Saturday finally rolls around just as fast as the dead squirrel stuck in the sewage pipe does. And it hasn't moved in a year...blame my idiot brother for that.

"And where do you think you are going?" My mother's voice rang out as my hand reaches for the handle of the front door.

"It's Saturday," I look to my mother like it's obvious as to where I should be going. I had my hair down to my elbows, I had my small, fluffy backpack that is apparently 'pink' on my back, and my Blue-Jays baseball cap on my head. I was wearing a plain tee that apparently was a multitude of colours, a pair of short jean overalls sat over the tee - with one strap over my shoulder and one strap hanging loosely by my side. And, I was barefooted again.

"Yes, it is." She replies with a rather displeased tone. "That still doesn't answer my question."

"I'm going to the library." I lie, "they just got these new braille books, and I want to check one out before someone else does." I explain with a slightly whiny tone. "The last time it happened, I got there late and by the time I was able to read one of the books, the Turner Twins had messed with the raised dots that braille is. And so, the book made absolutely no sense what-so-ever. And that was the only copy of that book that the library had." That was true, I was beyond enraged when I learned who had the book before me and how they ruined it. I mean, what does a pair of seeing kids want with a book they can't even read anyways. Oh, I wanted to teach them what for, but if I did, I would be put in jail. So I sucked it up and let it go.

"Ah, alright." My mother sighs a little, "don't stay out too late. Wouldn't want you getting caught by the curfew police now." She jokes, but it's true. There are officers - that probably should not be in law enforcement - who go around and arrest those who are blind and legally blind if they are out on the streets after the sun goes down and it becomes night. It still puzzles me as to how Jay keeps avoiding them.

"I promise I'll be home before supper." I smile a little at my mother, and then I turn back around and grab ahold onto the handle of the door. I pull it open and then leave the house.

The cool concrete ground feels rough against my soft feet. I know the seeing look at me weirdly because I don't wear shoes, I'm probably the only person who never wears shoes. I like feeling the Earth, I like feeling the vibrations in the earth, it lets me see things, briefly.

A light wind blows my hair back, I close my eyes and I reach my arms out open wide.

"Hey freak! Get out of the way or else I'll run ya over!" My brother yells, ruining my perfect moment with the Earth.

"It'll be your funeral!" I yell back at him before getting off the driveway and onto the sidewalk.

"Gee. You think I'm so scared of a little blind girl?" He snickers and I shake my head.

"No, but I know you're afraid of mom, and she'll have your head on a spike if you hit me." I stick my tongue out at him before walking away. From behind I can still hear him yelling complete nonsense, reving his car's engine and threatening to drive on the sidewalk just to run me over.

Rustling trees dance around me and I smile as I walk though the road less paved - quite literally. Walking through the forest may be the long way to the salon, but it's the easiest for me - a blind girl.

The soil felt soft under my feet, bird song echoes all around, and a cool breeze drifts through the trees making the trees sing with the birds. In nature, everything was perfect. Walking through the forest, it's like I'm the only one in the world, in my own little world.

HOOOONNNNNK!!!!

HONK!

HOOONNNNK!

An abruptly loud noise snaps me from my moment with the Earth, almost causing my heart to leap out of my chest. I sigh with a saddened heart, I've reached the city.

My feet hit the pavement and I use the sound of the beeping crosswalk to guide me to the intersection. The city air smells of smoke from cigarettes and pot, and the chorus of cars honking at one another and people blatantly screaming negative words at each other through their vehicles makes me want to go back into the woods and forget why I need to be there in the first place.

But I'm here to support Jay and his Boo. I encourage myself to go on.

The city felt much hotter than the forest, as though an invisible wall of fire surrounds the city's borders. I reach the intersection and hit the button to indicate that I wish to cross. It spews out some more beeping noises before changing tune to a different pattern of beeping noises; this tells me that I can now cross.

The asphalt felt a lot hotter than the sidewalk did, I walk with a moderate pace, making sure I have enough time to reach the other end before the lights change. There'd be an uproar if I wasn't on the other side by the time the lights changed colours, and I'd probably end up in the hospital again.

