Anton Syndrome

Tasha spoke with a melancholy tone, as if to numb herself from the devastation her words implied, like a doctor delivering news to a patient that they wouldn’t live long. Whether it was an excuse to comfort him with a massage or genuine concern, she said, “It is. Soon her vision will deteriorate, and she’ll develop visual snow syndrome. It’s caused by abnormal activity in the visual cortex, like a TV losing its signal. Soon, she’ll need contacts.”

“Why not just get new eyes?” Cody asked.

At his question, Kalifa paused her typing. She stared at her hands for a moment before regaining her composure. Her focus returned to the screen with an intensity that made her keystrokes louder and faster than before. Cody couldn’t help but notice that she avoided meeting his gaze. Her voice, however, did little to hide her frustration. “With her symptoms, it’s both a blessing and a curse. Eye implants won’t function properly. The reflective lighting won’t align with her cognitive memory. Without proper eye replacements, she’ll experience a denial process known as Anton’s syndrome. It’s believed to be more common due to the high level of reading among young adults.”

“What’s Anton’s syndrome?” Cody asked.

Tasha seemed sad as she hugged him and explained, “It’s blindness denial. The psyche sometimes refuses to accept blindness. In Tiffany’s case, she’ll think she can see while being completely blind. There are over a million cases worldwide, and the number keeps rising every year. Some people call it the ‘manga reading plague.’”

Cody recalled seeing Tiffany’s eyes dilate and shift while she read manga. Clearly, she was already using contacts. A strange, unsettling feeling crept over him—not from the B.A. procedure, but from thoughts of Tiffany. She was so young, yet her light was burning out before she even had the chance to shine.

Tasha and Kalifa exchanged glances. Tasha then asked her sister, “Shall we?”

Kalifa installed the next B.A. procedure and replied, “I think after his improvements, we shall.”

The cryptic banter between them snapped Cody out of his melancholy state. Their expressions hinted at an idea that brought mischievous smiles to their faces.

After the procedure, the two contacted their father via a miniature phone to arrange for Cody to be escorted in a wheelchair. With only one usable arm, Cody was completely at their mercy.

Fearing the worst from the gleam in their eyes, Cody struggled to free himself a few times, but it was useless. They led him to a room far out of sight of others. As they approached an ominous door at the end of the hall, Cody’s nerves grew.

“Uh, hey, guys… I can go back to my room now. Or maybe I can learn some things with the other kids? Yeah, that sounds fun,” he stammered nervously, not liking the looks on their faces. Their sinister smiles only deepened as the last passerby disappeared from view.

Tasha ignored him, pushing him forward, while Kalifa radiated an eerie aura. “Relax, we love doing this when we feel down,” Tasha whispered.

“Don’t worry, you’ll enjoy it,” Kalifa added, her grin widening into a maddening, wide-eyed look as she opened the door. Light flooded in, temporarily blinding Cody.

“No! I’m fine, let’s go back,” he pleaded, trying to stop the wheelchair with his one hand. He realized, with growing dread, that these girls could do anything to him. Glancing at the Kamasutra manga Kalifa had lent him earlier, he could only imagine what kind of deviancy they had planned.

Suddenly, they lifted him out of the chair, ignoring his feeble resistance. One girl stood on each side, holding him firmly. “It’ll make you feel better,” Kalifa promised.

“Yeah, it always helps me unwind,” Tasha added with a playful smirk.

“Wait! Wait… wait?” Cody blurted, panicked.

The room, however, resembled nothing more than a simple break room, with a few seats and a single machine in the center.

“Ice cream!” the girls shouted in unison, rushing toward the machine and dropping Cody unceremoniously onto a chair.

Feeling foolish, Cody accepted a strawberry sherbet, his earlier panic fading into quiet embarrassment.

Tasha walked around him, her pride evident, as she motioned to Kalifa. “In regards to your Tiffany, I believe Kalifa is studying medical ocular science intensely. Maybe one day, she’ll find a cure for her greatest rival.”

Kalifa hugged herself and blushed, turning away. “She’s not my rival. Sun Ming from the Ming Dynasty is.”

“Who’s also in medical research to find the same cure? When he met Tiffany, I think he was smitten,” Tasha teased.

Kalifa giggled, seemingly amused by some private joke. “Yeah, but when the war dog was mentioned…” She glanced at Cody and finished, “You might not want to go to China anytime soon.”

Cody raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t the Hindu nation at war with the Buddhists of China? Isn’t there a fly-free policy only denied to your country?”

Kalifa shrugged. “Yeah, ours is more academic. We use M.U.s to fight each other, but the real battles are in research and development. That’s why there’s a neutral zone in Hong Kong every year for scientists of all nations to compete in the classroom. You didn’t know?”

“I know about Scientist Immunity Month. Everyone does,” Cody said, trying to sound offended.

Tasha rolled her eyes, seeing through his bravado. “Well, I. Don’t. Know. Sis. Please. Explain.”

Kalifa feigned surprise but, after seeing Cody’s cluelessness all day, it was clear she wasn’t buying it. As the greatest Druid, Jason Foster, once said, “Stupid should hurt.” At that moment, it did—for Cody.

“One month,” Kalifa explained, “all countries agree to a ceasefire. Hong Kong becomes a neutral zone, allowing the world’s greatest scholars, like Ken Griffen Jr. (now retired), to shine. They hold competitions in their fields.”

“Really? What are the top fields?” Tasha pretended to ask.

“B.A., M.U., A.I., medical and ocular research are the main categories, but every field is represented—even math. Japan personally funds the event.” Kalifa finished with a peace-sign pose directed at Cody.

Tasha acted baffled.

Cody wanted to cry. How long were these two going to make him feel dumber and dumber? He ate his ice cream in silence and endured their abuse.