The Sound of a Gun

Chapter Eight

I woke up in a hospital ward and saw my mother sitting by the- Hold on! I saw her? I saw her! I could see! I closed my eyes tight and rubbed them. When I opened them again, Mum was rushing towards me.

'Jim! It's mum here. Are you all right? I was worried sick!'

'Mum,' I said. 'I can see.' I didn't know what to feel.

'What?'

'I can see. I can see you. I can see everything! It's a miracle!' There was that excitement.

'I don't understand. You mean, you can see?'

'I can see!' I screamed in delight.

'But...how?'

Before I could even attempt to answer the question, a doctor entered holding a clipboard.

'Ah Jim,' he said pleasantly,'you're awake.'

'Sir,' Mum said, 'my son says he can see. Please, tell me what's going on...'

'Well, I had been hoping for that. You see, when John Hoax -the murderer that is- hit Jim's head with the gun, I believe it changed some of the -um- wiring in his body. The nerve that should have connected Jim's eyes to his brain was hit into place, therefore, giving him sight.'

I couldn't believe it. It was amazing. I stared intently into my mums eyes. I wondered what colour they were... But there was still a few things I needed cleared.

'So, you're saying the murderer, John Hoax, made me see again.' The doctor nodded. 'Okay...But what happened before. I heard a scream.'

'Well Jim,' Mum said, 'you've got Toby to thank. At last moment he um...'

The doctor helped her, 'John Hoax is in Operations. He will be needing a new hand.'

I was shocked. 'Toby bit off his hand!?'

The doctor nodded. 'Just before he dropped the gun and it hit you on the head.'

'Whoa... But wait! I heard a shot before. Who-'

'No one died, Jim,' Mum said. 'The police looked at Hoax's records. They weren't exactly... clean. He had been shoplifting, taking drugs...he needed help. But John, he-he went to the football stadium, I don't know why there exactly but, he was going to commit suicide. Somehow, he missed himself or he just couldn't do it.'

I took it all in.

'I heard a dog. It tried to attack us, but Toby scared it off.'

'Yes,' Mum said 'the police saw it too. They think its a stray that happened to be wandering around the stadium when it heard the gun shot.

'Oh Jim, everything's going to be different now...I'm so glad you're OK. I don't know whether to thank John Hoax or kill him myself. I dare-say he has a pleasant future coming.'

'I know, Mum...I was so scared out there.'

'Yes,' the doctor said, 'you must have been very brave.'

'When can he come home, doctor?' Mum asked.

'Well, we still need a final x-ray, so he'll have to stay in the hospital for a night. But tomorrow he's good to go.'

'Thank-you Doctor,' Mum said. He nodded and left the ward.

'I'll stay here with you overnight,' Mum assured.

I pulled her into a hug.

Later, I was alone again when Mum had fallen asleep on the arm chair.

I thought for what felt like hours... I couldn't wait to do all the seeing there was out there. For the first time, I felt like I had a purpose... Then my eyes began to droop... but I wasn't going to let myself fall asleep- oh no! I had seen enough blackness for one lifetime.