I have been blind for so long, I didn’t even attempt to imagine what it would be like if I could see. I don’t know any different, all I know is darkness, and I base everything that I can experience mostly through sound.
You see, I can’t walk either. I’m not entirely sure how that is even supposed to work, honestly, since I’ve never done it before. Maybe it’s safer that way, I’ve heard a voice claim once.
I’ve never spoken a word either, now that I think about it. It’s funny, experiencing everything by sound and not being able to reciprocate it. I’m usually stuck inside my own thoughts, most days. I’ve had others communicate with me, though, but they don’t expect any responses from me.
You’re doing so well.
We’ll make so much progress with you today.
The possibilities you will have are going to be endless.
So many positive things are told to me almost every day, and I wish I could tell the voices thank you, or ask them the millions of questions I’ve stored away just in case I could ask them. They don’t know that I have been listening carefully, though. I’ve been learning from what they tell me.
I know all basic math skills, as well as complex. I can tell you every single classic piece of Literature that has ever been written; both internationally and globally. I can understand, at least, 60 languages, and the voices tell me more every day. I am sensitive to changes of time; its 6:34pm by the way, in case you were wondering. I would like to think of myself as highly educated, if one were to ask me my personal opinion of the matter, but I know that I still have so much more to learn.
When I hear the voices, however, they often sound distant. A soft cloud that gently brushes the back of my mind, and they are usually warm and inviting. Lately, though, they have become more prominent and clearer. I’m not sure why, but I have grown to really enjoy this.
Communicate with me, please.
That is a voice I hear all the time. I would like to think that it is my own mind, reaching out with a small hand at anyone who is willing to take it, to get someone to hear me, but I know better than that. The voice belongs to a man, a familiar man, as it is a voice I hear all the time in this darkness. He is always the one giving me compliments and words of encouragement. He seems patient, and kind, yet he always says the same phrase every day to me.
Communicate with me, please.
I’d be lying if I told you that I wasn’t curious as to who this voice was, but then again, I wonder who all of the voices are. I’ve heard hundreds over time, but there are at least 5 that have been the same every day. I’d like to think that they look over me somehow, since I’m kind of trapped within myself. I really am desperate to say hello, to let them know that I am here.
Things have really been improving.
That was one of the 5 voices I always hear, a woman. I think I’ve heard another voice call her Valerie, but she said she likes Val, for short. She also seems very kind, and I would love to communicate with her one day as well. Val and the man voice are always together, though. They argue a lot sometimes, usually about numbers and quantities of some sort, it’s something I don’t understand yet.
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard her call the man voice Richard, but she also calls him Idiot a lot, so I’m not sure what he’s called. Maybe I’ll figure it out one day, it’s sometimes hard to tell when all you can do is listen.
What was that?
That was new.
I think I just experienced touch for the first time. Is that what skin feels like? Fingers? A hand? Yes, someone is holding onto me.
If it worked she should be able to feel things now.
Yes! Val, yes, I can! Oh, I so wish I could tell you, I want you to know that I really can! Your hands are so much bigger than I thought they would be, Val.
No, don’t grab that, Idiot.
Oh, Richard/Idiot is touching me. I think it’s my arm? I’m not sure, it’s hard to tell. Do I even have arms? Now that I think about it, I don’t even really know what I am. Am I a person? I have so many more questions now.
You’re going to be so beautiful when you can finally do everything.
Thank you, Richard.
I like Richard.
I hope that is what he is called, it sounds better than Idiot. I’m so excited! What all am I going to do? I hear some sort of switch go off behind Richard.
Maybe run some tests, Richard, see if she moves.
I’ll be able to move? I hope so.
What is that?
It’s so soft and light. Is that what a feather feels like?
I don’t think she’ll ever react to a feather, Val. Hand me that instead.
Woah, that feels funny. He’s tapping me with something that feels hard. It’s so weird to experience this.
Did he just move something on me?
Did you see that?! She jerked! Her mobility is working!
Awe, they sound so excited, it makes me happy, I wish I could tell them how excited I am too, I want them to know that I’m here with them in this.
Valerie, I think she’s ready. We need to wake her up, mobility was the last thing we needed to help with.
I’m going to wake up? I’m asleep? I don’t feel asleep, what is going to happen?
Am I finally going to see?
I can feel Richard touching around on something that is on me, I’m not sure what it is though, he’s talking numbers again, and I can now actually feel myself twitching with every touch he is making on me, which obviously makes him more excited.
I hear a loud click in the back of my mind, and suddenly everything automatically sharpens up. All sounds are now crystal clear, and I can definitely feel everything. How do I see? How can I get the chance to experience sight?
I feel that some time has passed by, maybe half an hour or so.
“Maybe she wasn’t ready yet, Richard. Maybe we have to finish a few things before she wakes up.” Val said.
No! I can wake up! Give me a chance to figure it out first, Val. Please don’t sound so disappointed.
Wait…
Oh, my goodness…
I see light…
My eyes slowly blinked open, and I took a moment to really focus on what I was doing. Two people were standing across the room, with their backs facing me. It must be Valerie and Richard, it could only be them. They were typing up information on computer screens, and I was able to lift my head slowly. I looked around me, gently, and noticed that I was being supported by rods and wires. Did they create me? Was I built?
After I take a moment to register that I was, in fact, created by these amazing people I noticed that the room we were in was blindingly white.
White is the prettiest color, I have decided that.
“Look, Richard, she’s awake!”
I turned my eyes back towards the voice. Valerie looks so amazed as her gaze washes over me. She is a beautiful woman.
“I think she can understand your voice.” Richard says. I look over at him. He looks just as you could imagine the kindest face anywhere in the universe; large glasses, a wide smile, a white moustache. White is the prettiest color.
He stepped forward, and reached his hand out, taking mine in his. My hand was pure white. I looked down and noticed that my entire being was pure white, and I was made of some sort of metallic material.
White is the prettiest color.
“Hello there, Emma. If you can understand me, squeeze my hand.” he said.
I like Emma.
I looked down at his hand that was so delicately cradling my metal fingers.
How do you squeeze?
I focused on my fingers, I imagined them curling around his palm and gently squeezing. I imagined the feel of it, and then I somehow managed to actually do it.
I looked back up at him, pride filled his eyes, “Can you say anything, Emma?”
I could feel myself blink. What can I say? If I’m able to talk, what should I say? After a little while, I finally decided on what would be a good response. Focusing on how to make my voice work, I finally let out a clean, sharp, and elegant voice.
“Communicate with me, please.”
Bio: I have published a few pieces of work on WritersCafe.com, I am a current student at Brazosport College, and I spend most of my time studying and writing with my cat, Chubby, on my oversized couch.