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“It’s rare,” Dr Lyman said “Most people don’t even know it’s possible, but car airbags have so like jet fuel in them, a propellant Normally they deploy just fine, but soo wrong and cause chemical burns That’s what happened to your eyes, too ”

“What do I look like?”

“The burns aren’t bad,” the doctor said “There’s a s to watch carefully, but there should be little or no real scarring We don’t anticipate needing any skin grafts May I rees now?”

Zach nodded

Dr Lyman went over to the sink and washed his hands and then carefully unwound Zach’s bandages Zach’s hair had been shaved on one side and left long on the other, and it gave him a lopsided, off-balance look

As the bandages ca burn, the way it swept down along his hairline, across his cheek and jaw

Slowly, Dr Lyes on Zach’s eyes, and the metal, honeycombed cups over each eye He tilted Zach’s head and put some drops in his eyes “Okay,” he finally said, “open your eyes ”

Zach’s lashes were crusty and spiked looking He wet his lips and bit down on his lower lip

“You can do it, Zach,” Miles said, leaning toward him

Zach’s eyelashes fluttered like a baby bird’s first lifting of wings, and then slowly, slowly, he opened his eyes

“What can you see?” Dr Lyman asked

Zach took his time, turned his head “It’s blurry, but I can see Mouy hite hair ”

Miles sagged forward “Thank God ”

Dr Lyman said, “The blurriness is temporary Your vision should clear up in no ti man ”