The Wizard's Herbarium: The Wolf Child

Part 41

Colt wasn't able to return to town. The forest fires continued to rage, and he briefly considered returning to the city. There would be more services in the city and more specialists, right? But there was also more noise, more pollution and an indescribable feeling of loneliness in the city too. Being surrounded by so many people in the city had made Colt feel isolated and alone. He wasn't in any rush to get back to that. The nature here and the people, so willing to help one another, was better for him than any large city.

In the next town over there was a high school, its gym being used as an emergency shelter for those fleeing from the wildfires. The air reeked of smoke, making Colt's lungs hurt. He was suddenly grateful for the hospital's AC system and that of the school gym too. Both buildings would filter out a lot of smoke, dust and debris from the air.

He stood in the gym with his cane in hand and listened to the sounds all around him. He was learning that not being able to see meant that he had to be more patient. Throughout his career as a chef, Colt had been anything but patient. In the kitchen, everything needed to be done quickly and in the correct order. A sauce or a vegetable made just a few minutes early could throw off an entire dish. So, Colt had learned to wait and sooner or later he'd be noticed by someone, or else he'd figure things out himself.

He could hear many voices around him, but the emptiness of the gym made the voices echo in the large space. It made it difficult for Colt to figure out how many people were using the space or how crowded the space was. He had to assume that it was packed with people who had to evacuate their homes.

"Colt? That you?" Colt recognized Chuck's voice, and he turned towards the voice as best as he could.

"Chuck? What're you doing here?" Colt asked.

"Lorayne and I are staying with her parents. We cook food and bring it here as often as we can to help out. What... happened to you?"

Colt didn't really know what to say. What do you say to someone who asks that question? That he might be blind and he refused to go to a specialist because he just loves this place too much? He couldn't just brush it off either, he was carrying a cane and had bandages over his eyes.

"I was caught in the fire," Colt said. "They say my eyesight may not recover."

There was a long pause that Colt immediately didn't like. It reminded him of when he'd lost Julien and had to tell people. People didn't know how to respond to loss and often made it about themselves. Colt should have seen this coming, that they'd treat the loss of his eyesight similarly to the loss of his son, but he hadn't and now, he stood with Chuck in silence.

"I'm sorry..." Chuck began and Colt didn't have the stomach for a long-winded apology.

"Chuck," he said firmly, his voice a warning. "I know you mean well, but I don't need your pity. I've lost my son, my marriage and now, and perhaps forever, my eyesight. I'm not stupid and I'm not incapable of taking care of myself. If you actually give a shit about me and want to be different from all the other losers who have tried to comfort me over the last year, then stop apologizing."

There was another long pause and Colt regretted that he couldn't read Chuck's expression. So, he decided to screw it and not care in the first place. Maybe there would be something to be said about not being able to see people's reactions and expressions.

Chuck laughed. It was one of those obnoxious, full-bodied laughs that startled Colt with its suddenness. "Guess I did almost make it all about myself. C'mon, let's get you some food."

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The days passed slowly in that gymnasium. Without the use of his eyes, Colt had nothing else to do other than sit there and listen to the conversations around him. There was a lot of despair and worry over people's houses. Chuck and Lorayne seemed to be in high spirits when they visited, bringing all kinds of scratch-made food that warmed the soul. But Colt couldn't tell whether they were only positive around him because they were thinking that they could have had it worse: they could have lost something like him.