Sight Seers by P.S. Singleton (Sample Chapters)

Chapter 3: Research

Pacing my room, the video from the email replayed itself repeatedly on the wall of my mind. I could hear Ashton talking over the phone downstairs. The new morning wasn't quite the welcome respite I was hoping it would be. It brought new challenges. New insecurities. New questions. Not only about my life before my amnesia, but the truth behind his emails. My stomach cartwheeled, anxiety building up in my chest. Why had I crept downstairs last night? Why had I watched that cursed video?

Ashton would be expecting me for breakfast soon. Should I tell him I saw the video? He would be expecting me to ask questions... No, I can't. He wanted those emails hidden. I'll ask him the questions he wants me to ask until I get more information. I can't trust him until then.

Everyone has their secrets. Most, however, don't involve videos of unconscious children and dark labs.

I stepped down the stairs through the looming dark. Forcing on a smile, my unsteady foot found the solid ground of the bottom story floor. Putting the video out of my head, I focused on the smell of breakfast floating in from the kitchen. For now, I would ask Ashton a few questions and clear up as much as I could.

"Morning, Ally! Here, let me help you." The creak of a chair followed my brother's hand on my arm, providing me sight. He helped me into a seat at the table and left to another part of the room. When he came back, a plate clattered on the table before me. "Made ya eggs. I think I burnt them a little, but whatever, it's fine." After ruffling my hair, I assumed he went back to his own seat.

"Thanks..." The conflicting feelings in my gut made me reluctant. My vision lit up in the grays, Captain laying down at my feet under the table. The lower view made my vision wonky, but I didn't know how to fix it. I figured it would be easier to eat in the dark rather than at an inconvenient angle. Lifting my feet up, I returned to my sightless view.

            "So, Ashton, about..." I bit my lip, trying to figure out ways to phrase my concern. "Everything. There's just so much missing, and I'm so lost..." I rested my elbows as supports on the table. "It's overwhelming."

            Ashton's utensil clattered against his plate. "Well, that's what I'm here for. To make it more 'whelming.'" A light smile spread across my lips. Truth be told, it wasn't easy to remain suspicious of him when he made everything sound nicer. Probably the angle he was playing.

             "Ashton...What was my life like before the accident? I mean, did I have any friends? Hobbies? Dreams?" Cracks broke through my voice.

            Ashton stayed quiet. "Well... Yeah. There were a good amount of people who loved and cared about you, but... they're all gone now. Either grown up or moved away or..." His sigh fell heavy. "Who knew so much stuff could change in seven years?"

            I nodded along, but all his responses were vague at best. These weren't answers but shields, blocking me from what I should know. Ashton continued to hide more than I thought.

            I managed to get some eggs into my mouth. They certainly smelled burnt, as I had been warned, but the taste was fine.  As the taste filled my throat, I realized how hungry I had been. When was the last time I ate? After I had swallowed, I let my legs drop back down. My feet brushed against Captain, allowing me to see again. I stared up at Ashton.

Ashton took on a quizzical smirk. "Hey, that's interesting..."

"What?"

"Your eyes just changed colors. They've actually done that a few times since you got home." He squinted, trying to decipher something.

"What do you mean? How?"

"Well, your eyes are usually a cool grayish blue, like how you'd expect a blind person's eyes to look, of course, but then they sometimes change to a dark blue. Neat." I raised my feet a bit to test an idea. "Hey, they just changed back to the gray."