WINDOWS TO THE SOUL

challenge one "the violet window"

 I have always had an affinity for windows, whenever I was deep in thought I would lose myself to the scenery framed by windows.

Sitting here, staring out at the blank, grey sky overlooking the countryside, I asked myself

"Why am I here?"

I am not having a crisis in my life, but why am I on this train at this particular time in this unbearably Gray place. I find this rural Countryside to be detestable and for a moment the humidity made me lose my conviction.

I am here because of my father's passing, not for a funeral, he would have never allowed it to be in such a place. I am here because of his will and inheritance. That is why I have to suffer the injustice of this environment.

The money was not that important to me I mean, to be quite Frank I am not concerned at all with the money. When you are a child born in wealth, you naturally become wealthy yourself. For me it is a matter of Pride, not money.

I never genuinely liked my father but I did respect him, and his challenges. That was why I was here, to defeat him in his final challenge, the ultimate sense of Victory.

The will's requests were all relatively simple, for me at least. The first was something I had already achieved owning a business. The second was merely to inherit his business, something I had been raised to do. Coming to the countryside with this Bleak, foggy, and unbearable weather was to achieve the third request. It was merely "have an heir" Written in proper handwriting by a man who was writing out his final appeal.

To be honest the thought of having children never bothered me, nor did it entice me. It was merely something that people did, but I never acknowledged it as something that I would find myself doing. It didn't help that I had previously gotten a vasectomy. My uncle was a bright man with an even brighter future; however, his "lifestyle" led to him losing all of that. I took steps to not make the same mistake.

My secretary had given me an alternative from having the operation undone and finding a significant other who I could have this child with. They gave me the location of the orphanage they had grown up in, and reminded me to consider adopting a child was an option. I did not expect them to send me here of all places, however I despise forfeiting more than anything, even this horrid weather. Deciding to stick to my planning came with unfortunate consequences, the humidity, and my exceedingly late chauffeur who had gotten lost following a train...somehow. The driver thought that I wanted to start a conversation with him, for some reason, and proceeded to talk for the entire ride to the orphanage.

After finally making it to my destination I regained my composure and proceeded to meet up with the "caretaker" to the children. The first thing I noticed about them was the greed that filled their soul and oozed out of their eyes like rotten fiery sludge which flared as they spoke. They are so blatant whenever a lie seeps out their skull that surely even an ordinary man could tell their intentions. Since birth, I have had the ability to see Mankind's Souls. The chauffeur was uninteresting and positive, and my train attendant was noticeably depressed. Even my secretary was afraid that I might Grow annoyed with them and fire them. Honestly, after the day I've had I'm considering it, and so on and so forth. I've been able to read the soul of everyone who has ever interacted with me. Whichwhich made telling what the caretaker wanted very easy.

The caretaker greeted me with a smile as one does when they are trying to get money out of someone else. probably expecting me to be so grateful that I would do so as a donation. The conversation of why I wanted to adopt a child or even what type of person I was was notably absent from anything spoken between us. They shuffled me through that Gray Building to show me where the children spent their days. It was recess time, all the children ran out of the building to play out in the yard. The attendant decided to give me a tour of the playroom where they had all been inside. But surprisingly, alone was one small child sitting at a table playing chess...by themselves.

I was expecting the caretaker to capitalize on the situation, pushing me into the room to express how much of a "good child" they are, taking advantage of the one-on-one scenario. Instead, she tried to distract me which only piqued my interest. I walked into the room and sat across from the small child, I then asked politely if I could play them in a game. Honestly, when I issue a challenge, I try to prepare myself for every possible contingency, and subsequently, I ready myself for almost anything that they would say, almost being the key. "I'll play with you but don't be upset when you lose." her words were so quick that they snuck up on me. But at that moment what hit me hardest we're not her confident words, but instead, it was her eyes! They were bright purple, violet amethyst almost appearing to glow, but it was not just the color alone. The sharp presence of her eyes was something I could not read.

I have always without exception been able to read people, there were instances where it was more difficult than others, but the spectral presence that dwells within the eyes of all people has always been seeable to me. But right there across from me sitting quietly, was a young girl who defied this rule. It had not once accrued to me that my gift was a disadvantage. Sitting there staring into her shiny amethyst eyes I realized, "I have my answer."