DAMOND CHRIS
FLASHBACK
When I first opened my eyes, I found myself surrounded by a thick darkness, like a heavy blanket pressing down on me. I tried to make out any shapes or colors, but all I felt was the deep blackness weighing on my chest, making my heart race. Panic surged inside me, twisting my stomach into knots as I felt the urgent need to scream, "Ah, help…."
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a familiar voice broke through the silence. "Damond, you're awake! What's wrong?" It was my mom, sounding both worried and relieved to see me.
Fear and confusion tangled together in my mind. "I… I can't see, Mom. Is the light off?" The words tumbled out of my mouth as I gasped for breath.
"What? You can't see? What's happening? Nurse, call the doctor!" She sounded frantic as she hurried across the room.
Just moments later, a nurse rushed in, moving quickly as she checked me over, probing and testing me with a confidence that was both comforting and unsettling. I felt distant as if I were watching everything from a faraway place, like a boat lost in a stormy sea.
After what seemed like forever, the nurse looked at me with a steady gaze, trying to keep me grounded. "Mrs. Chris, I need to speak with you in my office, please," she said, guiding my mom out of the room. A heavy silence fell over me, their quiet voices creating an invisible wall that kept me from hearing what I desperately wanted to know.
When my mom returned, her face looked tense, and I could sense the worry radiating from her. She sat beside me, her presence somehow making everything feel heavier. I knew something was terribly wrong. "Where is Desmond?" I asked, and the moment I said his name, I noticed her stiffen, her breath catching in her throat.
"Mom, what is happening? Please tell me," I urged, feeling a wave of despair wash over me.
"It's okay; everyone is fine," she whispered, but her voice trembled, revealing a sadness that shattered the calm she tried to project.
"No, everything is not fine. Where is my brother?" My question hung in the air, full of dread. At that moment, her mask of composure fell away. Tears streamed down her face, a mix of pain and heartbreak, and I felt a crushing despair settle in.
"Mom…"
"Your brother is in a coma," she finally said, her voice cracking, sending chills through me.
"When will he wake up? We can wait until we go home together, right?" A small spark of hope flickered inside me, fighting against the darkness closing in on my heart. But when I looked into her eyes, I saw the deep sadness there, and my heart sank. She stroked my hair gently, but it was clear she was hurting just as much as I was.
"No, we don't know when he'll wake up; it's likely he'll remain unresponsive," she said, her words weighing heavily on me.
"Mom, please tell me he's going to wake up! It was my fault. I should've walked slower. I should have stayed close to you guys. It's my fault," I cried, tears streaming down my face like a never-ending wave, guilt crashing over me.
"No, it's not your fault. It's okay," she murmured, trying to soothe the storm brewing inside me.
From a distance, I could hear her calling for the doctor as I pretended to close my eyes, desperately wishing to escape the harsh reality threatening to tear my world apart.
"Dr. Charles, is there any chance we can cure my child's blindness? Please, I'm begging you—he's just a little boy and shouldn't have to live in darkness," my mother's voice broke through the chaos of my pain, filled with desperation.
"Mrs. Chris, please try to take a deep breath. I'm afraid this isn't something we can fix right away; it will take some time," Dr. Charles responded, speaking gently but firmly, trying to ease the weight of my fears.
"How long will it take, Doctor? Everything feels like it's falling apart. My oldest son is in a coma, and now my youngest is blind. This is a nightmare. Please, I need your help," she implored, each word heavy with sadness, echoing like stones dropped into a deep well.
"While there's no quick solution, I promise we will look into this further. Please, don't lose hope; the blindness may not last forever since his eyes appear to be fine structurally. I'll give you some medicines to help make him more comfortable," he reassured her, his calm voice contrasting sharply with the storm of anxiety swirling in the room.
I sat there, taking in their conversation, as a thick blanket of despair settled over me like a heavy fog. Am I really blind? How can this be happening? What is breaking my world apart?