"It's an electronic vision aid."
"It's a what?" I said, even though I understood, I didn't dare let myself believe it. Dr. Stephenson sighed, but I could hear his smile in the sound. I liked Dr. Stephenson, unlike the average doctor, his sense of humour wasn't surgically removed the moment he entered medical school. "I believe," Dr. Stephenson said, "the clinical term is super-epic-badass-terminator robot eyes" I knew he was watching me expectantly, waiting for me to laugh or shake my head disdainfully. But I didn't do anything. I wasn't in that room even, not really.
I was standing at a podium, clinging to its wooden surface like a lifeline. I had to get through this, I couldn't break down now. I had to keep speaking, for him, for me. I raised my head, and by some miracle managed to keep my voice even "But I will say this:" I began, "when the scientists of the future show up at my house with robot eyes and they tell me to try them on, I will tell the scientists to screw off, because I do not want to see a world without him." And even though I went on to joke about it, it was a promise. The last promise I ever made to Augustus Waters, my best friend.
"Isaac, are you okay?" Dr Stephenson was still watching me. "No." I responded, before I even knew what I was saying. I could feel Dr Stephenson tense up next to me, "you're not okay? What's wrong?" I put my head in my hands, my face screwed up against the pain. "No. I mean, No. I don't want the eyes. Thankyou, but no." Dr Stephenson drew back from me, drawing out a long, despairing breath. "Isaac, this is a great opportunity for you, to be able to see the world again, you have to understand that." I sighed, trying to bring my thoughts together so they'd make sense to someone but me. "The world I saw last time is not the world as it is now. Sure, a lot of things have changed, and I could probably get used to most of them. But no matter what, I refuse to lay eyes on any stupid world that does not contain Augustus Waters."
