"Carpe Diem" Said the Blind Man

[Dylan Sparse]

"Ma'am, we need the child."

"No... No I changed my mind, I want to keep him."

"He was never yours to keep."

"He's my son!"

"Ma'am he was never your son... From the moment the government authorized his conception he was theirs. They were just a little late in collecting him."

Struggling sounds... Large hands scooping him up... The smell of crisp material...

"Surely their not going to put him in the program! He's not like the others, he can't--"

"Can't see, we know. We'll find a suitable home for him."

"Then why not here! What could be more suitable than with his parents?"

"Ma'am, that's not an option."
*******
He was always in the dark. It scared him but there was never a way out. Only voices, and sharp pricks that made his eyes hurt. He couldn't see what they were doing, who they were... And then he was falling into the black, falling, falling...

"Ahhagh!"

Dylan sat up immediatly, blinked. He didn't bother to turn on a light, it didn't do any good.

"Just a dream..."

His dreams were always filled with words, feelings... Never pictures. Just an endless sea of darkness. Sometimes being blind scared him.

Sitting up, Dylan swung his legs over the edge of the bed and groped for the bedside table. He found it and using it was a guide to the wall, found the closet. He counted, one, two, three... These were his black pants. Four, five, six, seven... A jacket, jean. Deftly pulling the clothes on Dylan carefully walked back to the table and grasped the cane that was there. He felt around the tabletop for his wallet and key and then exited the small hotel room. It was simply a matter of remembering and using the cane to find his way to the outside street.

Whether it was day or night Dylan knew not. But he needed a walk. They usually helped to clear his mind.

"Carpe Diem."

Seize the day. Or night. The familiar phrase, a ritual before he "struck out" brought a smile to his thin face. And so he put one foot in front of the other and walked.

[Kwiet Ideya]

It was daytime out, a little after lunch. Chldren were playing in a park nearby, making sand castles and swinging and chasing each other. Kwiet was playing by himself, bouncing a little ball, and was shoved from behind by one of the playground's bullies. The ball bounced off the child's foot and rolled toward the sidewalk.

"Aaah! Iie!"

Kwiet chased the ball and scooped it up just as it reached the sidewalk.

"Hee."

Good for him. He sat down and started to bounce it some more when something tapped him on the back.

[Dylan Sparse]

The sound of children relieved him. At least Dylan had a rough idea of the time. He chided himself, not too seriously, about not checking the time before he left. No serious loos though, he had no appointments today.

Dylans thoughts were interupted by the prodding of what he knew to be someone else. He sighed. It had happened before and would probably happen again but it was still embarrasing when it occured.

"Terribly sorry, I didn't mean to get you, honestly. Sometimes I swear this thing should be confiscated... It's a deadly weapon!"

The grinning young man had no way of knowing it was a child he spoke to. Had he, Dylan would have spoken in a less serious manner.

[Kwiet Ideya]

"Hee. Like Grampa Preacher." Kwiet stood and moved over. "Are you a Grampa?"

[Dylan Sparse]

Oh wonderful, a child. Now Dylan felt even worse. But the little one made him smile, and they certainly sounded unhurt.

"No little one, I'm not a grampa. Do you know a grampa with a cane?"

[Kwiet Ideya]

"Uh huh. Grampa Preacher uses one. He can't walk."

Kwiet smiled.

"Why do you need one?"

[Dylan Sparse]

Dylan was used to explaining by now. Children were always curious and he wasn't embarresed about being blind. Usually.

"My eyes are broken little one. I can't see anything so I use this cane to help me tell where I'm going."

He held his hand out, lowering it a little for the child was obviously young.

"I'm Dylan. Are you allowed to tell me your name?"

[Kwiet Ideya]

"My name is Kwiet."

The little boy smiled and put his hand out too, pressing his little palm against Dylan's.

"You're big!"

Kwiet didn't talk alot, but when he did, he usually said something obvious or simple.

[Dylan Sparse]

He laughed.

"Well I suppose I'm big enough. But I'm sure when you grow up you'll be the same... Bigger even."


The child was young from the feel of his hand, or small maybe. Dylan turned the little guys hand around and furrowed his brow, pretending to concentrate. He traced a finger along the lines and then nodded.

"Yes sir, you're going to be pretty big. Well, if you eat your vegetables of course..."

[Kwiet Ideya]

"Hee...vegabels..."

He held his little plastic ball out and put it in Dylan's hand.

"I gotta ball!"

[Dylan Sparse]

OOC: Gah, sorry I forgot about this^_^;

IC:

"Why, so you do! Hmmm, seems like a very nice ball too. I'll bet it bounces pretty high. You can always tell a good ball by the way it bounces."

Dylan rolled the ball in his hands and then held it out to the little boy.

"Are you here with your friends Kwiet?"

[Kwiet Ideya]

"Uh huh!"

The little boy took Dylan's hand and led him into the playground.

"We play here!"

OOC: Don't worry about it...I forgot it myself! :lol