I still remember that day, as if it were yesterday. The Great Blinding, an absolutely awful event, that humanity said was the worst thing to ever happen, a giant mystery. I was alone in my house, eating popcorn and watching my favorite movie. Then I blinked, and there was nothing. I couldn’t see, and in a mad panic I started screaming. So did many others, in the streets, the neighbors, everyone was panicking.
It was sudden, those who were sleeping woke to seeing nothing, most just blinked and it happened. We still don’t know if it affected other animals. I remember the screams of all the people, them thudding to the ground, be it concrete or the wooden floor, screaming in terror.
The already blind, or as we called them, the Great Ones, guided us and taught us their ways. The Great Ones helped so many, in exchange for nothing, except for respect. No one spoke out of line, or against them.
Humanity mostly returned to normal, but relying on sound. We still had jobs, but money was now reliant on feel, and most jobs went completely out of order, like electricians and tech support. Speaking of which, tech was now useless. Most people got rid of it, and the Great Ones helped us recycle them, to make sound, so we can set them up to help guide others.
But humanity, still, never fully recovered. We were forced away from transportation, now only on foot, and the lack of signs made it hard. But we got around, using sensors made from cameras and specific noises to help guide people, telling them to stop, yield, or pass. Convenience stores still exist, but now a little less efficient.
But then, suddenly, I woke up. To light. To bright, beautiful colors. I stepped outside, to the beautiful sun. The world had changed vastly, no more signs, so it was just some stands with mechanics cobbled together, held up by glue and duct tape. I looked towards the road, without cars, but with people. Many people, walking in unison.
Then I turned to look at my house. The same phrase, plastered everywhere in bright red; “DON’T TELL THEM YOU CAN SEE” I took a step back, and then looked towards the buildings. The phrase was everywhere, even all on the walls of the taller buildings, where one cannot reach. I looked around in shock, wondering who wrote these messages.
Then I took another glance at the people walking down the street. There were these tall, shadow-like figures, at least 7-10 feet tall, standing over people. They were hunched over some people, watching. Their shadow arms reached for the sky, waving wildly, sometimes catching a bird, and bringing it towards them, absorbing it. Had these creatures blinded us? Had they been with us the entire time we were blinded?
One of them turned to look at me, it’s many bright red eyes focusing on me. Its hands stopped waving, and pointed at me. The others followed the hand, and looked at me. They started to run after me, but they weren’t running, more of floating.
Then I started to pretend to be blind, doing my usual. The monsters stopped, now hovering over me, watching. I had to close my eyes to get back into the act of being blind. But I did it, I fooled them.
I did the usual routine of heading to the convenience store, buying some bread and water, then heading home to eat. But it was different with my vision. I saw bodies in secluded areas, covered in black goo, the bodies piling high, with red paint reading; “BODIES OF THE LOOKERS” I then realized, I wasn’t the first, nor the last to be able to see, and that it is not a gift, but yet a curse.
I wanted to see why there was black goo on the bodies, so I went to get a closer look at the creatures. I got to, but was horrified at what I saw. Their faces were rapidly changing, an amalgamation of people, all combined to a horrible creature, a monster, moving against their will, struggling.
But this time, multiple looked at me, watching as I stared back. Then they flew at me. I turned, and bolted, faster than I have ever run in my life, closing in on my house, like the monsters where doing to me.
I barely made it inside, but I don’t know how much longer the door can hold. They’ve been at it for over an hour. I write this letter in desperation, a hope to be found out. A piece of history if we do get through this apocalypse.