Hybrid: The Awakening

Chapter 3-Diana

Date on Earth: Monday, October 2

I hated Dr. Grey.

I hated his fake sympathetic voice and rough hands and the way he dragged me into the right spot in the colorless room so he could reiterate the fact—just like every other week—that my eyesight was increasingly getting worse.

Like I couldn't tell that without being forced to read random letters off a stupid board.

As always, I waited as Dr. Stuckup's footsteps headed away. When he stopped in front of the board and I could barely make out his figure, I knew the day was going to go horribly.

"This is useless," I mumbled under my own breath.

"It is more useful than it seems." Dr. Grey attempted—more like pretended—to reassure me.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh yeah? In what way?"

The doctor sighed and ignored me.

"What's this?" It was obvious he was pointing to the board, but the scene mushed up so much that the fact had to be inferred. I squinted my eyes to try to decipher it. I haven't been able to read the board for months. What makes him think I'll magically be able to do it now?

"I don't know," I huffed.

There was a moment of silence before Dr. Grey tried again. "Do you know what this is?"

"No."

"This?"

"No."

"This one?"

"I said I don't know," I snapped. "I can't see a single thing on that stupid board."

The eye doctor sighed again. There was the sound of his pointer being placed against the wall.

"Wait here," he ordered and walked out of the room.

When he was gone, I put my glasses back on and tapped my foot impatiently. Dr. Stuckup was surely giving another speech to my parents about how what the doctors had predicted was coming about, and that my parents spending money on appointments for me weekly was "necessary".

The only reason it was deemed necessary was because it put more money in the pockets of the doctors. It was a scam. But my parents were so afraid that something bad would happen to me that they'd take anything the doctor said like it was Jesus Himself telling them what to do.

Usually through the hospital door, I couldn't hear any of the conversation between my parents and the doc. So it surprised me when I heard what sounded like shouting.

Quickly, I ran to the door, trying to catch any hint of what they were talking about. But when I put my ear to the door, they had quieted down again.

With a huff, I walked back to the other side of the room. I only had to wait a minute before Dr. Grey walked in with my parents.

There was the sound of sniffling, and confusion clouded my senses.

"What's...wrong?" I asked the doctor. He didn't have a chance to answer before Dad bent down and engulfed me in a hug.

"We're so sorry, sweetheart." He squeezed me tightly. Gently, I pushed away. I still didn't understand. I turned to where I thought Mom would be standing, but she didn't offer any sort of explanation either.

"Take a seat, Diana," the doctor said as he led me to one of the hospital chairs. I sat down and looked at his figure expectantly.

"This will be hard for you to hear," Dr. Grey started, "so I will try to ease it over for you. You have been attending our clinic for nearly eight years now in an attempt to treat your optic idiopathy. As you know, your condition is extremely rare and as of now, there is no cure for it. We predicted for you to have your eyesight until at least 21, but unfortunately the disease has progressed at a much faster rate than anticipated.