In a dark decrepit trash covered alleyway, one of countless others that filled the landscape of New York City. In one such alley sat a young man with dirty disheveled black hair, battered and torn jeans and sports jacket that looked as if they were torn into by a pack of rabid animals. The man who looked barely in his mid 20's he sat on the ground wedged between two rusted dumpsters. Faced down in his arms that were resting on his raised knees, trying to shelter himself from the turbulent winds and raging storm that surged over head.
This man's name was Ethan Glade.
"Well, I guess this is it, a fitting end for someone like me I suppose" Ethan acknowledged with a weak and stranded voice.
"Maybe this is for the best, after all from my earliest memories my life has always been one filed with only grief and pain. Haha, really why should my final minutes be any different".
"Kaff!!! Kaff!!"
Ethan coughed violently, quickly raising his hands to cover mouth. After several seconds of continues coughing Ethan slowly moved his hands away from his mouth while whizzing greatly. He soon noticed a warm and metallic tasting liquid on his tongue, that then began to stream down the corners of his mouth. He could easily tell that it was the taste of blood.
Ethan weakly with almost no strength left in his body raised his head from his arms to look straight up into the raining sky and listen to the bustling sounds of the city night life. The continuous and endless sounds of passing pedestrians walking by as their shoes splash on the sideways. The many boisterous raving of car engines as they speed by. Ethan could even make out the flapping of a nearby flock of pigeons seeking shelter from the rain.
"Ha ha ha" Ethan lightly chuckled.
(I wonder would my life have turned out any different if I was born normal no different than anyone of those walking by. Or was I always meant suffer this path in life)
Ethan thought as he raised his hands and placed them on his face just below his eyes which were a dull blank milky white.
Ethan was a man who was born blind.
"If I had been born normal maybe, just maybe I could have life just a slightly better life" Ethan said depressing while pondering such an different life.
*******
(Flash Back)
Ethan was born the child of a young boy called Eric and girl named Flora, a ordinary teenage couple, who began dating each other at seventeen in high school. Eric was the Ace runner for their high school's track team. He was often evaluated and sought after by scouts from various universities and was on the fast track to receive sport scholarships for college. Flora in turn was talented a painter, who despite still being in school often had the pieces she created during art class, be displayed in professional art galleries. Life for the two was near perfect. That is until one day Flora suddenly started showing clear signs of morning sickness.
When it was discovered that the young girl was pregnant both of the teens' families adamantly pushed for the two to have an abortion, believing the two teens would ruin their futures if they tried to raise a child right now.
However, the young couple just as strongly refused their families demands. They deeply believed that this child was a sign that they were meant to be together and were determined to raise it. Unfortunately their families did not share their feelings on the matter. Unwilling to accept the couple's decision the two families effectively disowned the young couple, refusing to provide them with any support or aid, even leaving them homeless.
Only on the condition that the two get rid of the child would either of them be allow to return home to their families. With no help available the couple were forced to drop out of high school and seek employment so that they could provide for themselves and to prepare for the new life they would need to care for in the not-too-distant future.
Over the next few months, the young teens managed to gain some stabile footing under their feet, as the Eric find full time employment as an assistant fitness instructor at a small local gym he often trained at. While the Flora worked at a Starbucks as a barista. Despite neither job paying high wages the combined income allowed the two to rent a small apartment at a reasonable price, and while not living a lavished life the two were always about to find comfort in each other and were still happily, looking forward to welcoming their newborn child into the world.
That is until a tragic twist of fate would play its hand.
Several more months later the couple were on their way by taxi to the gynecologist office for their last check up before the due date of Flora's birth as she was now nine months pregnant. While waiting at a redlight that stopped them a disastrous accident would occur as a speeding garbage trunk quickly closed in on the couple's taxi from behind and slammed into them. The resulting Collison would send the compressed taxi harling thought the streets smashing into several parked empty cars. Only finally stopping in a turned up after hitting the side of a brick building.
On lookers after witnessing the horrific scene rushed to all the damaged vehicles to see if they could help the occupants. They would Regrettably discover that both the drivers of the taxi and garbage trunk had appeared to have died from the impact. As for the couple they both managed to survive the crash but were in critical condition with clear near fatal injuries and rapidly losing blood. As people tried to careful remove them from the wreckage ambulances and police sirens could be heard in the distance quickly approaching the scene.
The couple were rushed to the nearest hospital and received emergency surgery in an attempt to save their lives. Tragically, despite the surgeons' best efforts Eric and Flora succumbed to their wounds less than an hour later.
However, by some Miracle the surgeon was able to save baby within Flora's womb via a c section at the last minute.
The next day while caring for the newborn boy and keeping him under close observation for any damage or trauma from the accident, the hospital would discover the sad truth the baby was born blind. After testing it was diagnosed that the child's blindness was the result of a minor infection the newborns mother contracted from a deep embedded piece of shrapnel she caught near her womb during the accident.
The hospital would contact the now deceased Eric and Flora's families to inform them of the couples passing and the new birth. When made aware of the situation shockingly either out grief, selfishness or still lingering malice neither family were willing to take the child in and quickly arranged to have the newborn sent to a cheap rundown orphanage.