Wow! What a fantastic response I had to the last chapter! As a thank you here is the next chapter earlier than planned (sorry it's a little short)....enjoy!

Chapter 8: Learning the truth

Evelyn realised she hadn't said anything, she also realised she was edging further away but she seemed unable to stop herself. Sands placed his glasses on the bedside table carefully and then leant back against the wall again. He didn't need to see to know what Evelyn's reaction was, it was the reason he had not done this before. A smile crept onto his face.

"Your silence says it all," he said. Evelyn tried to speak but couldn't find any words; all she could do was stare at the places where Sands' eyes should have been torn between disgust, horror and shock. Sands purposefully did not replace his glasses; they would not undo anything now. Suddenly Evelyn remembered Nino saying something to her. "Six months ago he is seeing perfectly." She choked, unformed questions buzzing through her brain but she was too numb to speak the words aloud.

"I have to admit I expected you to say something," said Sands conversationally, "Anything really. I thought you might even scream, I suppose silence is better than that."

"Sands..." Evelyn's voice was barely more than a whisper. Sands heard her fear, her disgust, her loathing.

"I suppose I have some explaining to do," he said in that same light tone, "But first I shall make myself less horrifying." He reached over and replaced the sunglasses. Evelyn still stared, if she could go back would she have chosen to see what was behind those dark glasses? She shuddered, Sands felt it.

"It's not you who has to live with it," he said his casual façade flickering, "Although admittedly I don't have to look at myself." Evelyn tried to speak again but her throat seemed to have closed up completely. Sands heaved a great sigh, he had wanted a little more support to make this easier, he hadn't realistically expected it but he had wanted it all the same.

"Are you ok Evelyn?" he asked. He supposed he had better check she wasn't traumatised or anything.

"Yes," came the uncertain, whispered reply.

"Believe me," he said, "No one wishes it hadn't happened more than I do." He allowed himself a small smile and briefly wondered if Evelyn still found it beautiful, he doubted it.

"It was a plan, a glorious plan, I was in control, I was calling the shots but the corrupted are never to be trusted. You don't need to know the whole story only the relevant parts. The aim was simple, I was to become a rich man but I wanted to share the spoils, not because I am a generous man but because I am simply a man and she was a woman. She, Agent Ajedrez...you know, I never did expect it, I never thought she would betray me. Well, anyway, she did. Turns out her father was one of the guys that was heavily involved in the whole thing, one of the guys I'd been watching." He paused at that last word, it belonged in someone else's mouth not his. When he continued his voice was a little less calm.

"Her father, Barillo, had this doctor, Dr Guevera, working for him. Real chummy they were. When I was captured due to dear Ajedrez's betrayal Barillo decided I had seen too much. I knew I was in trouble when he said it but there was nothing I could do to save myself or I would have done it. That's the fun thing about being a prisoner. I was drugged of course but only to keep me docile, nothing for the pain." Sands tried to continue but found he couldn't, there was a drill buzzing in his head. He shook it to clear it.

"Dr Guevera drilled out my eyes." He heard Evelyn give a soft scream, nothing compared to his screams that had filled that room while Ajedrez sat and watched.

"Torture is a terrible thing," said Sands as if he was attempting to rationalise the irrational, "But I probably deserved it which is a little hard to accept when every night I revisit that room and wait, knowing exactly what is about to happen and being utterly powerless to stop it." There were tears streaming down Evelyn's face, silent tears that Sands did not know were there.

"They threw me out on the streets to die after that," continued Sands, "And if it wasn't for Nino's impeccable timing I undoubtedly would have died."

"Oh Sands," said Evelyn her voice breaking as her sobs became audible. Sands listened to her crying for a little while. Would he have joined her if he could? He didn't know. He decided he might as well finish the story now.

