Come Thursday, Essie dropped me off at the ophthalmologist on her way out.

“I might be a while.” She warned me before driving off. “Will you manage?”

I shrugged.

“I’ll find some place to sit and wait.” I said. “Take care today!”

Then she was off, and I was left on the side of the road before the ophthalmologist’s office.

Heading inside, I presented myself at the reception.

“Take a seat, please.” The receptionist gave an idle wave towards a row of chairs. “Your name will be called when it’s your turn.”

“Thank you.” I went to sit down, self-consciously keeping my head lowered.

Apart from myself, there were only two other people in the waiting area, both preoccupied with their own matters. Neither of them paid me any mind, and I respectfully returned the favour.

I was about to look through the reading material on the table beside me when my phone rang, piercing the pressing silence.

Quickly, I dug it out and answered, hardly even looking at the display.

“Hello?”

“Captain Rhyse?” the voice on the other end seemed familiar to me but I couldn’t quite place it.

“Who’s this?” I asked carefully, getting up and walking over to the exit.

“It’s Anthony Bromwich.” Replied the voice. “How are you doing, Avery? Alright?”

“Oh. Yes, sir, I’m fine.” I replied, sliding the door shut behind me.

“Good to hear.” Director Bromwich replied. “Listen, I’m calling to inform you that we’re just about ready to undergo your examination. How do you feel about that?”

“O-oh…” I said. “That was quick, I, er…”

“If you feel it’s too soon, let me know. We’ll schedule it whenever you are comfortable.”

“Honestly, it’s fine, sir.” I replied. “The sooner, the better, really. There’s no point in letting myself go rusty.”

I gave a nervous laugh.

“Then, how about Thursday? A week from now.” Asked the director.

“Yeah.” I said. “Sounds good. What time?”

“I’ll message you the details, don’t worry.” Replied Director Bromwich. “Alright, take care!”

Then he hung up and I let my hand drop.

A week from now…

I re-entered the waiting room to find it emptier than when I left.

A patient had been called in while I was on the phone it seemed.

It didn’t take too long before my name was called.

I followed the young woman into a medical office and she turned around.

“My name is Raye Vickor.” She said, holding her hand out. “And you’re Avery Rhyse?”

“Correct, Ma’am.” I replied, shaking her hand.

“Huh…” she said, casting me a glance over the rim of her glasses. “You’re not as tall as I imagined.”

I frowned.

“I am sorry to disappoint?” I said, and she smiled.

“Not at all, Captain. I think it’s cute!”

“Could we stick to professionalism, please?” I asked, and she gave a quick nod.

“My apologies.” She said. “Let’s get started. How do you feel? Any dizziness? Nausea?”

“No, Ma’am.” I replied.

“Good.” Said Doctor Vickor. “Have you noticed any drastic changes at all?”

“Aside from losing half my vision?” I asked and she laughed.

“Things like stronger sensitivity to light, or flashing colours, for example.”

I gave the question some thought.

“Not that I can recall, ma’am, no.” I said.

“Blind spots?” she asked me. “blurred or double vision?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Alright, this is good…” Doctor Vickor muttered. “It means your vision has settled. Now. Let’s test its range and clarity.”

She picked up a pen from her desk.

“Follow this pen with your gaze and let me know when it vanishes from sight. Try not to move your head.”

She moved the pen in various directions away from my line of sight, and I did my best to track it for as long as I could.

“Try not to strain yourself, Captain. You’re doing good. Have you had an eye test before?”

“A long time ago.” I replied. “There were no issues.”

“Well, so far I’m inclined to agree, apart from the obvious. Alright. Take a seat.”

She gestured toward a chair over by the wall.

“Let’s have a look at your observation skills.”

She switched on a screen of sorts on the wall opposite and went through a few images.

“Ah. Here. Could you read me the middle line, please?”

I did.

“Good. And the line below?”

I read through them and she nodded.

“And the bottom line?”

It was getting difficult to discern different letters at this point, but I tried my best.

“Okay, great! Moving on.”

This went on for fifteen minutes or so, before she moved on to examining my injured eye.

“Mmmyes…” she muttered. “I see what the doctor meant…”

I felt a jolt in my chest. What was that supposed to mean?

“Follow me, please.” She motioned towards the door. “I’d like to have a photo taken of your eye for further examination.”

She led me out of the room and into a different chamber, with various equipment lining the walls.

I had little idea what either of them did, but the doctor took me over to one of them and asked me to sit.

She wiped off what most resembled a headrest before the front part of a VR headset, with a disinfectant napkin.

“Rest your chin here.” She commanded, and adjusted the machine around me as I did so.

“There will be a flash of bright light, but the way things are, I doubt you will be able to detect it. I’m warning you just in case.”

“Thank you.” I muttered.

There was a noise and a click, and Doctor Vickor continued.

“Alright and now the other eye.”

She swapped sides and this time I had no trouble seeing the flash of light.

Leaning back, I rubbed my eye absently.

“Yes…” I heard the doctor say and I looked over, as soon as my vision allowed it.

“There is a definite accumulation of… If you look here, you can see the damage done, compared to your healthy right eye.

She pointed to the images on screen and there was a clear difference between them.

The left-side one appeared duller and more diffuse.

“I’ll have to examine this in greater detail before I can reach a conclusion, I’m afraid.” She told me.

“In the meantime, I’ll proscribe you some eyedrops to take so it won’t be too irritated.”

She took me back to her office and sat down at the computer.

“Try not to rub if it itches or stings.”

“Certainly.” I said. “Would that be all?”

She turned to me and smiled.

“For the time being, yes.” She said. “But I’ll set you up for a new appointment in a week or so.”

She wrote me into her schedule and a moment later I received a reminder on my phone.

“Thank you, Doctor. Have a nice day.”