I'll swear that I'll always paint you Golden Days {Ryden}

-seven-

The past few days Brendon didn't leave his apartment. Not even to go out on his balcony. He was afraid. Afraid of meeting his neighbour again. His neighbour with the beautiful calming voice. Every time he thought of it his heart began to race. It felt like a weird fear. It was stronger then just the thought of going outside where all the people lived their colourful life. He already got nervous of that but the thought of meeting that guy again had more impact on him. It scared him a lot more. But at the same time his eyes always searched for him whenever it got dark outside and the movement of a glass door could be heard. Sometimes there was his grey figure stepping outside lighting a cigarette. And Brendon kept hid in the shadows of his flat. He could see that his neighbours head tended to look towards the right more often then the left or any other direction. That didn't happen when Brendon stood out there, did it?

But Brendon was staying inside his apartment sitting in the floor his back leaning against his bed as his arms hugged his knees and his dark eyes observed every movement that happened outside on the other balcony. His neighbour stayed out a bit longer then he would have to. His cigarette already flicked away he just stared into the night, not knowing that a pair of eyes out of the dark watched him with confusion. Not confusion about what he was doing, confusion about why the owner of the eyes reacted that way to a simple person. This guy didn't even look intimidating or especially scary. He looked rather thin. So why was Brendon so scared of this guy. Why was he acting like this? Like a scared cat that was still observing closely.

The neighbours head turned towards his right side balcony for a while observing the stone that normally would've carried Brendons weight and his thoughts at this time of night. Brendon tried to make something out of the face that was turned towards the cold stone but the shadows hid his features making it impossible to read. Brendons breath took up speed as the guy didn't seem to look away for at least a whole minute. The cowarding man was just about to get up when his neighbour left. Leaving two empty balcony behind.

Brendon relaxed his muscles as his eyes still observed the cold night. Now nothing seemed to change. Everything was either black or grey. It made Brendon feel empty. Lonely. But also trapped. He had to get out. No one was there to see him. He could just go for a walk in the dark night. No one would know and He could hide in the shadows. And his neighbour wouldn't see him either.

With that thought in clouding his mind Brendon got all his stuff this time not even minding the possible colourchoice. It was night anyways. Even for the gifted people around him the world would lack of colour. They wouldn't be able to differentiate. That was a calming thought. Probably the most calming thought he had in a while. With his head turned towards his balcony he took on some clothes and packed his cigarettes and lighter to finally taste the nicotine again. He had gone days without it now. Not that he was addicted but he felt at unease not being able to let his thoughts go like he usually would. It was less the taste of the tobacco and more the habit of having a reason to stand out in the night. An excuse to think.

As silent as possible he opened the front door that hadn't been looked at or touched in weeks. Now he was going to break that as he swiftly pulled it open. But not before listening if any sounds could be heard from the other side. When everything was sure to be clear he stepped out in the dark hallway. As soon as he began to walk the motion controlled light flickered on causing him to move even faster. As he stood in front of the elevator he innerly wished he wouldn't live as high up. He wasn't quite fond of the idea of going into the metal box at night. What if he got stuck and no one would be there to notice until the sun would start to appear at the horizon painting the world in all its colours for the majority. Still. It would take too long if he would take the stairs. Living in the 13th floor has its perks but being dependent on an elevator was none of them. So he had no choice but press the button.

The machinery set into motion and the sound of metal on metal could be heard. He looked around himself praying that no one would come out and look what weirdo was using the elevator this late at night. The seconds stretched longer and longer making Brendon press the button a second time. And a third time. And a fourth time.

The familiar ding could be heard and the doors slowly opened. He slipped inside in a hurry and pressed the button of the ground floor making the doors close again after a mental challenging wait of seven more seconds. The roaring of the elevator was even louder when you were inside but it muted his thoughts for a bit. He was nearly outside. His hand squeezed around his lighter and the pack of cigarettes in his one pocket and his phone and keys in the other. He realised that he had a habit of holding onto things in the pocket of his jeans. There always has to be something in them. If they were empty he wasn't able to leave the house without the certainty of a break down in the middle of the streets.

Finally he could exit the elevator With out complications and walked further into the cold of the night. The temperature was lower then he expected but he wanted to be outside now. So freezing a bit wouldn't keep him from that. The lighter and pack of cigarettes were taken from their safe place as his thoughts demanded it. He quickly lit the cigarette and began walking down the road. The asphalt under his feet giving away the speed if his steps. Every thing was colourless, as always, but now it was calming. It wasn't pressuring him. Everyone would see his way now. The colours are hidden for everybody and not just from him. He was like every other person.

Smoke left his lips as his legs carried him towards the park that held so many rejections. But still he would go there again and again. Due to all these memories that place had a special meaning to him. He met up with so many girls that were only seeing his way for the past years. But it never worked out. The trees were still grey. The grass was grey. The bushes were grey. Everything was but still. This place held something. This place meant something. He didn't give the place any fault of his misfortune in life. It was totally his own fault. He knew that. And the park, though in black and white, was far to beautiful to never come here again. It just held a certain mood.

His steps was the only thing reaching his ears besides the continuo of his breath. Every thing else was silent. No wind. No people. No animals. Everything slept, restoring their energy for the next day. A cycle. Time seemed to be paused at this exact moment. And it was a pleasant thing to feel. Everything was stopped. He could think. Nothing keeping him from it. No loud sounds. No eyes silently judging him. It was all very pleasant.

He reached the big tree. A street lamp simply lit it's stump and the earth surrounding it. He stopped and stared. Everything was grey. Now, that the light was shone upon it it should take on colour. But it didn't. Nothing did. Like always. He was faced with the reality again. With his broken life.

Brendon turned around quickly and began to walk back through the dark. He didn't want this. He didn't want this to be the outcome of his night out. Brendon quickly finished his cigarette before entering the apartment block again with a heavy sigh. Not even the night seemed to ease his mind anymore. There was always something that destroyed the pleasant feeling. Always a ray of light that destroyed everything. He never could feel at ease for more then an hour before something pulled him back down, something broke the glass that made everything seem not so bad. This wasn't fair. Why him? As far as he could remember he never did anything that would trigger this. So why? Was there even a reason?

He entered the elevator with less panic then before due to his mind being obtained with other things. He didn't pay too much attention to his surroundings. It wasn't important. He was in a metal box that would bring him up without his contribution. So he was allowed to just daze out for these fee moments. He grey walls and the similar coloured floor made him wonder. Was this actually grey? Or was thus a colour he wasn't able to see. It didn't feel like metal as his shoes rubbed against the floor. He brought his hands up to the walls and tried to make out what material it was. It felt like metal. So maybe the walls were grey but the floor wasn't. Would he ever know?

He left the elevator after the doors opened slowly. No one was in the hallway and not a single sound could be heard besides his own steps. They broke the silence like a roar no matter how much he tried to sneak. There was no way around it. He didn't want to be heard by anyone. The hope that everyone was sleeping grew in his mind. He nearly was at his door, the hand stretched out to the handle and the key ready to unlock. Before he even had the key in the lock he heard a unfamiliar click.

His heart skipped a beat as his he quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside not before hearing a quiet 'Oh.' from his left. Then the door fell close.