I can hear it. The rain. It sounds like a steak sizzling as it slowly cooks on a grill. The cars, as they pass through puddles sound like a wave hitting the shoreline of a beach. The gentle humming of the bulbs in my room as they fill the room with light.
Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you weren’t able to see? I never did until a cold December day while I was traveling to my parents house for the holidays.
I had just gotten off school and was driving in my old beat-up jeep. It was around 1:30 a.m. so there weren’t any cars out on the roads. I had the radio turned up trying to stay awake. It seemed so safe and calm, but that’s when it happened.
It was so sudden. The car began to spin out of control. I was panicking and desperately searching for the cause. I couldn’t see anything until I saw the glistening of the ice.
Black ice. So hidden against the black of the road I hadn’t seen it. I panicked even more. What could I do to stop the car from hitting the guard rail and flipping?
I grabbed the wheel and attempted to straighten. Using all the strength I could muster I pulled the ca forward and straight. The bright headlights were only a few feet away from me and I had nothing I could do. I stared into the lights then everything went black.
~Later~
When I woke up I opened my eyes but still saw black. I wondered if there were no lights on.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” I called into the dark.
“JJ?” I heard a tired voice.
Only one person in the world called me that.
Jake Carmen.
“Jake?”
For as long as I could remember Jake and I had been friends. We grea up together and whenever anything happened we were there for eachother.
“JJ! You’re awake! I was so worried!” I felt him hug me.
“I’m ok just a little banged up. Could you turn on the light?”
“They are on JJ. Can’t you tell?”
“No. What’s wrong with me?”
“I’ll go get the doctor. Don’t worry I’m sure it’s fine.”
Easy for oyu to say I thought. He left the room and I heard the door slam. I could hear his footsteps which seemed to keep time with the heart moniter. The beeps seemed to just get louder and louder as I sat waiting in the dark.
Finally after what seemed like an eternity Jake came back with the doctor.
“jeniffer? I’m doctor Roberts. I heard you can’t see. Let’s take a look and try and figure out why hmm?”
“Alright.” I know the fear I felt came through in my voice. Not a second later I felt jakes hand give me squeeze.
“Jeniffer can you see anything? Any difference in light?”
“No just black.” Lots and lots of black.
“I’m going to order a Cat scan for you ASAP and we’ll see if we can find what’s making you unable to see. Sound good?”
“I guess so.”
A million senarios were going through my head. What if I never see again? What if I did? Would it be the same? Would I ever take the sights there are to see for granted ever again?
As I sat waiting to the cat scan I listened. I head the wind, the machines, the noises taken for granted by others.
I heard the door open and the sound of squeaking wheels that sounded like ten rats.
