Visuals | ✓

04 | for the lone hearted

VISUALS © 2015

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[iv]

FOR THE LONE HEARTED

Dr Strüber was always a man of his word.

The two- teacher and student- did nothing more than take a short stroll down the street, as the older man gave him small, doable challenges, requiring Cameron to use his other senses rather than reverting to the darkness.

"A blind person may be without sight," he said at one point, "But if they train themselves with the appropriate skills, they just might find an increase in their other senses."

Cameron wanted to believe this, more than anything, and so he tried hard though the tasks seemed simple, and determination in the work resulted in success.

"Before we leave, Martin. Can we just go to that building over there?"

"Which one? The music shop?"

He nodded, enhancing the action more than necessary, but it needed to be done for his own satisfaction. "I want to buy a new CD- don't worry, I told mum before we left."

And so Dr Strüber agreed, leading him toward the small building with his presence and entrusting the truth in his words.

Cameron loved music. It was his muse for even daily challenges and discoveries in the simplest of forms.

He liked to think that it was a personal gift sent from God himself, as some sort of apology for the obvious deformity with his eyes and everything.

It was the only thing he could actually do without the 'help' given to him by anybody who didn't seem to be convinced that he could really survive on his own. It was the only thing that didn't make his feel so... so disabled.

The bell above the creaky wooden door shrieked with his presence as he strolled in. With a discrete sniff, he breathed in the wondrous fumes of old pine and dusty jazz before taking another hasty step.

As he continued to walk, the soft cardboard of old, torn record covers, crinkled under his fingers and in contrast, the plastic of modern CD's and their smooth surfaces, squeaked with delight.

"I'll be outside Cameron, okay?"

He nodded, unsure of whether the man could see really it or not, but the willingness to care never approached him.

A moment later, headphones hanging around his neck and a soft song in his head, a person approached him. He could hear their footsteps, light and cheery against the carpet floor, almost non-existent.

"Can I help you?"

He paused, slowly facing the direction of the faint sound, almost in panic. It was a girl- she sounded slightly tired- there was a drag to her words- and he cursed himself inwardly for not wearing sunglasses in order to cover the strange pale film in his eyes.

"No thank you,"

"Are you sure? I can give you some recommendations."

Maybe Cameron did need help. Maybe help was all that he needed, but the rising rate of his breaths from his rising rate of insecurity was certainly not something he required in that moment.

"Are you sure?"

No. He was not sure, but it was too late since he felt a shiver of movement rush past him.

The girl was gone.

The girl was gone and all Cameron could possibly do was stand there like an idiot. He sighed, slightly chuckling to himself at his stupidity reaching for another CD by his side.

At his outstretched hand, the CD came, though not due to his own actions. There was a rush of breath, almost like a laugh as whom he assumed was the same person stood at his side

"Listen to this. It's Burkley by a band called Rainy Days and I believe it's probably one of the best modern albums in this whole shop."

He nodded, more vigorously than necessary again but in this instance it was due to his surprise, and curiosity.

It was fascinating, especially to a boy like Cameron, because to him, it was an achievement to noticeable honour to have not driven someone away.

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[ rewritten ]

A/N; the song name and band mentioned in this chapter are not actually real, [though I kind of wish they were ].