No More Colours

"Why the hell do they have to colour code everything?" Mary groaned from beside me. "Damn high school kids showing off that they've already met their soul mates."

"It's worse when you know what it should look like but can't see it anymore." Jenny said. "God, I'd give anything to see blue again. It's my favourite. His eyes were blue."

"I just don't get how anyone finds their soul mate so young." Kerry shook her head. "Don't they get sick of each other? God, I haven't met mine and I get sick of people."

There was nothing sadder than spending time in the maths staff room. I was the only one who could see colours. Without a word, I reached across and took the sheet Mary was marking.

While I was marking the work of a student I'd never taught, Felicity piped up.
"You know," she said. "Tammy met her soul mate when she was seven."
"Really?" Damien asked.
"Yep." Felicity said. "We were sitting in our second grade class when a new boy came in. Next thing I know, she's got her hands clasped over her eyes screaming. And new boy was looking around at everyone confused."

"Oh man." Damien said. "I wish I was there."
"It was possibly the best day of my life." Felicity said. "I don't even think meeting my soul mate, if it ever happens, could beat it. It was hilarious."

"I hope you didn't show off like these kids." Mary said. "It's unfair to colour code answers."
"Of course not." I said. "I was afraid of anyone realising."
"I think everyone realised when you were made explain your screaming to the class." Felicity said.

"Aren't colours just beautiful." Jenny said. "I hope it's a long time before you lose them."
I nodded, unsure of what to say, and passed the now marked paper back to Mary.

"Have you ever gotten sick of him?" Kerry asked.
"Not really." I said. "He's a soldier. I rarely see him so any time we spend together is precious."

It was then that the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch break, and we all made our way off to our classes.

That afternoon, I was packing up my things to go home when everything changed.

I'd placed my bright pink folder on my desk to search through my bag for my car keys, but when I picked it back up the colour was gone.

Looking around, everything was black and white.

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god." I said, feeling my heart break. "What's happening to me?" 
But I knew. I already knew.

It was then that Mary entered the room.
"Hey, Tammy." She said. "I'd hoped I'd find you here. Could you mark this for me real quick?"
She handed me a paper but I couldn't work out what was on it. There were random patches of black across the page.

"What's going on?" Mary asked.
"I can't." I whispered. "I'm sorry. I can't see it."
"Oh god." Mary pulled me into a hug. "I'm so sorry."

That night I received a phone call.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this." The man on the other end said. "But your husband passed away earlier today."
"I know." I said, my voice breaking. "All the colour left with him."