time than sleep.
Quickly he found himself in a familiar environment. He looked to his right and he was relieved to see the face of his wife, Kate. Her big, brown eyes offered a sense of calm before what Colin knew was the storm. Every night this part was the same. Her eyes, her hair, her lips, always the same hue. Always as beatiful as they were the previous night. Then the sound came, the rumbling, growing from a dull vibration to a sound of bending steel and metal and shattering glass. Then there was black. Even during the darkness, Colin knew what was coming. The sight of blood flowing onto the steering wheel from his own head. The hole in the windshield on the passenger side, the empty passenger seat. And Kate. Her body lay motionless on the road thirty feet ahead of the car. Darkness again. Sounds continued and he realized he was by Kate's side, although he couldn't see her, he could feel her and hear her and smell her still. What happened? Why couldn't he see her?
As a torrent of memories and emotions rushed in, he remembered why he couldn't see her, why he could only hear her. As the events played back in his mind he realized he wasn't dreaming, he was reliving the last moments of his life, of Kate's life.
"Colin? Is that you?" "Kate stay with me, you are going to be alright, you just landed on your legs wrong, you have to stay with me baby. Why can't I see you? What happened?" "Colin, your eyes, what happened? I love you, Colin." "KATE? KATE, NO! PLEASE."
As Colin awoke, he felt tears fall from his eyes. He stumbled into his kitchen, above the sink, the medicine cabinet, reaching for anything, for everything. His hands fumbled across different medicine containers, he grabbed them all. He popped open the tops on all of them, pouring their contents across the counter, scooping them all into his hand, he threw them into his mouth and swallowed. Before he could fully realize what he had done, he was back at Kate's side, but he could see her. Her face was as beautiful as it were in the passenger seat. She lay on the road beside him, only she wasn't injured. Her lips, eyes, her scent pulled at him as she said, "Colin, your eyes, what happened? I love you, Colin."
A smile formed on Colin's lips, a smile that stayed with him for all eternity.