"I killed her you know," he said with a touch of satisfaction, "Ajedrez. I ruined her plan and then I killed her before she could do the same to me. I hope her father saw her die. He was killed shortly afterwards and so was Dr Guevera, but not by me unfortunately. I would have made them suffer, made them live through the agony they gave to me." Sands sounded so resentful now that Evelyn felt sure Barillo and Guevera had suffered little in death, shot probably.

"So now you know," said Sands with the air of one who has just bared their soul. Evelyn crept forwards on her knees. She put her hands either side of Sands' head and removed his glasses. The sightless holes gaped at her but this time she did not back away. She ran her hand down Sands' pale face and then kissed him softly on the lips. That was better than words, Evelyn wasn't sure she could have found the right words anyway. She broke apart from Sands and he replaced his glasses. He looked on the edge of speech but Evelyn cut him off with another kiss, her tears making Sands' face damp.

The morning light was just starting to creep into the room. Evelyn was lying in Sands' arms, her head resting on his chest. It didn't seem possible that someone could live through Sands' ordeal but he had.

"They never came back for me you know," said Sands' sleepy voice.

"Sorry?" asked Evelyn.

"The CIA, they never came for me. Fucking bastards left me to die." He was speaking in a far away voice like he was half asleep.

"Gave me money but never bothered to find out whether I died or not. Abandoned by my own agency..." His voice trailed away. Evelyn felt him hold onto her more tightly before they both drifted off to sleep.

Evelyn woke before Sands. It was mid morning judging by the intensity of the light forcing its way through the gap in the shutters. Evelyn was glad Sands was still asleep, it gave her the chance to reflect on everything that had happened the night before. So now she knew the truth, the reason behind the blindness and that terrible scream. Evelyn edged out of bed, Sands stirred but remained asleep although it was difficult to know for sure. She was glad he was wearing his glasses; somehow without them he didn't look quite human. She watched him sleeping, and made up her mind right then. She was dressed a minute later and making her way out the door. Nino, who had been up for hours, looked pleased to see her awake until he realised she was leaving.

"Senorita?" he asked hurrying after her.

"I'll see you soon Nino, ok?" Evelyn said with a quick look over her shoulder. Nino watched as she headed into town without looking back again. He wasn't stupid, he knew Sands was in her room and he had been happy with that knowledge. He had left them alone and gone about his business as usual. He had thought maybe...but now Evelyn had left without so much as a proper goodbye. He looked apprehensively towards Evelyn's room where, by the sounds of it, Sands was getting up.

Sands awoke. He knew Evelyn was not on the bed, he couldn't feel her weight on the mattress. He sat up and listened for her but he couldn't hear her soft breathing or movement of any kind. He got up feeling a lurch of foreboding. He walked out into the living room, that was empty too, he could just tell. He walked into the kitchen.

"Senor Sands, did you want some coffee?" It was Nino and he sounded nervous but was trying not to show it.

"She left, didn't she?" Sands said his voice hollow. Nino could not see any way round it so he had to reply with the truth.

"Si senor," he said solemnly his head bent to the floor as if it had been his fault. Sands felt like his heart had fallen out of his chest and onto the floor. He did not want to show anything in front of the kid so he turned around. The problem was he could not remember what was around him; he couldn't remember how to navigate his way through the house so he had to extend his hand so it made contact with the wall. He staggered horribly forwards feeling like he had lost his sight all over again. Some part of him had known she would leave once she knew, why would she stay after learning the truth? He was finding it difficult to breathe. He had liked her, he hadn't wanted to admit it even to himself at times but he did and that was that. But she had left him too, just like everyone else. He leant heavily against the wall not able to think straight or go any further.

"Senor Sands?" came Nino's hesitant voice but Sands did not want his pity. He threw out his arm and felt the back of his hand collide hard with Nino's chest. Sands heard Nino cry out but did not hear the thud which would mean he had fallen to the floor. Sands wanted to run, he wanted to get as far away from here as he could but he couldn't. He hit the wall hard his with his fist and Nino listened to Sands let out a cry like a wounded animal. Nino let the tears roll down his face; it was hard to watch someone you love in so much pain.