Color it Bright

Theme: Crayons

Taylor had always been quite the dull child.

Even before the accident, she had never been one to be perky and sociable.

Growing up in a broken family, having a mother who seldom comes home; there is only so much lonesomeness a ten year old girl can bear before her smile fades and her curious eyes lose their luster.

The wind whistled in Taylor's ears as they blew past, making her hair dance.

The warmth of the morning sun kissed the skin of the young girl's face.

Looking down, everybody seemed so busy. Taylor can't help but wonder if those walking past, wearing vibrant smiles, were feeling as empty inside as she is.

At a nearby park she saw families having picnics, father and son flying kites, mother and daughter sitting on a bench, laughing and smiling as they ate ice cream.

"I wonder how that feels", Taylor couldn't help but think to herself.

When was the last time she and her mom acted like actual mother and daughter? When was the last time her mother held her hand as they walked down the street? When was the last time she stroke Taylor's hair? When was the last time they shared smiles?

That one night last week when Taylor fell off the slide in her school's playground and broke her leg was ironically her most favorite night to date. That night her mom came. The workaholic office lady made time for her daughter. She was sweet to Taylor and her voice was so warm and comforting. But it didn't last. The next day, she was gone. She visits often but doesn't spend much time in the hospital; just popping by to ask how her girl was feeling then leaves after a few minutes.

Taylor was brought out of her depressed thoughts by a slight tap she felt on her shoulder.

She turned and saw a boy. He too was wearing hospital clothes and a bonnet, but he wore something else - a smile. One of the brightest smiles Taylor had seen.

He held up a drawing pad to her. There written in red crayon, "you've been sighing for a while, you okay?"

Taylor looked at him with a confused expression.

The boy took his favorite red crayon from his pocket and wrote again.

"I'm mute so I write", the note read.

Taylor, being such a closed person, was reluctant to talk but maybe it was the boy's persistence or perhaps his radiant cheerfulness that made the unsociable girl open up a little bit.

The cheerful boy introduced himself as Sean. He wrote that he was staying in a room just below this rooftop. When Taylor asked why he was using crayons to write and not a pen, Sean flipped through the sketchbook and showed her his drawings. Taylor wasn't an art person but she could tell that the boy's drawings were good for someone who looked the same age as her.

The next day, the day after that, and for the entire week, Taylor would go out of her room, take the elevator to the roof, carrying herself in clutches, and find Sean there, waiting for her.

The closed off girl found herself enjoying the time she spent with the voiceless boy. Sean showed her his pieces and also taught her how to draw. Some portraits, they colored together. Taylor found herself wearing bright smiles she never knew she could.

Even after her cast was removed and was discharged, Taylor would always ask her driver to take a detour to the hospital and visit Sean after school.

Then one day, Taylor came by the boy's room and Sean wasn't there. Outside, sitting on one of the chairs that line the hallway was Sean's mom. Taylor had seen her whenever she dropped by her friend's room.

When the lady noticed her, she stood and walked up to her son's friend. She gave Taylor a gentle smile but her face looked pained and her eyes, very red.

She urged Taylor to sit down with her and she told her that Sean was gone. She explained that her son had leukemia and that his body finally gave out last night.

It was sudden and Taylor didn't know what to feel. It hurts and she wanted to bawl and cry but the tears didn't flow.

After Sean's mother was done explaining, she handed the girl a new box of crayons and a folded-up piece of paper. When Taylor took and opened the paper, she found there written with red crayon in her late friend's handwriting, these words: Color your grey world bright for me okay?