Seeing Through Others Eyes
There Levy sat, running his hand over the pages of a book that hed been reading for several days now. Frustrated by all the noise around him he slams the book shut and gives a loud sigh of discontent. Levy was on the subway making his way home after a long day of answering phone calls again and again. Most of the time he was able to block out a lot of the noises by getting lost in one of his books, but today he was distracted by what a mere child said a few days ago. Itd been a long time since someone reminded him about his eyes. He knew most stared at him, but usually no one ever said anything.
Levy stirred around trying to block out all the sounds of the subway people. To his left there was an old lady complaining about being shortchanged at the grocery store. In front of him he could hear another woman trying to decide whether or not to buy the ham at the grocery store or the turkey. It was always like this when Levy rode the subway.
While trying to ignore everyone he heard a commercial come over the radio. Do you like being safe on the streets of Paragon City? Have you ever thought about what you could do to help? Have you some extraordinary power that you believe could save the lives of others? Then join up with the ranks of The All Star Sentinels of America. Then like all advertisements the really fast voice came at the end, This is has been a paid advertisement of the ASSA funded by the US government of hero-like peoples.
All Star Sentinels, Levy said with a brief pause. He thought for a moment putting his head into his hands. Where have I heard that name before? There was another pause as he scratched his head straining his brain to remember why that name sounded so familiar. Thats right! General Archer
The General! An excited look came over his face as he remembered all the heroic stories he was told about The General when he was in the camps. He used to be a member of the All Stars. I remember!
The train comes to a screeching stop, a very loud screech at that. All passengers to get off at Boulevard Ave. are to exit immediately, said the engineer over the intercom. Levy proceeds to the exit and the up the stairs out of the Subway. He walks home thinking about the advertisement the whole way. He rustles through his pockets trying to find his keys. He struggles for a moment to get the key into the door and then finally the door opens slowly with a creak. He walks into his apartment, puts his coat and hat on the coat hanger, and then immediately rushes into his bedroom.
He opens the sliding doors to his closet and begins checking all the Braille tags on his clothing. He gets a little frustrated, as he cannot find what hes looking for. He then gives up on the shirts and feels above on a shelf at the top of the closet. He cant reach far enough back so he storms into the kitchen to find his stepstool. He goes back to the closest and feels around for another couple of minutes. Finally he pulls down an old dusty box. He just holds the box for a moment with a blank look on his face before he finally sits down on the floor and opens it up.
Inside the box was a bunch of old memories that he had put away in his mind for several years. On top was an old newspaper clipping. He runs his hand over the top of it and suddenly violent thoughts of death stir up in his mind. Screaming voices, ambulance alarms, loud traffic going by, people honking through the traffic jam, and then the voice of his mentor and friend. Strangers voice becomes clear in Levys mind while everything else seems to fade away, Never give up hope Micah. You can be anything that you dream to be. I love y
Levy remembers the limp body of the only person that he knew and trusted in life. Slowly he lays the clipping on the floor and then feels around in the box some more.
He pulls out some folding clothing, much like a suit of some sort. He touches the unique texture of the outfit with his hands. He feels the protruding embroidery of an eye on the top of the shirt. His hands follow the stitching of long white stripes down the sleeves of the shirt. He holds the shirt close to his body as a tear falls down his cheek.
<Begin flashback> (Micahs a teenager now)
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Now listen to your surroundings, Stranger said with a commanding voice. Micah turned his head over his shoulder giving the man a dirty look. I am! he shouted.
No youre not! he shouted back with a stern look on his face. And with an even louder voice he told Micah again, Now be quiet and listen! There was a long silence. Micahs face clenched and squeezed as he tried his hardest to gain control of his surroundings. Finally giving up he exclaims, This is stupid. Ive been doing this for years! Micah turns around and faces Stranger. I know how to do this already. I know how to listen to everything around me. I know how to feel the changes in air temperature. And I know how to smell unique scents. I KNOW ALREADY OLD MAN!
With a smirk on his face and a slight disappointed but proud look as well Stranger asks, Well fine then. Do you wish to learn a new way to see? Micah seems baffled, Hello, Im blind. Stranger asks again, Would you like to learn or not?
Sure. Please. Show me oh wise one of blind seeing, Micah said with a strong disbelief in his voice.
Alright then, Stranger said with a sigh. Now let loose of all your thoughts. Picture a vast world of emptiness. Micah shakes his arms and lets a deep breath. Forget all of your worldly possessions, anything materialistic or special interest to yourself. Stranger waited for a moment pacing around Micah. He waited until Micah was calmed down and lost within his mind. Now
venture deep into yourself. Deeper
and deeper. Try to hear your own heartbeat with nothing but your mind.
Stranger let him stand there in complete silence. He paced some more around his pupil waiting for the right moment. Now listen. Micah spins around furiously, I cant believe you! he screamed. All of that just so I could be told the same thing Ive been told for the last ten years! Micah was pacing very fast now upset and confused at Stranger. Stranger just raises his head with a smile on his face, Aye, but I did not speak with my mouth.
Suddenly Micah hears a dog complaining that his master wont throw the Frisbee. He hears a very high pitched womans voice going over her daily routine. He then hears a rush of thoughts coming from every direction. Micah grabs his head and spins around in circles. The thoughts of others keep coming without hesitation. How do you turn it off? Micah exclaims. Stranger simply states to stop listen with your mind and to listen with your ears again.
After several minutes of near insanity Micah finally calms down. He turns toward Stranger and asks, How did you do that? Stranger laughs out before answering, I didnt do anything. I merely guided you. He chuckled some more, You did this all on your own, and much faster than anyone else Ive ever known at that.
Micah seemed confused, Than anyone else? There was a brief pause before he asked, Who else knows how to do this? Where did you learn it from? How long have people been able to do this? Why dont more people know about this? Before he could spout out anymore questions Stranger stopped him. Whoa there young one. Let me explain. He sits down on the grass and Micah follows his lead knowing that this is probably going to be a long story.
Stranger tells of one of his great ancestor grandfathers from centuries before and how he cheated on his wife. Come to find out she was actually a gypsy and when she found out about his cheating ways she put a curse on him. The specifics of the curse were to make all the men from there on out blind. This way none of them could ever look at another woman and be unfaithful to their wives. Some where down the line one of his forefathers found a way to view his surroundings. You see, Stranger said, Through others minds you can make a map of where you are and where everything is around you.
Micah was in amazement. However, one thing was still unanswered. Micah turned toward Stranger, So why is everything Purple? Stranger explained that while he doesnt really know what colors are or what they even look like everyone sees this way in a different color. It all depends on what frequency you use to hear in this manner, Stranger explained. Yours just happens to be the same frequency as the color Purple.
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<End Flashback>
Levy then lays the purple cloth back into the box, but just as he was about to close it he pulls the uniform back out. He thinks for a moment. Strangers voice rang in his head, This is for you son. I made sure they made it purple. Use it well. Levy put on the old uniform and headed out with a new sense of hope. His mind was made up; he would apply for a position on the All Star Sentinels of Americas team.
