Blind

32

Mitch gains consciousness and quickly notices the car is on its right side and off the road. He unbuckles his seatbelt and sees that everyone else is unconscious.

He grabs a phone on the floor and calls 911. It rings for a solid minute, and Mitch hangs up.

Mitch checks Scott's pulse, he can't reach anyone else, and sighs in relief when he feels it. He then gets out of the car through the sunroof and looks around before calling his mom.

"Hello?"

"M-Mamma..."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"We got into a car accident, a-and 911 didn't answer, and e-everyone is unconscious."

"Where are you?"

"A-Areba Avenue."

"I'm on my way. Don't move any of them, okay? Try calling 911 again. I'll be there soon."

"Don't hang up."

"I won't, sweetie. Can you see?"

He sniffles, "Um...K-Kind of? Not as much as I could before. It's like my pupil closed more? I-I don't know. We have to g-get Dr. Shepherd a-and--"

"Okay, we'll worry about that later. Is anyone else awake?"

"No."

"Are you still in the car?"

"No, I climbed out the sunroof. It was broken."

"I'm pulling up now."

"Where?" Mitch hears his name called and looks to his right to see his mom running toward him. He hugs her and immediately starts crying into her shoulder.

"Shhh...you're okay, it'll be okay. Was Occhi with you?" Mitch shakes his head.

"Good. Let's sit down and call 911 again." This time when they call, 911 picks up. They tell them their location, and ambulances show up after two minutes.

"Mitchy, go see an EMT, you're bleeding."

"It's just a few cuts, I'll be fine."

"You're head is bleeding. Please, go see him."

"I'm okay, Mamma."

"Mitch. Go see the paramedic. The last time you called me "Mamma" was when you lost your left eye's sight. And after the accident."

Mitch sighs, "Okay." He goes to the ambulance to get checked out, and Nel walks over to the car, or at least as close as they'd let her.

She hears Kirstie's voice, and it reminds her of when Kirstie was little and was scared of something.

One by one, they bring each person to an ambulance and rush to the hospital, Nel following behind them in her car.

Each of them are taken up to surgery and put into rooms after. Mitch and Scott in one, Kirstie and Avi in another, and Kevin and Todrick in the third. Nel requested this set up.

Mitch, again, is the first to wake up after surgery.

"Mamma?"

"I'm here, Mitchy. You're okay. Everyone's okay."

"I don't want to open my eyes."

"Why not, sweetie?"

"I-I don't want to..." His voice breaks, "If I'm blind again, I won't know. If I just k-keep my eyes closed, it'll all be ok-kay." His voice trembles with every word, and Nel grabs his hand.

"Open your eyes, honey. Please."

"Is Occhi here?"

"No, Dad is on his way with her." Mitch slowly opens his eyes and sighs with relief when he can still see a little bit.

"Thank God."

"How is it now? Any different from earlier?"

"No. Still like someone put cones around my pupils, but I'll take it."

"Okay. How's your pain? Should I get the doctor?"

"No, I'm good. How's everyone else?"

"Kirstie and Kevin are awake. Nobody else is. Evelyn called, but they're only allowing family."

"How long was I out?"

"A few hours." A few doctors walk in and smile at Mitch.

"Hey, Mitch. How you feeling?"

"Tired."

Dr. Shepherd nods, "Understandable. Dr. Schmitt, present, please."

"Mitchell Grassi, 17, was in a car accident. He suffered a blow to the back of his head, causing visual damage. There was a head lac that we had to stitch up, as well, along with a cut on his left arm. His visu--"

"Visual Cortex is something that is very sensitive since my surgery."

Dr. Shepherd steps in, "Right. It was damaged further, it seems that you hit your head in the accident. I'm not sure if the sight you have before the crash will come back, but I believe your sight won't worsen any more."

"Okay..."

"You also have a grade three concussion."

"Shocker."

"Y'all are way too loud." Scott groans.

"Sorry, Scotty."

"Oh, good, you're awake. The other Dr. Shepherd will be in soon."

"There's another one?"

"She's my sister."

"She helped my sister." Scott comments.

"Ohhh."

"You two get some rest." The female Dr. Shepherd walks in, "...Once she's done."

"DeLuca."

"Scott Hoying, 18, was the driver in the car. His right shoulder was dislocated in the accident, which was fixed by Dr. Torres before surgery. He also suffered a grade two concussion."

The doctors leave the room and close the door.

"Hoying? As in Rick Hoying?" Torres asks quickly.

"Yeah."

"Why hasn't anyone paged the Chief?"

"He was in surgery."

"Was, as in he isn't now. I'll get him." She goes up to Rick's office and walks in.

"Chief?"

"What's up, Torres?"

"Your son, Scott, is here."

"Send him in, then."

"No, Sir, he and his friends were in a car accident. They're in the I.C.U." Rick shoots up out of his seat and runs the whole way to Scott's room.

"Scott..."

"The truck came out of nowhere, Dad. I didn't mean to." Rick sits on the edge of the bed.

"I know you didn't. Focus on getting better, that's what matters. It's not your fault." Tears run down Scott's face before he hugs his dad and starts crying.

"It'll be okay, bud. I promise."

***