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Post by Jackson Daniels on Aug 4, 2007 18:11:46 GMT -5
Jackson was nervous. To say the least. When he had been younger, before the accident, he had been at ease and outgoing, ready to try anything and everything. He was still like that slightly, but he was arriving at a new school, and there was no doubt that the fluttering in his stomach was as real as the dog sitting beside him in the car. He looked in the direction of his mother, wondering how she was feeling about all of this. There was no way that he wanted her escorting him into the school, and she knew that, so she would wait until he disappeared inside. He heard her audible sigh as the car started slowing down, and Jackson looked out the window, although his sightless eyes were making it difficult for him to view anything. As always. He knew that his mother was upset and apprehensive about letting her child go into an unknown school with a disability that would hinder everything he did. But Jackson refused to see it that way. It was the only way he could see. Looking back in the direction of his mother, he spoke quietly as the car pulled to a stop on the curb. "I'll be fine mom. I have Jack. Even though that's not obvious at all." He said, mumbling slightly and making his mother smile. She knew that he would rather be doing this on his own, but there was just no way he had had time to learn the school yet. Jack would be there to guide him around the people and hopefully he'd find someone to converse with that would be able to help him find the classrooms. But she didn't know. Until then, there would always be a teacher around to help him find his class. They had already arranged that.
Jackson allowed his mother to kiss his cheek in parting, and he slid over, feeling Jack beside him. The large German Shepherd was panting in his excitement at the school, but he was relatively calm. He had always been, for he had been trained this way. Jackson found the handle of the door and pulled it, pushing the door away from him and his canine. Jack jumped out with Jackson moving slower behind him. His feet hit the sidewalk suddenly, and he straightened, stepping away and closing the door behind him. He looked at his mother once more, knowing she was staring at him. Shouldering his bag, he offered her a smile. "See you later mom." He finished, trying to calm her down just as much as he was trying to put himself at ease. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled and heard her shift the car into drive. Soon the tires were rolling slowly, and he heard her entering the traffic and speeding off to go to her job. Jackson turned around and looked up at the school, even though he could see nothing. This would definitely be interesting enough. He couldn't see the people staring at him and his dog, but he could feel them. He was just a cripple that needed a dog. That's how he hoped people would view him, for his eyes were hidden behind the lenses of his glasses. It set him off a little bit, and it made it seem as if he could see. His eyes weren't focused on anything in particular as he started forward, giving Jack the simple word of further.
Jack had been here learning the ways to Jackson's classrooms as well, and the intelligent canine already knew where they had to go first. He knew exactly where Jackson's locker was too. Jackson took another deep breath to calm himself, and then exhaled just as slowly as before. Shaking his head slightly, he looked down at Jack and then stepped forward as the dog led him skillfully across the lawn, stopping when the students crossed in front of them, and they soon settled into a rythm. The pair moved in sync to the stairs, and Jackson was soon finding his way up them without too many problems. He had memorized the number of steps, and as soon as he had counted them, he flattened out, ready to move on again. Jack was beside him without fail and the dog was leading him the correct way to his locker. The dog stopped at one of the rows, and Jackson knew that this would be the hard part. He and his mother hadn't even thought about it. How in the world was he going to open his locket? He didn't even know which one was his. This wasn't going to work at all, and he heard Jack whine beside him in question at his owner's hesitance. Jackson looked down at him. "It's alright Jack. Technical difficulties." He pointed out good naturedly and stood for another moment, about to give up. But he didn't want to admit that he needed help or assitance. |
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Post by Zia Williams on Aug 4, 2007 18:31:53 GMT -5
Zia knew that she was going to hate this school already. She had heard the rumors, of the hauntings, the weird happenings, and unexplained - sometimes gruesome - disappearances. Why did they bother to keep that damn place opened? she had thought to herself that very morning, as she was brushing her hair. The one thing that kept her from completely skipping out on the first day was the reassurance that the school's art program was one of the best - if not the best - in Northern America. Yes, Zia was an artist. She took great pride in her talent with drawing and painting. It was something that seemed to come naturally to her, like breathing and eating. Her drawings had been prominently featured in a couple of publications and even on some websites. And she was damn proud of it. She had woken up late that morning, cursing loudly at her alarm, and had dressed in a rush, haphazardly running a brush through her hair, and slapping on a quick layer of eyeliner. She didn't even know why she was bothering to hurry - it didn't matter to her if she was late or not.
