Colorless

Epilouge

Black and white. That's all I can see. It's all anyone can see. No one really knows the truth behind why, but people say that long before our time, we were able to see the joy of all colors around us but then there was an incident. There was a boy, John, and a girl, Mabel, that fell madly in love. John was a strong and loving man, and Mabel being so beautiful, it was no surprise that they found one another and became inseparable. The goddess Aphrodite became very upset. She was known to envy women more beautiful than she. So one night, she visited John in his dreams.

"John," she whispered to him. She appeared in front of him, causing him to jolt backwards.

"Goddess, you seek my company?"

"Yes John. I see that you are very strong and smart. I see that you have made a prosperous life from the little you've been given and I must say, I am impressed."

"Goddess," John says with a smile, "you impressed with me? Please, you need not flatter me."

"John, I see greatness in you. You are far too great for this mortal life you lead." John's face twisted in confusion, but Aphrodite continued on. "You must join me in Olympus. You could rule by my side."

"Goddess," John started but Aphrodite placed a finger gently on his lips.

"John. You could have all you even longed for and more. Power, Riches, it could all be yours in an abundance." Aphrodite leaned in to his chest and rested her head, listening carefully to his heartbeat. "You could have me as well." Quickly she rose to meet his lips with her own. For a second John lost himself in her touch, but flashes of Mabel's face flooded his mind and he pushed the Goddess away.

"I cannot. Mabel," John sputtered.

"Mabel," Aphrodite says with disgust, "has no matter in this. She is a mere mortal who cannot offer what I can."

"No Goddess," and as John said these words he could not believe the words were actually coming from him. "Mabel gives me the power to move through the days gifted to me. She is all the riches I long for." With this said, anger fill Aphrodite.

"John, one last time. For I will not beg for your hand to join me."

"I'm sorry Goddess, but my mind is unchanging. I choose Mabel without doubt." Aphrodite turns her back to him. For a moment they stand there in silence, unmoving. Aphrodite raises her hand and flicks her wrist as if it has been broken and John flies backwards, crashing hard against the wall behind him.

"Now John, this could have gone much differently," she says as she turn to face him. With another flick of her wrist, John comes flying to her, but stops and is suspended in mid air before her. "I refuse to lose to a mortal. I will not accept it." She places a long fingernail to the base of her chin and pouts. "But what to do about it?" It takes her a moment to think, but then her eyes light up devilishly. "You want nothing more but to see true beauty; in it's full glory. What if you no longer could?"

"Goddess please," John says between choked breaths.

"Ah no John." She places her ice cold hand over his eyes. "Gia sas échoun prodósei theá sas. Eíste na perásoun to ypóloipo tis zoís yout dei kamía omorfiá. Mávro kai áspro zoí sas échei gínei? chróma afaireítai apó to óramá sas, eínai katadikasménes na dapanísei thnití zoí sas psáchnontas gia to éna na férei to fos sto skotádi sas." She whispered over his ear.

At first there was no affect, but soon John began to feel a bright, hot fire burning just behind his eyes. He howled out in pain; screaming as if he was being viciously murdered.

"Goddess please! What have you done to me?" Aphrodite releases him and he drops to the floor, still clinging onto his eyes.

"John, no longer do you have the right to see beauty since you don't have the respect to recognize it as it stands before you." John slowly opens his eyes as the pain dies out. But what he sees now is like nothing he has seen before.

"Goddess, the color! Where has it gone?"

"The color is there John, but you are unable to see it. You will never see it again. You will live your life in dull and lackluster sight."

"Goddess-"

"It is far too late now. Every mortal from now until the end of time will no longer remember you for your handsome looks, smarts, or determination. No. Your name will only bring the rise of hate and anger into their hearts, for you are the one who caused their world to be stripped of its beauty." And just like that Aphrodite disappeared and John jolted awake from his dream drenched in sweat; fearful to light the candle beside him. Was the dream as real as it seemed vivid? Had Aphrodite really visited him and stripped every mortal of their ability to see in color?

John turned to his side and grabbed the match from the bedside table with shaking hands. Please Goddess. As he struck the match horror filled his body, rising like a cold chill; the match lit up to be nothing but a dim gray.