Twas the day before the first of May, I was bored...
Just a little oneshot that popped up in my head. Let's see how far you can read before guessing the mystery person. The answer is at the end. No cheating! (Unless you couldn't be stuffed to read what's in between!)
I dedicate this story to the impaired and the disabled. There are still thousands out there that are treated unfairly these days, just because they're not like us. They deserve support from us. Peace 8)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC and the plot. I don't know what it feels like to be a blind person, so don't sue me if I got things all wrong. No offense intended.
They say that childhood is the stage that blossoms with the wonders of youth and light. I couldn't agree less. After all, I have never advanced on to the next stage of life. And they ask me why.
Why?
Because that was what fate decided. I don't mind. At least I had the experience of walking on Earth. But hey, this is Paradise, and I love it.
Let me tell you this, sharing my childhood experiences through the eyes of darkness is not as easy as you would think. Everything around me is so limited.
That's right.
I'm blind.
And will never be ashamed of it.
Why?
Because of one person.
Just one person.
And that person, had changed my view of life, even if it was just a few precious minutes.
Was it really fate that chanced our meeting, I wonder?
I didn't even get his name.
My father deserted us because I was born blind.
My mother became a drunk, because I was born blind.
My older brother left in shame that his little brother was blind.
My grandmother died not long ago. She couldn't bear to see me blind.
I am but a boy of twelve.
Just made it through the first year of high school.
I looked like a hunch; with that slouched spine of mine and a walking stick wrapped in my bony fingers. My tanned hair was a chaos. A pair of dark glasses perched on my nose-bridge, though there was really nothing to hide, apart from those unfortunate milky eyes that I possess.
I hated those eyes.
They say the colour of my eyes were putrid white.
I hated those bullies that stood before me, mocking at my ignorance.
I hated society.
I hated everyone.
"Hey four-eyes! How's it doing? Or should I call you…no-eyes?"
"Old geezer with a walking stick!"
"Are you human?"
"Are you sure your name is Lenn? The strength of a lion? No way!"
"Whoa, cool sunglasses! Can I borrow them?"
I felt my glasses being tugged away from my face. I yelped in protest as more people prodded me on the stomach and blew in my ear. The bell signaled the end of lunch. Suddenly, there was a resounding crush of glass.
"Oops…sorry. Have to go. I'll play with you next time!"
I heard a clatter of footsteps and giggles drifting away. Bent double on my knees on the unforgiving concrete I began flailing my arms around in search of my glasses. It was then did my heart start to pound when I heard a pair of shoes heading in my direction.
What were they thinking?
What are they going to do with me?
I have grown very sensitive towards those that approach me, most being foul.
"Do you need any help?" asked an anxious, masculine voice. My guess was that he was a senior.
A warm hand caught hold of my cold fingers and pulled me up to stand. I gasped and quickly withdrew my hand. "N-Nothing. I don't need your help. Go away."
The person chuckled and paused. I plunged into uneasy silence as I twiddled my fingers nervously, worried about what that person had in mind.
Again, the warm hand grasped mine out in an arms-length and dropped something cool against my palm.
"I think this is yours…?"
Can the blind cry? I couldn't tell whether those wet drops streaming from my eyes were tears or not. My fingers lingered over chipped glass. I bowed my head slightly in gratitude.
My face must have been a terrible disarray. A hand landed on my shoulder and guided me to metal seats. I sat down without objection. I could feel the mysterious person thump softly beside me.
We remained quiet for quite a while, engulfed in our own little private world. I was quite comfortable in that position. I didn't want it to end.
"The Sun's smiling. Such fine weather...you can do anything."
His interruption was quite sudden. The Sun's smiling? Was that a joke? Whatever it was meant to be, I did not respond.
He tried again, "It's really peaceful. Don't you think?"
Was I meant to agree with him? No doubt that he's trying to make me talk. Perhaps it was time he should realize that he was wasting his precious time on a useless piece of trash. "Don't you have class?"
"Oh, I'm fine with skipping class…you?"
"I don't really care."
"Mmhmm. Life is too precious to waste, hey?"
Who was this guy? This conversation that we're having, there's no point in it. My suspicion was getting the better of me. "Who are you?"
"You can call me Sempai, if you want to."
"Sempai…" I whispered to myself, tasting the word on my tongue.
"Yes?"
I blushed and bowed my head down towards the ground so to hide my eyes behind my unruly fringe. "Nothing."
"The word 'nothing' does not exist in your vocabulary, neither does it in mine."
He speaks in riddles far from my understanding. Is he trying to be nice? Then what? Lead me into a trap so I could embrace embarrassment? Why's he saying all this?
A small pot of frustration brewed in my stomach, "You don't understand. My life is nothing and is not your concern. You're wasting your time on me. Go away."
That lad would only laugh at my request. There's nothing funny to it. And yet, he would still laugh at such a thing as this.
"You remind me of my younger self. Self-centered, friendless, one that needs no help, one that keeps to himself…not that I'm describing you. But one cannot survive in this world without the help from others. Accept what they offer, and you could return it with your-"
"What good will that do? You're not blind! You don't know what it feels like to see nothing but pitch black! I had always been dependant and will always be! I had always accepted what has been offered! Why are you telling me stuff that I've been doing? No-one understands me!"
