1 I'm Blind

I can still remember that day. I was just there at that time laying on my bed inside my room enjoying the cold breeze from my window while listening to the music playing across from my younger sister's room. It was just about lunchtime as I started to hear the loud footsteps, presumably from my younger brother. He forcefully opened the door to my room and with his heavy breathing, I recognized that he was excited and he usually wouldn't run upstairs as he was quite chubby it makes him sweaty, and he doesn't like being sweaty.

"Brother, come quick! They're finally going to test it on you! Dad just came home and told me to fetch you so he can drive us back to the lab."

It was at that moment, I knew, this was it. If it works then for the very first time of my nineteen years of existence, I am going to know what it feels like to see.

So, as I was already prepared to leave, I just stood up from my bed took my walking stick, grabbed the handlebars and went downstairs alongside my annoying brother who seemed even more excited for me.

As soon as I got down, I can already tell that my father was in a nervous state as he was already tapping his right foot whilst he sits on the couch. He usually taps his foot when he is agitated or is thinking about important stuff, usually from his work.

"Son, today's the big day."

After hearing that, I nodded and we then made the trip towards the laboratory where my father works. He is one of the project leaders for the new full-dive virtual reality pods that were being developed for commercial use.

After about half an hour we finally arrive and I was now being guided towards one of the pods. Due to my father being of quite in a high position, he was able to get me the chance to be one of those who got to test it in its alpha stage. In addition to this, an ophthalmologist and various other kinds of doctors have been in cooperation to create a virtual simulation to simulate human sensory reaction with simulated human organs or limbs that have been unused due to them being damaged in real life. In short, my father wants me to try and see by using my own eyes through virtual reality.

After attaching some wires and gadgets that felt cold and gel-like, They told me to lie down.

"Devin, are you comfortable with your current position? We're going to start the simulation on 10 seconds."

I just nodded my head and I heard them closing the pod and heard the sound similar to that of an engine running.

"Oxygen levels normal, pod average temperatures normal, system operation on 51%, starting the simulation in 5...4...3...2...1."

This was that moment. It was here when I knew what it was like to be able to be blinded by the light. It was very bright and engulfed my whole being which shocked me. After all, this was my first time being able to see.

After a few seconds, my eyes finally adjusted and I saw. I can see. It brought me too much of a shock that I didn't know what else to do. Though that was only up until I heard a voice from a nearby screen that popped up and from that screen, I saw people.

"Son, how does it feel like? Can you see us properly?"

I felt warm and it was hard to speak. Despite opening my mouth, only incomprehensible words came out. I thought about the times when my father used to stay up all night continuing to work

"Son? Are you okay? Why are you crying? Is his body rejecting the- STOP THE SIMULATION!"

After hearing this, I couldn't help but laugh. It was hard associating the voice of my father that I know and his face which I am seeing now.

"I'm okay! I'm okay! It's just, I really can't believe that I can see."

My father's smile as he looked at me through the screen was being transmitted to me. I might be feeling sympathy for the first time simply by looking at a person's face.

"Great, since you've adjusted we're slowly going to start changing your environment to that of the outside."

I nodded to confirm and saw the blank surroundings suddenly gain color. I looked at the sky and there I saw it. It was a virtual simulation of the sun. I chuckled as I reminisced about the time when I thought that the sun must have been spiky since every time they brought me outside, I felt the heat from the sun which is similar to the feeling of being prickled but on a softer and larger scale.

"So this is the sun, huh? This must be the color yellow and the sky around it... this must be the color blue."

That was the moment where I finally get to see. I spent the next hours continuing the tests and have completed them all. This carried on for the next three months. Eventually, I became well aware of what I look like, what my family looked like and I even got used to reading letters and characters that aren't written in braille. It was very fulfilling.

Now, it all leads down to this day. A full year has passed since those three months and after they've released their beta pods for medical, industrial, and military use, it was only a matter of time before they released the current hype of the decade. Today is the very date where they have released a pod used for the only sake of gaming. Alongside the release of the new gaming pod called Phoenix series 3T-2000GX, my father has brought with him a pod solely for my use as a gift for participating in the clinical trials.

The release of the game called "New Dawn" was now only 5 minutes from officially launching its servers worldwide, and I, a person who was born blind am playing it.

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