School for Assassins: Missions Uncovered - On Hold

Chapter 12 part 1

                  

Ely:

            If I stared hard enough, I thought I could almost make out some light, but I wasn't sure. Maybe I was just trying to give myself false hope. I moved away from the sound coming closer until a deep voice spoke up, "Ely, I'm Doctor Stein. We're taking you back for some tests now. Your friend has to stay out here, but we'll let him know when we're done." I simply nodded my head. I felt like my voice was stuck in my throat and I swallowed thickly.

            I felt a hand gently press against my lower back, and then he gripped my hand with his other hand and helped me off of the table I currently sat on. I took tentative steps, constantly worried that my next step would take me right into a wall. Doctor Stein was patient with me and led me to a chair. "Where exactly are you taking me?" I asked, looking in the direction I thought the doctor might be in.

            His voice appeared behind me and I whirled around as he spoke, "We're taking you back to look at your eyes. I want to see if this damage looks permanent or if we're looking at temporary damage that'll get better with rest."

            At my nod, I felt the chair start rolling forward and I gripped the armrests tightly. As we left the room, I heard someone running nearby, and then a familiar voice spoke, "How is she, Dom?"

            A second voice added, "Where the fuck is my Sunshine?"

            I felt my face heat up as I realized they must be out in the waiting room. Before I could hear anything else, the doctor whisked me into another room and shut the door. 

            "Alright, Kiddo, let's get you onto this table. Let me know if your vision starts to clear at all, because I'll have something really close to your eye and I don't want you to be startled and injure yourself further." Doctor Stein informed me.

            I nodded, but remained silent. He helped me out of my chair and I took a deep breath, pausing to listen to my surroundings. I was seconds away from a panic attack and I needed to calm down. "I can see lights, I think. It's like when your eyes are closed and you can see light through your eyelids..." I bit my lip to keep myself from babbling like an idiot.

            "Alright, Sweetie, the test is starting now." He went quiet, although I could hear him breathing directly in front of me. I wanted to flinch back from whatever he held up to my eye. I couldn't see it, but I could tell it was there and it made me nervous. What if my problem wasn't permanent, but whatever he did made it permanent? I tried not to let my nervousness show as softly praised me for not moving. "All done."

            That's it? That was really fast. Or maybe he just meant he was all done with the first test? "Are there more tests, or was that it?" I asked. I hated the way my voice trembled, but I was scared of the results.

            He cleared his throat and I winced. He was going to tell me there were a billion more, wasn't he? "We'll get your results back in just a couple of minutes. From what I can tell, the damage does not look permanent, but we'll prepare a game plan once we have the official results back."

            I wiped my sweaty palms against my pants and nodded. We waited in silence and I could hear him clicking a mouse button nearby. A few minutes went by before he moved closer again, "Good news, Kiddo. It doesn't seem like the damage is permanent, however, I'd like to put something over your eyes to keep you from using them for the next week. I'd like to give your eyes a chance to really heal well before you use them again. I'll have you come back next week so that we can check your eyes."

            "So, I'll have to essentially be blindfolded all the time?" I questioned.

            He gently patted my shoulder, "You'll be allowed to take it off for bathing, but it would be best to wear it to sleep as well."

            I sighed but trusted that the doctor knew what he was talking about. I heard him leave the room, and moments later he came back, "Here's the blindfold. I'm sending you home with another one, just in case something happens to this one." He stepped behind me and placed something soft over my eyes. I heard the Velcro fasten behind my head and then the doctor placed another item into my hand. "Here's your spare."

            "Thank you, Doctor Stein." I murmured.

            Before I could add anything else, he asked, "Would you like me to send someone for your friend? The fella who was in the other room with you, I mean."

            My shoulders sagged in relief as I nodded, "Yes, please."

            "Wait here and someone will bring him back momentarily." He patted my knee and I heard him exit the room.