Chapter 1: (The Birth of the Virgin)
(Patrick Gibson)
A twenty-seven-year-old man paced back and forth around the operating room:
"Successful delivery! Congratulations, Mr. Patrick."
"Really?! My God! I can't believe it... What is the baby's gender?"
"It's a girl, a beautiful girl!"
"Like her mother then... Emma... Emma! Is she alright?"
"There is no need to worry about her, everything is under control."
"I would like to see them both, if you please."
"I will write you a visitation permit."
"Thank you, doctor."
Meanwhile, Emma Loranz (Patrick Gibson's wife) was struggling with pain, but she seemed as though she was enduring something beyond the agony of childbirth itself. Something had filled her with dread after her first delivery. The doctor accompanied Patrick to the delivery room so he could witness his awaited dream and satisfy his paternal longing to see his beautiful newborn.
"Doctor... there is something missing in our baby... something unusual... a darkness like the night..."
"You mean her black eyes? She has a strange syndrome. I will call it Animal Vision Syndrome. That is why her eyes are such a deep black. I suspect your daughter can only see in black and white. The term 'syndrome' means this condition will accompany her for life, until death."
"What a poor child..."
Patrick lowered his head in deep sorrow. It was clear to him that his daughter's journey had begun with a heavy loss.
"Mr. Patrick... what will you name her?"
Patrick raised his gaze to her beautiful face and her black eyes, contemplating them as if searching for inspiration. Then he turned toward his wife Emma, hoping she might find a suitable name for their afflicted child. But he heard no response. Painfully, he said:
"The Virgin has suffered hardship since her birth, then was falsely accused of immorality and slander. Until she endured the anguish of separation and loss with Christ, her own flesh and blood..."
"I believe our daughter will go through a truly difficult time. No color... that also means no meaning to life. That is the harsh reality."
"I will name her Mary."
Mary Gibson.
