Just look

They told us it's because the world is too cruel for our eyes. Bad things were supposed to happen if we took our blindfold off. There are people without a shackle or a blindfold, or some without both.

Those are the people that made sure the weight connecting to our ankle was adequate enough. I was 7 when I asked them why don't they get a blindfold. They said because they have equipment to withstand the things others like us shouldn't see. We can take it off indoors. But when I'm outside, I'm moving like a blind person.

The ruckus around us every time I step out was told to be the evil. And it can't touch me if I can't see it. If I keep the weight around my ankle it cannot take me... They promised if we behave, one day we can take off the weight and blindfold.

But I was daring as I saw the light illuminating through the fabric covering my eyes. I reached to pull my blindfold down only to feel a slap on my wrist. "Don't do it... My cousin died because he took off his." I frowned as we kept walking. The one forbidding me was the person I fell in love with.

Carrying the weight in our hands, connected by a chain to a shackle, I pulled his hand. I went away from the light and soon enough we reached a fence. The ruckus was far away. He asked what am I doing. I risked it. Pulling to a halt, I slipped a finger between the blindfold and pulled it down. We let our weights drop. Blinking a few times I looked around myself. I looked towards the red light. I could hear shots and I see people running with guns. But where is the evil demon that supposed to take me as soon as I broke the rules? And why don't we know about this?

There was a colourful weak illumination near the horizon on the other side of the long black fence. Otherwise it was dark, the other side red. The houses were like concrete boxes, I realized we have been living in a desert. I looked up into the sky, it was beautiful. The stars were like little white dots, one bigger than the other. I gasped in wonder, taking in the sight. It was like sensory overload.

"It's alright," I coaxed with a worry tinging my voice. He was afraid "I'm still here. Just look."

"No, you don't understand-"

"Please! For me!" I could see the fabric soaking with panicked tears. 

"It's back on..."

I felt myself being pulled to a hug afterwards. "Don't do that again."

"HEY!" I startled as I heard a loud voice booming for our attention. I turned my head towards where the steps were coming from, feeling my love's grip tightening around me.

"What are you doing here?" the other person demanded, quick steps towards us. As soon as he got close enough I guessed he was one of the people who didn't have neither. "We were just wandering," I answered.

We waited a moment in silence, my love's embrace still present. "Well, you better go home, lovebirds. I know families can be a bother sometimes but you shouldn't wander off like that," the person told us with a chuckle. Luckily he hadn't seen me without the blindfold. We were escorted home, as I internally set a new goal for myself. Thinking about all of it, they are lying to us, they are causing the evil... They want us under control. And with that I decided:

I will escape.