And now, after running out of her dorm in a rush, she stood outside of the school, annoyed that she was the tiniest bit... Early? It was only upon realization that her alarm clock was set 30 minutes forward that she understood why. Muttering to herself angrily, she picked through the multiple things cluttering her black canvas messenger bag until she found a pack of camels. Taking one out, she lit up, and took a deep drag, letting the smoke fill her nostrils. She exhaled contently, and stared at the other people arriving to the school. One person in particular caught her eye. A guy - about her age - stepped out of a car with a dog? Zia raised her brows and followed him with her gaze, as he walked inside the school, seemingly concentrated deeply - though, she couldn't tell, his glasses sort of blocked his eyes. Throwing her cigarette down on the pavement, and stamping it out with her shoe, she followed the newcomer into the building, curiosity overwhelming her.
She followed him in what she hoped was a discreet manner, hoping that he wouldn't see her and write her off as some stalker freak or something of the sort. He didn't seem to see her at all, however, and she managed to follow him up to the second floor, where his dog led him to a locker. It was only after noticing the dog seemed to be leading the boy did Zia realize - he was blind. She stepped out into the hallway, feeling foolish, and walked over to him, intent on introducing herself. "Hi, there, I'm Zia Williams. Are you new, I don't think I've seen you here before," she said, reaching out her hand for him to shake, before realizing - he probably couldn't see it. She pulled it back and again, felt foolish. "Erm... Do you need some help with anything? Finding a room, anything like that?" she pressed, further, intent on filling her awkwardness with speech.
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Post by Jackson Daniels on Aug 4, 2007 19:41:51 GMT -5
Slight anger filled Jackson as he stood helplessly outside of where his locker should be. He knew the combination...he knew the area. But the problem was finding it and actually emptying the numbers. It was a good thing he didn't have any of his books in there or he would be in some serious trouble. Sighing in frustration, he ran his free hand haphazardly through his hair and looked down where he knew Jack was sitting. The dog was leaning against his leg protectively, watching all of the students pass by with curiosity upon their features. Jackson felt their stares upon his back, but he ignored them. He was blind, he had a dog in the school, it wasn't the end of the world. That was what bothered him about most people. They stared way too much at something different then them. He looked to the lockers again and decided on a new approach. He should have counted the doors, but he figured it was about the ninth or tenth down. Whistling to Jack, he had him bring him down to the end of the row, and his hand traced over the doors, and luckily he didn't run into anyone. They seemed to either move out of his way, or stepped back to watch his actions curiously. He kept going until he stopped at the ninth locker. Reaching upwards, he found the plate that had the numbers etched within them. Well that helped. He should have done that at the beginning. Number 418. It was simple enough. Reaching his hand up, he traced the digits, finding the four, then the one, and then a six. Well that wasn't it. Sighing, he moved to the next one and repeated the process.
Finally. Feeling the eight at the end of the numbers, he smiled slightly to himself. It was the tenth locker. Easy enough for him to remember. He felt Jack's gaze upon him and then smiled down at his dog. "They didn't teach you how to open lockers in guide dog school?" He joked slightly, knowing that Jack would tilt his head in question as he always did when Jackson was speaking to him. Jackson hadn't named his dog, for he wouldn't have chosen something so close to his name. He had gotten Jack when he was still a young dog, but extremely trained and proper. They had told him his name was Blackjack, and Jackson had been surprised at that. It seemed to fit though, and Jackson had began calling him by his nickname, Jack. It was definitely easy enough to remember. His hand went down to the german shepherd's head and he scratched him behind his ear playfully. "Then I guess you're just not going to cut it, are you boy?" He said and heard the whine, then felt the paw within his hand. Crouching down slightly, he let the dog lick his cheek affectionately, and then straightened back up. Now to focus on this locker problem. He wished it was one of those schools that made you provide your own lock. He could have been practiced with one of those already, and not have to worry about this. But it was fine. He still had about ten minutes until class, and his classroom hadn't been that far away from his locker the last time he was here. So he wasn't too worried. And what were they going to say if he was late? He couldn't see where he was going, and he'd explain to them about this whole locker situation anyway. Sighing, he reached to the lock and turned it for a moment, playing with it so he didn't look too out of place just standing and staring at the locker. But what was he thinking about? He had a dog at his side, and not a small one at that.