I safely reach the other side of the road and finally, I have arrived at my destination. The sweet smell of flowers fill the air, like I've just entered into a new world by crossing the street. I place my hand onto the brick wall and I feel the artistry overflowing from the building. I walk towards the door, using the braille markings on the wall to guide me. It was Jay's idea to put them there, the seeing would just see it as random indents in the wall.

I enter into the salon and I stretch my arms out wide. Woo. What was that? A good twenty minute walk? Nice.

"Brenna! You came!" A high pitch voice squeals from the crowd before a body engulfs me in theirs.

"Hey... do I know you?" I ask politely, their voice didn't sound familiar to me at all, so I found it strange that they hugged me and knew my name.

"That breaks my heart, boo." A finger pokes my nose and I narrow my eyes at the person. "It's me, Jay's boyfriend, Kelly."

"Oh right. Sorry. I'm terrible with faces." I reply with an honest apologetic expression, though my joke was intended.

"Ah, it's okay. Aren't we all?" He laughs and I nod. Yeah, you didn't get the joke.

"Wait," I pause trying to process his comment further. "Aren't you 'blind' too?" I whisper the word 'blind', not wanting anyone to hear me accuse them of such.

"Yeah. But I'm only colour blind, I can see, just not colours."

"Ah, cool." I nod, you learn something everyday. "So, how do I look to you?"

"You look fabulous, except I'd put some footwear on if I were you." He suggests, his voice raising to a higher octave.

"Thank you," I move my head down to look at my feet, "yeah, I probably should." I raise my head back up, "but nothing really looks good with them." I reply with a monotone expression.

"What? But you-" a light bulb moment occurs for Kelly as he stops mid sentence before erupting with laughter. "Ah, Boo did warn me that you were a hoot."

Who uses the word 'hoot' anymore?

"Yeah. It's better than focusing on all the negative things going on in the world today." I nod slowly.

"So, I assume you didn't come here just to stand around, now didjya?" He asks and I shake my head to say 'no'. "Alrighties, let us get you to a chair and we can get started." He gently grabs my hand and guides me gracefully to the chair.

Once seated, he places the flimsy tarp sheet over my front and ties it in the back, he then untucks my hair and he takes his place behind me.

"So, what can I do for ya today?" He asks and I face my head towards where the mirror supposedly is.

"I would like a cut, cut my hair to about an inch higher than shoulder length." I explain, "I would also like to have multicoloured hair, make me look like a rainbow!" I reply before remembering he said he was colour blind.

"Alright. I'll make you look gorgeous!" He sounds so excited, my heart begins to pound with anxiety of if I should ask him or not.

"Wait," I utter as he gently grasps my hair. "Aren't you colour blind? You sure you can handle the rainbow effect?" I ask with worry in my tone.