I can tell you that I can develop quite a hot temper, from the fact that I was raised in such miserable conditions. The heat of my rising anger was boiling on my cheeks. But I could feel the young man's stare inspecting critically at my face. He answered in a firmer tone, "Yes, I don't understand you at all, just as well as you don't understand me. I have gone through as many bad experiences as you have, worse beyond your imagination. Your last sentence is true, but, are you rejecting my counsel?"
What he said was accurate. I was declining his words. I hunched up on the seats and buried my head in my knees in utter defeat.
The senior started again in a calmer manner, "I myself, have been blinded once, by my pride, by my recklessness…We share similar qualities. I am telling you this, so that you would not end up like I did in the past. I had seen you many times in the playground, and thought that you do not deserve such harsh treatment. It's time you stood up, and, you know, run. Fly if you can. Ahh…I wonder why the world is so cruel…?"
One would consider that this fool is one heck of a crazy senior who rambles on about crap. But to me, they were lessons that embedded themselves on me for my sake. I understood word by word.
Again, we remained silent for quite a period.
"Tell me, uh…what's your name?"
I paused. He spoke in the strangest situations. "Lenn."
"Lenn? The strength of a lion? Doesn't seem to suit you…" the young male chuckled. My insides drooped a bit. I thought that this particular person was good-natured. But no. It seems that everyone was the same, always insulting me, always teasing me….
"…but it does fit you well. In the inside, I mean. Lenn…yeah, it's a lovely name." How I loved his soothing voice. His words brought a smile to my face.
I raised my head and looked forward, not knowing where I was facing. It doesn't matter, as long as he heard my words. "Thank you."
"What?"
"Thank you, for what you have taught me."
"Hey there, not so fast! I've done nothing. It is you that taught yourself a lesson."
I frowned a little in confusion.
"Nevermind…kids these days!" he sighed peacefully.
I shrugged. Feeling that there is no need for my presence here anymore, I began feeling my way to the school gates.
Not surprisingly, the same warm hands directed me safely there. "I can go on my own."
The anxiety was clearly there in his voice, "Are you sure?"
I nodded in determination and slowly felt my way to the train station.
"Have a safe trip!" I heard the senior call out cheerily. I raised my hand and waved to show that I have heard.
Man, the platform sure was busy. I was squashed between bodies of train passengers, and the air stank of sweat. Every now and then, I was shoved in many directions, shuffling my steps every now and then. I was starting to worry about where I was going.
The faint sound of the train was drawing nearer and nearer. I sighed in relief. At last, I was going to get some personal space!
I was being shoved, left, right, forward, forward.
The train drew nearer, telling by the sound of the engine. Have I ever told you that I have an accute sense of hearing?
Back, forward, right, forward.
Passengers were desperate to take the empty seats. People these days, forget their surroundings. They live in such a small world.
Left, left, forward.
I predicted that the vehicle was no more than thirty metres away from where I was standing.
Forward. For-
I lost my balance.
It spelt my fate.
I fell.
Forward.
And squeezed my eyes.
And felt the hard impact of my landing.
The pain seared through my spine.
Up the skull.
Everything was a blur.
The gasps.
The screams.
The wheels screeching.
The pounding of my heart.
Death that stole my last breath-
Humming a favourite tune to himself, a young senior strode through the school gates. School went on a regular basis.
During breaks, he had searched continuously for the blind child that he had met just a day ago. He was nowhere to be seen on campus.
Frowning, he asked his classmates if any knew of his address. A girl piped up saying that he lived on the same street as her. He dismissed her complaints about how unfortunate that boy was living in her area.
After school, he decided to pay a visit to the child's house. Taking a box out of his bag, he rapped gently on the door, and grinned to himself. Lenn, you're going to like this…I got it from a friend of mine. Hmm the size might be a bit big though...
The door opened slowly, revealing a sullen face of a woman stained with tears and blotchy red eyes. Her shirt had been patched up in several places, and so was her jeans. The young man gave a quick glance at the corridor behind her. The floor was scattered with beer bottles. He couldn't bear the thought of the boy living in such poor conditions.
"Excuse me, madam, is there a boy living here by the name of Lenn?"
The woman glared at him with abrupt rage, "Didn't you hear?! MY LENN! DEAD IN THE WHEELS OF A TRAIN!! BLAST THAT SON OF A BASTARD, LEAVING HIS MOTHER 'ERE TO SUFFER ON HER OWN?!"
She slammed the door so loudly, it could wake up the whole street. But it could not slap the young senior out of his clouded confusion, still clutching on to the box that contained a new pair of glasses.
Dead…?
He sighed inwardly and looked up to the sky. How ironic. The Sun was shining so brightly as though it was rejoicing the new arrival of a soul in the Heavens.
Ahh well…I guess you decided to take the easy path. Lucky you, easily escaping the cruelty of life. Leaving your old buddy here huh?
Muttering a prayer to the young boy, he walked off, his thoughts trailing away, And to think that I had been blinded many times by the colour of my eyes...
The spirit of the boy was paying his last visit on Earth. The breeze enabled him to ruffle the senior's blonde hair, and fumble with his silver earring to his satisfation.
God bless you.
Yep, you guessed it...It's HISOKA. jks jks XDDD
Awww c'mmon it's quite obvious, I don't need to mention any names. He's a bit ooc though, don't you think? But that's who he is after all, from the inside...He's grown older by the way, which explains the ease of his conversations :D