you couldn't speak [mute dave/blind dirk]

you couldn't speak

Your name is Dave Strider.

You are sitting in the car with your older brother, Dirk, who is driving you to school. He's a bit annoyed by your request to drive you to school, but he agreed nonetheless because he wanted to be a good role model for you.. or maybe it was just to impress his boyfriend. Either way, he was driving you to school.

It was awkwardly quiet, both of you keeping to yourself as you look out the window and count the number of trees - which is very few, thanks to where you live - and your brother keeping his eyes on the road. You decide to strike up some conversation.

"So, how about your new boyfriend, eh?" You ask sarcastically, hoping to get some kind of reaction.

"I thought we both agreed to not talk about my 'new boyfriend', who happens to NOT be my boyfriend." Dirk responded, nodding his head at the emphases of "not."

"Oh, but don't you want to talk about your beloved?" You tease, smirking.

"Dave, please, I'm trying to concentrate." Dirk snapped, swiftly turning the steering wheel to switch lanes.

Dirk had failed his drivers test a few times before getting his license, and he still wasn't very good at driving. You smirked again just thinking about it.

"Please Dirk, I know you love talking to me."

That was the last thing you said before it happened.

A big truck had suddenly bumped into the car, causing it to turn, which ultimately caused Dirk to swerve off the road and into a huge clump of bushes in a nearby ditch. It was all a blur.

You could make out a few things after it happened. Dirk, still in the drivers seat, unconscious and broken shards of his shades. People surrounding you and carrying you out of the car along with your brother. You could just hear what they were saying.

"911... emergency... brothers... damage... accident... hospital..."

Before you knew it, you were being driven away in an ambulance.

It took one week for you to recover, leaving you with a few scars but no horrible injuries.

A male doctor woke you up, asking you gently, "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better.." You respond sarcastically. "Where's Dirk?"

There was a silence in the room, a few of the other doctors in the room looking around.

"What? He's alive, right?" You ask, starting to worry. You were sweating now.

"Yes.. he's alive." A doctor replies. A wave of relief washes over you. "But.. during the collision, his glasses broke and injured his eyes."

Injured?

"I'm afraid he's gone blind. He'll most likely never be able to see again."

At that moment, you knew it was your fault. If you didn't distract Dirk, he wouldn't have reacted so harshly. You couldn't speak.

And you didn't.

Ever again.