The girl sadly watched out of her tower block flat window, watching the people going to college, far below. A few weeks ago, that had been her; a happy, carefree kid looking forward to everything. Then there had been a sudden, blinding burst of pain… and she had ended up here.

She looked around the flat that had become her entire life.

She couldn’t remember anything about the accident; she only knew bits and pieces; things her carers had told her. The had all said to ‘give it time’; after all, she had had a ‘life changing experience’, wasn’t that how they put it?

She had got used to the collar and hood; she’d had to. They were locked on, only removable in emergencies by her carers, and even then, only when she was under some form of sedation. Her injuries were supposed to be severe…

Even so, it was the ‘not knowing’ that was getting to her. Why couldn’t she remember what had happened? Why did nobody visit, except for her carers? Where were her parents? She had tried to ask all these questions, by gestures and notes to her carers; she had got so agitated when they hadn’t told her that she had had to be sedated again…

Today, however, was an important visit. Dr Kelley was coming. She had promised to explain everything, if she felt she was ready…

“Good morning, Candy!”, Dr Kelley said. “I’ve been told you have questions. I’m going to try and give you answers, as long as you try and keep calm…”

Candy nodded and sat down on the sofa next to her, looking at her expectantly. She had been waiting for this meeting for what seemed like ages…

First thing she noticed, Dr Kelley was almost afraid to be with her. No, it wasn’t fear, it was…pity? Why? Were her injuries that bad? Apart from the constant pains in her neck, and her numb mouth, she didn’t feel too bad. It was really annoying that she couldn’t talk, but she’d got used to that. It wasn’t as if she had many visitors, now, anyway.

Swallowing, Dr Kelley tried a weak smile, then continued.

“About a month ago, you were on your way to college with your family, when there was an… accident. Another car crossed the central reservation and slammed into your vehicle head on. There’s no easy way to tell you this… your parents, in the front, were killed instantly.”

Tears filled Candy’s eyes, and her body shook; she cried silently.

“Do you want me to go on…?”, Dr Kelley asked. Candy nodded.

“At the same time”, she continued, “Your seat belt snapped. Somehow, we don’t know how, your head was snapped back at the same time as you were pushed sideways. Your chin went straight through the side window…” She swallowed again, uncomfortable, then continued. “You then suffered what we call life-changing injuries to your lower jaw and neck…”

Candy’s eyes went wide. Frantically, she started pawing at the collar and hood.

“No, don’t!”, Dr Kelley cried. “You’ll hurt yourself.”

By sheer chance, the previous carer hadn’t tied off the laces on Candy’s hood properly, and her pawing popped it open. Candy ripped it off, pulling it out from under the collar, somehow, then ran over to a mirror before Dr Kelley could stop her…

She screamed, silently, eyes still wide, staring into the mirror. She carried on doing that until she fell to the floor in a dead faint…

Candy’s whole lower jaw was gone. Her face was effectively missing from the bottom of her nose downward, replaced by a plastic mould in the approximately correct size. The blow from the crash had shattered her lower jawbone, and the broken glass of the window had sliced off everything, destroying her vocal cords as well. Candy would never have a normal life again…