"Darling, I might be colour blind, but I can do this with my eyes closed." He somewhat assures my nerves. "Now sit back and relax, and let me do all the worrying." His tone calms me and I smile.

~~~~~

"Alright. You may look." I open my eyes and look into the corrupted nothingness in front of me.

"I'm blind, did you forget?" I laugh lightly.

"Ah. No...," he pauses which means he did. "How do you feel? Is that the better statement?" He replies and I close my eyes and try to feel the beauty in his work.

"My head feels lighter." I reply, opening my eyes and he chuckles.

"Ah. Yes. I cut off basically half of your hair. When was the last time you got it cut?"

"Probably when I was twelve, I'm twenty one now. So, just shy of a decade ago, I guess." I shrug my shoulders. "Is there a set time that I'm supposed to cut my hair at? Is it supposed to be like an annual check up at the doctor's?" I tilt my head a little to the left side and feel my shortened hair drape upon the right side of my face.

"No," he mumbles, "I guess people who like change come in more often than those who don't." I nod in agreement.

"That makes sense, to be honest, I don't like change either." I let out a little nervous laugh as my mind begins to ponder on Jay and him getting the cure to see. "Do you think he'll like being able to see again?" I look forward, if I could 'see' I'd be looking at Kelly through the mirror.

"I don't know, he might like it, we'll just have to ask him tonight." Kelly's voice sounds optimistic, like everything will be alright after the change comes. "Wait, you said Jay will be able to see again? Jay wasn't born blind?"

"No," I shake my head. "When Jay was five, he slowly began to lose his sight. And by the time he turned six, he was completely blind." I pause to remember the memory; I remember being in the kitchen eating my afternoon snack when Jay's mother called mine. They talked on the phone for hours, my mother tried to console Jay's mother, telling her that it would be alright. And then when he was eighteen, they kicked him out of the house and disowned him for being a blind, gay man. He's been living on the streets ever since that night. A tear rolls down the left side of my face, it tickled a little before it departed, leaving a trail of wet skin behind.

"Are you okay?" Kelly's voice snaps me back to reality and I nod.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I wasn't as lucky as Jay, I was born blind." I explain.

"Ah, so that's why you're afraid of the cure." Kelly's voice is soft, like he has me all figured out.

"I'm not afraid." I snap back rather unhappy, but he was a little bit correct. If I do have to get the cure, I'm afraid of what I'll see. Right now I see the corruption in the world, I don't want to become blinded by the chemicals that the government deems a cure for 'blindness'. Yes, it could possibly let me see the world in a new darkness, but I do just fine the way I am now.

"Alright. You're not afraid. I understand. You don't want the change because you've never seen the world before, and seeing for the first time is a big change. So, a change that big can be a little frightening - not that you're afraid. But I understand, and Jay will too. We will both be here for you if you need us. Jay basically sees you as his younger sister, so we're practically family already." He laughs at the end and I let out a light laugh with him.

"Yeah...," I mumble before moving my head around as if I was looking around. "Speaking of Jay, where is he? Shouldn't he be back by now?" I ask with curiosity and worry laced in my tone.

"That's a good question." Kelly replies with not so much worry in his tone. "Maybe he's just running late. I'm sure he'll be home soon." I slowly nod. Hopefully that's the case.

I lean my head back and sigh softly. "I should probably head home now, I wouldn't want my mother to worry." I sit up straight again and prepare to stand up.

"Alright, I'll call you if I hear anything from him." His voice is soft and I smile a little towards him.

"Alright. I'll await your call." I wave him goodbye before heading home.

~~~~

I walk into the house and all is silent. Not a normal silence with white noise, the house is a completely and eerily silent.

"Hello? Mom? Dad? Anybody?" I call out as I walk around the seemingly empty house. It's extremely odd that no one is home, where is everyone? I think to myself, a wave of panic and fear washing over me.

"Brenna...," Jay's voice calls behind me and I spin on my heels to face his voice.

"Jay? Why are you in my house? Where is everyone? You know you should go to the salon, Kelly's worried sick about you." I question, yet something seems off about Jay too. For some strange reason, I can't feel his body heat.

"Brenna, I'm sorry." His voice sounds like he's in tears, like he's been crying.

"Sorry for what? What's wrong Jay!" I call out to him, my heart sinking with worriedness, afraid of what he had done or was at least thinking of doing.

"I'm sorry... Brenna...." His voice fades away and suddenly, I feel alone once again. Tears uncontrollably stream down my face, they're warm, my nose begins to sniffle and my eyes begin to sting.

What is going on?

The front door swings open in front of me and I feel a warm embrace hold onto me. The same lavender perfume fills my nose and I sneeze.

"I'm sorry." My mother rubs my back gently, her right arm grasps the back of my head and cradles it over her left shoulder. Her shirt was already damp, like she had been comforting someone who was crying.

"Sorry for what?" I ask, but I wasn't ready for the answer.

"Jason Miller, your blind friend." My heart tenses up hearing my mother mention Jay's name. "He's dead." My heart drops and suddenly I feel my legs want to give out. I wrap my arms around my mother so that I don't fall down, and I can feel more tears streaming down the sides of my face now.

"H-how?" My voice squeaks, barely loud enough to hear. I'm in shock, he was just here. How could he be dead?

"He took his life around four in the afternoon today," that would have been after he recurved the cure. My eyes widen and my jaw begins to tremble. "He walked out in front of a speeding train. The police didn't find a body, so they believe it's stuck under the train."

"He's dead?" I whimper, the thought of my best friend in the entire world being gone was devastating.

"Yes." I cling tightly upon my mother and begin to cry more. I cry until I can't cry no more tears. And then when I'm done crying, I go into my room and lock myself inside.

...

...I'm...

...

...Sorry...

...