Shaking his head slightly, he became aware of a set of footsteps that were coming closer to him, and the maker seemed to be heading in his direction. They were light and quiet, and he had to guess it was a female, or either a very thin male. He didn't turn though because he didn't want to seem like even more of a freak than he already was. It was best not to let anyone know he could tell when they were coming. His other senses were just stronger than anyone else's because he relied a lot more on them than anything else. Especially his hearing. That had replaced his eyes, for he could usually tell what the something was. Jackson suddenly heard the voice beside him, and even though he had expected the person to be close, he hadn't expected them to speak to him or be that close. He jumped slightly and felt suddenly embarrassed. Why was he being like this? Taking a deep breath, he exhaled softly and then shifted his head to the side so he could listen to the words coming from her lips. SHe seemed nice enough, so he'd be the same way towards her. He looked in her direction, knowing that his eyes might make her a bit uneasy. So he looked quickly down towards the ground and spoke quietly, politely. "Hey. Yeah...I'm new here today. I'm Jackson Daniels...this is Jack. It's nice to meet you." He said, trying to imagine what she looked like by the tone in her voice. But that proved impossible, and he gave up immediately. There was no use trying to see when he couldn't. Hearing her offer, his sightless eyes widened in surprise, and he reddened at his actions. He wasn't expecting such kindness. "Well...actually. I don't want to bother you. I just...well..I can't see the numbers, obviously, on the lock. I mean, you're obviously not going to be near me everytime I go to my locker..but if I could just get your help. I know...we don't know eachother..but if you could just..explain it to me...show me with your hand...how it goes and everything..." He tried explaining, trying to make her understand his request. Basically if she held her hand over his and had him turn the lock, he'd be able to imagine it in his mind. But that was kind of forward for just meeting eachother. He had the combination in his hand, so if she was willing, she'd be able to see it. He just felt a bit awkward asking her because of the methods. |
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Post by Zia Williams on Aug 5, 2007 16:01:06 GMT -5
"Hey. Yeah...I'm new here today. I'm Jackson Daniels...this is Jack. It's nice to meet you."
Zia started. She had been spacing out - staring at Jackson's eyes. They were a remarkable shade - something like, blue and green mixed with some other colours that she couldn't place. She noticed that he only stared downward, as though he didn't want to alarm people with them. Zia couldn't understand why. They were a gorgeous colour - and most girls would fawn over them. She regained her composure, however, and smiled at him - again, stupidly realizing he wouldn't be able to tell. Instead, she bent down next to Jack, scratching behind the dog's ear affectionately. "Giving him a little scratch behind the ear won't like, undo his training and make him more of a pet than a guide, will it?" Zia asked, looking up at Jackson, as she stood back up. "Cause, I think I read somewhere that usually, dogs like him can't be pet because it'll turn them tame or something," she prattled on. What the hell is wrong with me? He was blind - he wasn't stupid, she thought, inwardly groaning. She guessed that all this awkwardness came from her not really knowing how to treat Jackson. She knew that he deserved the type of respect she would give any other person - that was a given. But should she be more charitable? Or maybe he'd be insulted by that? But no - she had already asked if he wanted any assistance. She shouldn't go back on her word if he really did want some help.
"Well...actually. I don't want to bother you. I just...well..I can't see the numbers, obviously, on the lock. I mean, you're obviously not going to be near me everytime I go to my locker..but if I could just get your help. I know...we don't know eachother..but if you could just..explain it to me...show me with your hand...how it goes and everything..."
