Blinded: Chapter 1

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He never thought he'd end up like this. All he could see was darkness and it was all Xana's fault. He was blinded by a power surged light, it all happened so quickly. The light, so bright, not even closing his eyes would stop it. The next thing he knew, he was in the infirmary.

"Ulrich? Are you awake?" Someone asked after noticed his body stirring. He groaned and opened his eyes, when he realized everything was still dark, it was as if a gust of cold air flew past him. He blinked and rubbed his eyes…still he could see nothing but darkness. He gasped, seeing their friend in distress the group panicked.

"Ulrich what's wrong?" Yumi asked.

"Are the lights turned off? I can't see it's so dark!" He replied.

"You can't see?" Jeremie asked.

"No, are the lights turned off?" He asked again.

"No Ulrich, you're in the infirmary, there is still daylight outside." Jeremie answered.

"Well I can't see a thing." Odd held up his hand in front of Ulrich's face, showing four fingers.

"How many fingers am I holding up? C'mon you can see them right, right? I'm right in front of you!" He said.

"I can't see you Odd." Ulrich said, scaring Odd.

"Oh no, this can't be happening!"

Nurse Yolanda asked him to lie back down so he could examine his eyes. She hurried to the phone and contacted Ulrich's parents; he had to go to the hospital for a more thorough examination. After she got off the phone, Jeremie asked if it was temporary blindness, and she said it could be, that was some good news but at the same time it could be permanent. Ulrich's parents came by and took him to the hospital. Ulrich's mother helped him walk to the car and his father just walked depressed, he barely talked. Moments later, they arrived at the hospital after a few questions on the way.

Mrs. Stern opened the door for him and gently took his arm, "Here honey, let me help you." It was pretty hard to walk when you don't know where you are going, he had to be guided by his mother the entire time, it felt so embarrassing. In the hospital, the doctors did some tests and examined his eyes. The doctor came with the results and he said he was blinded, but it could be temporary, but if he doesn't get his vision back in two weeks, he will be counted as blind and will be transferred to a school for blind students. Ulrich couldn't see but he could still listen, he didn't like where this was going. He doesn't want to go to a school for the blind, he wants to stay at Kadic with his best friends, and he wanted to see again!

But for now, he'll just have to stay at Kadic, but he can't go to his classes. What good is going to school when you can't see the teachers, can't write or even less read. Ulrich knew he couldn't play soccer or even watch soccer, just listen but that takes half the fun out of it. He can still do pencak silat but it's still hard not being able to see what you're doing. Worst of all, he could not help on Lyoko anymore, and what was scary was how Xana will find out that he's vulnerable and try to attack him, blindness makes him almost oblivious to anything, the best he can do is feel around and listen.

The doctors gave him sunglasses to protect his eyes and a cane so he could feel the ground to walk. He practiced walking with the cane a little in the office before they left and brought him back to Kadic. At the entrance to the school, the group was waiting and getting impatient, they were worried, very worried.

"Hey look, here they come!" Aelita said. The car parked close to them and they ran over.

Mrs. Stern opened the car's door and helped Ulrich walk out. When they saw the sunglasses and his cane, they thought for sure he had been permanently blind.

"Hello there." Mrs. Stern greeted and the group said hello back.

"Hi Ulrich." Yumi greeted.

"Yumi, you're here? Hi…is everyone else here?" Ulrich asked.

"Yes Ulrich we're all here." Jeremie said.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stern, how the did the examination go?" Aelita asked.

"The doctors say he might be temporarily blind but if his vision does not recover in the next two weeks, he will transfer to a school for blind children." Mr. Stern answered.

"Oh no…" Odd whispered.

"Come Ulrich, you must go to your room and rest." Mr. Stern said.

"We can take him to his room, Mr. Stern." Odd suggested.

"Yes, and then you can just tell the principle he's back and that he made it alright." Yumi said.

"Oh well, that's quite alright. Don't you think so dear?" Mrs. Stern asked Mr. Stern. Though, he was still distrustful of Ulrich's friends, he let him go anyway, he had much to do and explain this situation to the principle.

Mrs. Stern gave Ulrich a kiss on his head and she headed with Mr. Stern to the principle's office while the others guided Ulrich to his dorm. Odd unlocked the door and let them in, Kiwi wagged his tail and ran over to sniff Ulrich's cane but Ulrich accidentally kicked him while walking, making him yelp.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Kiwi." Ulrich remembered where his bed was and sat on it.

"We're sorry this happened to you Ulrich…" Aelita said.

"Yeah, let's hope it is temporary." Yumi said.

"You have no idea how much I'm wishing it is temporary too." Ulrich stated, "It feels so awful not being able to see."

Kiwi tried to sniff Ulrich's cane again when Odd got a dumb idea.

"Hey! Why don't we train Kiwi to be your seeing-eye dog?"

"Yeah right Odd, Kiwi isn't smart enough to do that besides he'd have to be with Ulrich all the time if he was." Jeremie said.

"Oh...well, guys it's dinner time, Ulrich do you want to go to the lunch room or do you want us to bring it to you? I think it'd be better to bring it, because if Sissi sees you like this, she'll be all over us."

"You guys can go ahead and bring it here…I don't want you all to get in the trouble of guiding me the whole way." Ulrich said.

"Alright Ulrich, we'll be right back." Aelita said.

"Sorry guys but my parents are waiting for me, I have to go. Ulrich, I'll try to visit you as early as I can, okay?" Yumi said smiling.

"Okay Yumi, bye."

"Goodbye!" And they left together.