"Who are you?"

Jen was not answered. Instead, she blacked out instantly.

***

"There she is, under the trunk. Come here, Ben!"

"Yeah. Drag her out."

The two policemen carefully brought from under the car and to under the flashlights.

"A bullet hole in the center of the sack." — said Ben. The other man whistled, expressing his pessimism. — "Check the pulse, Matt. I'll take the sack off."

"She's alive. Is the ambulance coming? Ben?"

"That's a small and deadly bullet wound. It's coming, yeah. If she makes it, some important brain functions are still going to be broken."

"Who to blame if the rich club kids just aren't safe these days? Who to blame, Ben?"

"Blame the President, Matt. He's a big guy, he won't get mad at you. We can't help the girl much, let's fence the crime scene instead."

***

Jen woke up in a hospital bed. Old and new memories flooded her mind as she finally believed that she was home. Her palms covered her eyes — she grinned upon not finding the damned blindfold on them. Then, and only then, she raised her eyelids.

Nothing.

Nothing?

Yes, there was nothing. Nothing in her way and nothing in her eyes.

The door to her room opened and someone walked in.

"Morning, sweetheart!" — her mother's voice said.

"Oh my god, Mom, I'll never ever drink this hard again!" — Jen shouted, springing into her cuddles. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"Put aside all hows and whys. We're just happy to see and hear you again." — her father was there as well.

While the emotional reunion was going, Jen thought if there was any sense in trying to describe the place she visited between the moment she was shot and the moment she woke up.

"Did they tell you why can't I see anything? Will I recover?"

After a menacing pause, during which the girl heard people's chattering outside of the room, her father said:

"Brain is a complicated matter. It might get better, but there's no guarantees. They said it's a miracle that you made it. We'll do our best to keep you out of danger in the future, I can guarantee that instead."

"Some of your friends are there. Should I let them in?" — her mother asked.

"Gimme a minute, please."

Jen thought about the Architect's last line. The blindness must have been her punishment. Was she going to be punished for life? The girl was not sure if she could really get used to it.

"Hey. Big man. I'm sorry. I was just doing my best to return home. I hope you are going to forgive me someday, but if it's not the case... I might want one more trip to your place."

ENDING #17 (the blindfold ending)