Chapter 1
Do you know the saying ‘the world isn’t just black and white’? Well, it is for me. I have been through many classes since the third grade informing us all about this simple fact, why we see like this. Why? Well, we haven’t met our SoulMate, our significant other. That is all that they have taught us just in a different wording every year. Our biology teacher explained it better, it’s the fact that the world has nothing in it, no purpose, no way to see how the world is working without someone to enjoy it with. That was the simplest of the explanations.
We don’t really know if this is true, our parents are not allowed to tell us what color looks like with the explanation of ‘there is no way to explain it.’ I just wish I knew if it was real, the colors almost peek at the edges of my vision I think, I try to envision what green is, the school gives us basic facts on each. Green, blue and purple are all cool colors. Red usually signifies anger, green is the easiest on the eyes, so on and so forth. I just wish they could show them to us
The genetic mutation occurred ages ago, it started when someone lost their SoulMate and in their journal, they informed us that the world seemed to have lost its color, something he had before the breakup. The scientists were intrigued and decided that it would be better this way, you can tell if someone is supposed to be with you. This happens through science. When I was in my mother’s womb, they gave her the correct shots and projected an intense image directly onto her stomach, making sure it would penetrate the skin, making it the first image I had ever seen. Even if my eyes were not open, and my brain was not large enough to understand, it was ingrained into my soul, my everything. I do not remember who or what they looked like. The government insured that when I was born, I had the image in front of me as well. They made sure my parents never saw and that I was constantly teased by it, in the corner of my vision, seeing the slightest bit of what I thought was my SoulMate, turning and seeing nothing.
We also have a clock on the inner of our nondominant hand. Counting down the pure seconds before we may see color for the first time. My clock still says a couple of years, I have not met a person with the same time as mine, of course, I haven’t, then they would be my SoulMate, and the clock would have been wrong, that’s impossible.
My friends and I stand at the bus stop, awaiting its arrival anxiously. My friend Tiana’s clock is ticking down its last minutes. Tiana has dated many people and is probably the cutest girl in school, boys fawn over her and basically fall at her feet. She is very intimate in all of her relationships, even though relationships aren’t supposed to be serious before our SoulMate but she is a very committed person.
She turns up her right wrist exposing the clock, I crane my neck to see that she has 2 minutes and 3 seconds.
The most momentous moment in her life is occurring in 2 minutes and 3 seconds, I bet her time leading up to it seemed as long as mine has been, even though hers is coming sooner, much sooner. I am so jealous of all of them, all having their Meetings this month, which is Graduation. They will be free from school, work and will live in LIFE.
LIFE stands for Leaping Into Full Ecstasy, they will live with everything they have ever wanted, any food, any drink, any game, any home. Anything and everything at their fingertips, if you never want to walk again, so be it, LIFE will give you that opportunity.
LIFE is the peak of your existence, and it lasts with you until you die. It just sucks that some people don’t meet their SoulMate until they’re very old, and they have almost no life to enjoy with them.
Tiana squeals loudly as it gets down to one minute, she shifts her bag to in front of her pulling out many items, a mirror, a brush, a tin of mints, and her Mist, to be freshened for when the love of her life gets there. Thirty seconds later, she is all freshened and frantically shoving everything in her bag.
“Do I look okay?” Tiana mumbles under her breath, directed towards me.
“Tiana, snap out of it,” I respond calmly, “he will love you no matter what, he is your SoulMate after all. This is just one of the Stages.” The Stages are the points that you go through at certain points in your life, for instance, meeting your SoulMate. You will at first be confident, then the clock will slowly disintegrate and you will be nervous and a perfectionist. Once you meet your SoulMate, you will be content.
She sniggers and I smile, knowing what she is thinking. We had our “growing up” talk and those stages were just embarrassing. We laughed a lot during that lesson.
“20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14.” We chant, counting down the seconds until Tiana gets LIFE, colors and to peel the clock away from her skin. Tiana shushes us and we climb aboard the bus, scanning the heads for one that is down, wrist facing up. We see no one and Tiana starts to hyperventilate, I catch her as she starts to fall a bit. She tends to take things to an extreme degree, even though her clock has not run out yet.
A deep haired boy with deep green eyes leaps onto the bus and looks frantically at his wrist and up again. I shove Tiana in his direction sitting in one of the circular benches with everyone else, all giggling and envious. They wave awkwardly, sit down, and then they hold hands and gasp. Tiana starts to cry while the boy sits slack-jawed in awe, I would go over there and hug her but she seems busy, they turn to each other, the boy whispers something and Tiana shrugs. I am facing Tiana’s back but can tell what will happen next.
Tiana and the boy leaned in, their lips touch and they passionately lean into each other, SoulMates, together at last.
