The earth rumbled beneath them and the car shook. The blast was so loud that Chaisley cupped her hands over her ears to stop the ringing.
“Turnaround!” Father’s mouth shaped the same command, though the ringing and roar all around her drowned out his voice.
Gerard cranked the steering wheel, and Dad pulled Mum under his arm. He waved Chaisley closer, but they were so far away. The small space between their seats turned into a chasm as she felt frozen in place.
A bright light from the other side of the car made her snap her gaze to the window.
What was that? It was coming fast. Getting brighter and brighter ...
With a sharp inhale, her hands fell to her sides and she stared as time seemed to slow down.
Mum screamed. Father grabbed for Chaisley and her mum, but his hands met air as they jostled around inside the car. An awful new sound filled her ears—screeching, screaming metal. Chaisley cried out, reached for her father, and saw something in his eyes she’d never seen before.
Fear.
She turned to Mum just in time to see her head smash against the window and bounce back. Her eyes shut. Blood trickled down her face.
“Oh God, no! Please ... save us!” Father’s words jerked Chaisley’s eyes off her mother.
Chaisley swung her gaze to follow his. The lights—and whatever was behind them—were pushing them toward a massive stone wall.
She screamed and tried to reach for Father again. If she could get to him, she’d be safe.
But he was too far away.
They slammed into the wall.
The impact threw Chaisley from her seat.
Glass shattered.
The car crunched.
Her father shouted her name.
Three months later
“So there’s no hope?” Grandmother’s whispered words from somewhere across the room traveled over the length of Chaisley’s body like a tiny wisp of wind.
The last remnants of sleep disappeared and she rubbed at her face.
A man sighed. “There’s plenty of hope for her life now that all her other wounds have had time to mend.” She recognized the voice—her father’s best friend. The only doctor she’d ever known. “But the tiny glass shards did too much damage to her eyes. I’m sorry. Her skin has healed, yes. You can barely tell the places she had stitches. Her broken bones have mended. I know you want her to be exactly like she was before. Perfect in appearance and...” He paused. A deep breath. “You’d like her to be perfect with all her senses intact. But God has given us a different path. She’s young and strong and needs to know the truth.” Footsteps brushed the carpet. An all-too-familiar sound now. “Chaisley. Can you hear me?”
Her dry throat burned as she opened her mouth. “Yes, Dr. G.”
“Do you understand what is going on?” The scent of peppermint whirled around her with his words.
“Yes.” Her own words cracked. She swallowed. “I can’t see. I won’t ever be able to see again.” The words were mere facts. She’d had three long months with the dark to understand them. They didn’t hurt. Not anymore.
Unlike the knowledge that Mother and Father were dead.
“Well, I want to send a new tutor over for you. You need to learn braille and other life skills. There’s no reason you shouldn’t enjoy a very full life. Your parents would want this for you.Wewant this for you.” His tone wasn’t harsh, but it sounded ... determined. Funny how everyone’s voice was different now that she could no longer see their faces. But she could feel what she used to be able to see. Like dynamics inserted into a piece of music.
Grandmother gasped. “Grafton, don’t you think that’s a little too brash? She’s just a child.”
“Celestia, your son was like a brother to me. You know very well what the will stated. And I’m taking my job very seriously. Chaisley is like my own daughter, and I won’t see her bedridden. She is brilliant, talented, and capable and if I have anything todo with it, she will receive every benefit she deserves and live life to the fullest.” His statements were clipped and then he cleared his throat.
The rustling of Grandmother’s dress told Chaisley the older woman had risen. And when Grandmother stood, she meant business. Chaisley chewed on her bottom lip, her ears tuned to every breath, every hint of sound.