...And there was her answer. "Oh right, you can't see the number dials on your locker!" she exclaimed, stating the obvious. "Show you with my hand? Like what, like this?" she asked, as she put her hand over his, steering it towards the combination lock on his locker. He multiple bangles made a serious of jingly noises as she brought both their hands up to the lock. "Erm, okay. So... Do you have the combination, or what?" she asked, as she noticed some freshman walking by that gave her a weird look. She glared at them, and they scurried away, like a bunch of frightened rats.
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Post by Jackson Daniels on Aug 5, 2007 16:33:44 GMT -5
If Jackson could see his eyes he would hate them. They had been his most attractive feature before, and now they didn't resemble what they had been. The colors were still there, but there was a misted, icey blue traveling over them. And he would hate the faraway look that he had, as if he couldn't focus on anything at all. But he couldn't, and it was no fault of his own. His glasses gave him a little protection from the stares, but he could feel everyone watching him. It was embarrassing, but he just wouldn't talk to them or acknowledge them. There was no reason to if they thought him a freak. Shaking his head slightly, he felt her presence beside him, and suddenly heard her voice at a lower level than before. She must be petting Jack, who didn't mind the attention at all. He smiled at her words and shook his head. Hearing that she read about it somewhere, he nodded slightly. "Some might be affected by it and want to run to every new person, but Jack's pretty good about it. When the harness is on him he stays by my side. But I hate keeping him like that, so I usually take it off when we're at home or not in a public place. He's a pet just as he is my guide. So in other words, you can pet him all you want." He said with a gentle laugh, knowing Jack was probably enjoying the good ear scratching he was getting. And indeed he was. His tail was wagging back and forth happily, and as she started pulling her hand away, he licked at it thankfully, wanting her to keep scratching while he wasn't doing any work at the moment.
Jackson looked to her once more as she seemed to be silent for a while. She hadn't spoken to him at first either, and he wondered what she could be looking at. He had felt her eyes before, but they seemed focused on something else. He hadn't known she was staring at his eyes because he was focused on the fact that everyone else passing in the hallways seemed affixated by him. It didn't matter. Sighing, he suddenly heard her words and listened quietly. "Yeah...we kind of overlooked this part at the beginning." He pointed out, not bothered at all by the fact that she had pointed out he couldn't read the paper. He smiled slightly in fact, thinking it was a bit cute. But what was he thinking? He was here just to go to school and get home. There was no way that a girl would want a blind boyfriend. He'd just have to accept that. As she spoke once more, he suddenly felt her hand on his, and flinched slightly becuase he hadn't been expecting it. "Sorry..and yeah..just...put it on the numbers or something..slowly so I can figure it out." He explained easily, not bothered that a perfect stanger was holding his hand up to the locker. At her question, he nodded his head. "Yeah. It's right here. 2....16....4...." It wasn't that difficult to memorize, and the numbers were fairly close. He waited for her to start turning the dial, feeling Jack pressing into his leg as he sat patiently by. |
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Post by Zia Williams on Aug 6, 2007 7:20:53 GMT -5
Zia couldn't help smiling despite herself. If it had been any other person that wanted her help - particularly a guy - she would have waved them off and gone along on her merry little way. Jackson was different. She liked him, and knew that this possibly could be the start of a great friendship. Her smile turned into a smirk as she thought, "And it all started with a locker..." Jackson interrupted her thought, however, when he began to speak.
"Some might be affected by it and want to run to every new person, but Jack's pretty good about it. When the harness is on him he stays by my side. But I hate keeping him like that, so I usually take it off when we're at home or not in a public place. He's a pet just as he is my guide. So in other words, you can pet him all you want."
"Oh, okay, that's good to know. Cause, I mean, he's really faithful to you - I can tell that already - and I wouldn't want to mess that up," she replied, her hand still over his. He seemed to note the small silence that followed, as he produced his locker combination.
"Yeah. It's right here. 2....16....4...."
"Okay, so you just want me to turn it for you? And you can remember what it feels like?" she asked him, before she did anything.
[Omg. Writer's block-ish. Pardon the short post! :[ ]
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