Sacrifice

Life was never easy. And it doesn’t help that one’s blind. All her life, Meno faced darkness. It was to a point that the darkness was a part of her. Not that she liked it in any way. Everywhere she went she heard people describing colors. Something that was definitely way out of her league- how do you imagine a red rose when you face a limbo of darkness everyday, ever since the day of your birth?

Perhaps that was a kindness of God, she once thought. As compared to losing her sight and being borne blind, the latter was a greater mercy. There would be nothing to miss this way. What’s more, her lack of sight was a reason why her parents shower so much love on her. From young, she knew she was never alone. Always, her mother would be with her. For fifteen years, she lived under the care of her parents, never asking for anything more then their undivided love. Never once did she blame God for leaving out her eyes during her creation.

For without her eyes, Meno saw emotions. Love in a touch. Anger in a word. Emotions were simple and sweet in her life. She even had a boyfriend, Gray, who always showered her with love, and placed her in first priority whenever, wherever. That was the greatest gift to her, she felt. That was when she was eighteen. Her parents had not objected, seeing how happy she was with him, and how meticulous he was towards her. What more could they want from another human unrelated by blood? They knew he loved her for who she was, not for any materialistic reason like money- they weren’t even considered well-to-do. All Meno’s father could manage was to make ends meet.

Then the tragedy. Worst still, it was not on any normal day, for any weird random reason. It was Meno’s nineteenth birthday. And that made it all the more devastating. Her parents were both at home, baking Meno’s very first birthday cake in nineteen years. They had scrimped and saved for months on end, cutting cost to themselves so they could purchase the basic ingredients- eggs, flour, butter and milk. They even managed to borrow an oven from the neighbor next door to bake the cake.

They even worked it out with Gray. He would bring her out to take a stroll in the flower garden that day, then to the bazaar. It would be a first time experience for her in the bazaar, they surmised. All the energy of the people there, the smells, the tastes. They surmised that she would enjoy it. And enjoy it she did. It was at around evening when Gray brought Meno home.

About a mile away, Gray suddenly noticed that there was smoke in the horizon. Meno smelt it- the stench of burnt carbon, of smoke. Curious, they headed to the source of the smoke. To find that it was her home that got burnt down. Fire engines were parked around the apartment, pumping gallons after gallons of water into windows spewing fire. People were rushing out of the smoking building, clogging up the only stairway to the upper levels, denying fire workers any chance for checking for any casualties left behind.

After an hour or so, Meno got irritated. She started to pester Gray to bring her home. Gray broke the news to her. “Your house was burnt down. Your parents. They.. They weren’t found.”

Silence.

“Don’t worry Meno. I’ll be with you, always. I’ll take care of you all your life.”

“Please, Gray. This is nothing to joke about. Bring me home now.” Deep within her, Meno knew. Gray never lied to her. He never joked about death. And his tone of voice said everything. Tears started to flow down her eyes. Wet warm tears that rolled down her cheeks and dripped off her chin, landing on the tarmac.

From then on, Meno lived with Gray. Gray had no parents. They had died a few years ago, living him with a house, and the money from their insurance, which amounted to around a million dollars. Everyday, Gray left early in the morning to prepare breakfast for Meno before leaving for work, rushing back to the house to give Meno her lunch before returning to the workplace. At night, they would sit around the dining table during dinner and enjoy a pleasant chat.

Every once in a while, Gray would surprise Meno, for example buying her the sweet-smelling roses that she loved, bringing her to the flower garden for a stroll in the afternoon and so on. Everything he did he wanted to please Meno.

One day, three years from the fire, Gray proposed to Meno. She made a silent laugh, and said “One day, when I can see how you look like, I’ll marry you.”

Gray was naturally sad to hear that. Nonetheless, he never gave up. His love for Meno was strong, and he persisted. He checked Meno into a list for eye transplants, and was told he would be contacted if they found a suitable donor.

So the days passed. There was little change in their routine. Gray was still sweet and kind to Meno, who passed her days blaming the world for her plight.

One day, Meno received a letter, saying that a suitable donor was found. She was overjoyed. After twenty years of darkness, she was finally going to see the world. Gray brought her to the hospital, as happy as she was. The operation was a success, and Meno was to be able to see again in a week’s time, barring any unexpected complications.

That week was the longest week in her life. And to make things worst, not once did Gray visit her. Not to cheer her up, not to entertain her. Not at all. At the end of the week, Gray finally came to visit, at the time when the doctor was to remove the bandage around her eyes. The doctor removed the bandage, and checked Meno’s eyes for any complications. Seeing none, he left the young couple alone,

Meno opened her eyes to the world for the first time in her life. A blur of colors came into sight. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, white. A whole new world opened to her. Gray proposed to Meno once again. “Would you marry me?”

Meno remembered her previous answer and took a good look at Gray, and realized that he too was blind, two gaping holes where his eyes should be. Meno took a few moments to think things through and finally made up her mind.

“No, I’m sorry.”

Sadness coursed through Gray, a sorrow never felt before. Nonetheless, he still made an attempt to smile- a forced, cheerless smile. “Then, take care of my eyes for me. Best wishes for your future.”