The Color of Knowledge

Chapter Sixteen (pt. 5)

Keegan

The loss of his mother had come as a shock. It had happened right in front of his eyes. Maybe if he had been braver he could have stopped it? It was something he thought about often. If he had not frozen and only acted, could he have saved her? Thoughts like these were hard to handle. No one knew of the torture he put himself through in search of an answer.

The books helped him understand things. Their secret was the greatest gift his mother had ever given him. He soaked up the knowledge they whispered to him as though impoverished. It had never before crossed his mind to question things in the world until he picked up a book. Their power was light, but cutting. He had to be careful with the wisdom.

He often had dreams of different outcomes. Dreams where his mother lived through the accident and held him close, whispering in his ear that he was her hero. He slept a lot after that. His dreams were better than any reality. He was able to resurrect the dead and live happily within the sanctuary of his mind. He dreamed of his mother every night. But people wake up from dreams. They wake up and the dream fades fast from memory. To catch them, he wrote them down.

It was strange. He hadn't dreamt about his mother since he met Ivy. Instead, he dreamed of a little boy who couldn't talk—one who spoke his first words after he met a certain girl his own age.

A connection with someone only comes about every blue moon. Who knew when the next one would be? He would do anything Ivy asked of him.

He had to make sure she was going to be all right. He could not explain it. Keegan broke away from Zari and Milo while running from the officials and circled back to where they had left Ivy. He collected the plainclothes he had shed and put them back on. He had to blend in. It was not hard to figure out where she would be headed. He watched her enter the only house in that area, and followed her in.

The house was remarkable. Used to the dirt and brown clay that provided shelter for Subsolaneus inhabitants, this place sparked memories he had forgotten were there. A similar house flashed before his eyes. He could see a little boy that did not look like him run up the wooden stairs. The only thing familiar about him were the millions of freckles upon his face. It was the same boy from his recent dreams. The steps creaked under the boy's weight.

A glass shattered in the room Ivy had entered. Keegan ducked into a nearby coat closet.

"Who's there?" he heard Ivy ask.

Keegan held his hands over his mouth, trying to breathe evenly. He heard Ivy walk past the closet and back out the front door. He followed, but no too close behind. She never looked back. Ivy walked with a sense of pride and direction. No one bothered to look her way. It was as if they could not see her.

He could tell they were nearing the edge due to the sporadic warning signs that stuck out of the grass. He was able to make out a figure close to the edge, looking out at the horizon. Keegan had closed the gap between himself and Ivy. Only separated by a few yards, she did not seem to notice he was there.

"I'm here," said Ivy.

"Good," said the man without turning around.

"I need answers."

"Alex drank sulfuric acid, ending his own life. It was his time to die," said the man with no hint of emotion, his back still turned. "In time you will understand."

"You're right, I don't understand," said Ivy, her voice growing louder by the second. "That doesn't make what you are trying to do all right."

"It doesn't, but it must be done."

"Killing all those people for your own selfish reason isn't okay."

"It isn't," said the man.

"Why do you keep agreeing with me?"

"Because you're right. I don't enjoy doing these things, but they are part of the job. They are essential in the bare essence of the word. It must be done."

"I won't let you. I will do everything within my power to stop you."

"Why?" The man still had his back to them.

Ivy faltered. "You're not making any sense," she said, moving closer to him.

"In time, you will understand," said the man again. He turned around. "You brought a friend." He smiled.

Ivy turned around and sprang at Keegan. "What are you doing here?" she seethed.

"I came to make sure you would be okay," Keegan explained, hands raised.

"I can handle this on my own!"

"It's all right, Ivy," said the man. "I know what he wants." He looked much older than he should have. Deep lines had carved themselves into his face, making him look somewhat unnerving.

Ivy let go of Keegan and they both stood looking at the man as he approached them.

"Your mother was supposed to die, son," said the man.

"How dare you say that," said Keegan, clenching his fists.

"That is all you need to know. I'll be seeing you very soon. I appreciate the service you have given for a greater cause."

Keegan took one look at Ivy before launching himself at the man. Almost as if he already knew it was going to happen, the man stepped aside just in time. Keegan went hurtling over the edge. He did not scream.