The World With No Color

The Mural And The Bluebird

I stare unimpressed at the mountain's plain and dreary appearance. The most interesting thing in sight was the occasional green shrub against the boring view. My face twists into a frown as I sit staring at the picture on my phone. It was the same landscape, but the phone depicted an eternally more colorful interpretation.

Throughout all of my childhood, I was told how the world used to be filled with vivid colors. I heard stories of before the Decay, where the mountains would be filled with reds, oranges, greens and more colors than could ever be imagined. However, something happened, and the Decay spread from the mountains to the surrounding area. It seemed to be sapping the land of its color, and now all that remains are dull browns and the occasional dark green (but non-vibrant) bush.

I sigh at the pitiful sight, close my eyes and try to envision the beauty of the mountains as they had been before the Decay, just like the mural.

"Leona!" the voice bounces off of the walls of rocks slightly startling me, my mothers voice.

I quickly wipe the stubborn dust from my pants, courtesy of the dirt I was just sitting in. I take a quick look behind me at the pale yellow that the grassy plains had turned to. I turn back and start to walk towards my house.

The cabin we live in lays in the base of the mountains. The modest two story house was flanked on all sides by towering cliffs. It's pale blue paint, although peeling at some places. seemed to effortlessly make itself work against the dark rock surrounding it. The house itself was only accessible via a dirt road, as it's the only way to approach in a vehicle. Parked at the front is my mothers small withered white car.

I open the creaky dull door and walk into the house. The smell of bread and baked goods engulf my senses. My mother loves to bake, and as a result the house always seems to be stocked with freshly baked bread, cookies, or other delicious goods.

"How was the walk outside?" my Mother asks, directing her smile towards me.

I shrug before responding. "It was ok, plain as always."

My mothers smile disappears and she turns away resuming to stir whatever is in the pot on the stove. There is a long awkward silence until she breaks it.

"I'm sorry sweetie," she says as she walks to me and pulls me into an embrace.

"I'm sorry too, I've been such a mood killer," I say with a sigh.

She narrows her eyes. "You're not a mood killer".

"Then what am I mom?" I say, not meaning to let the sharpness stemming from my annoyance seep into my words.

"Sweetheart..." my mother starts to say something then trails off.

"All of my life I've wanted one thing. I just want to see how you saw these mountains before it was all lost," I interrupt.

My moms face turns into something I can't describe. It was some sort of mix between sadness, sympathy, and- was that hint of disappointment?

"Sweetie," she began again, and once more she trailed off.

"I just-"

I'm interrupted by the front door creaking open.

"Hey guys!" My mothers boyfriend Ethan says with his usual bright smile.

"Hello Ethan!" Mom says, her usual effortless smile returning back to her face. It's such a shame that I always seem to wipe it away.

Ethan walks over to my mother and gives her a kiss on the cheek, I see her face flush as she whispers to him, "not in front of Leona".

I awkwardly step back away from the couple fumeing in the corner of the kitchen. After a moment they begin talking and completely ignore me, so I slip away to the hallway and run up the stairs to my bedroom at the end of the hallway.