Short Stories

Bearer of Colors

"It's the most amazing thing, Lynn," my mother had told me, sighing contently. "Holding the hand of your true love and, for the first time ever, seeing the world in color."

I wish I could say I understood her words, but all I saw was black and white, with little variation. I had never touched my true love. At least, not since I learned what a soulmate is, therefore gaining the chance at color. I wished I had, if only to give meaning to my mother's dying words.

Don't misunderstand, there are those I love. I love my family, my friends. But color only comes when you and your soulmate touch. I just wanted to know what my older brother, Lyle, meant when he said blue was his favorite color.

My father's favorite color was red, but with mother gone, it was unlikely he would ever see any color ever again. Unless he was one of those rare people with two soulmates. I felt sorry for him.

"Are you ok, Lynn?" Chris, my best friend, asked.

"Oh, yes," I said, my thoughts broken and fragmented by his interuption. I looked up at him and he cracked a smile. I loved that smile; crooked, but with perfect teeth. A perfect, colorless smile. I wonder...

On impulse, I grabbed Chris' large hand. Butterflies filled my stomach as I saw the world in a new perspective. The trees, the flowers, the sky, the sun! Everything had color. It was amazing how many there were. I wanted to know the names of them all.

"What are you doing?" Chris questioned.

"Don't you see it?" I asked, breathless at the sights surrounding me.

"Everything is black and white, like always," Chris insisted, giving me a skeptical glance. Did he really see nothing different?

He let go of my hand and my arm fell lifelessly to my side. The color dissipated as our contact ended. Tears came to my eyes, but I pushed them away. I had finally seen color. I finally knew who my soulmate was, and he had no idea. But Chris was my best friend, and would gladly do anything for me. He deserved to see color, with or without me. So, for his sake, I will choose to see in black and white.

"I was just joking, Chris," I said, forcing a laugh. "I don't see anything."

Chris looked away and hung his head. I feared he sensed my lie.

"That's for the best," he replied.

I was confused, but knew he would not explain, so I shrugged it off.

The following morning, there was a letter in my mailbox, written in ink that was not quite black.

Lynn,

If you have received this letter, know that I am gone. We had such great times together, it was easy to forget about the tumor in my brain. But do you remember, the day after your mother passed, you told me, "The way she described them, if I found color, I would never want to lose them." I had tugged on your braid, but recoiled instantly in shock. Your hair ribbon was red, according to my father, and I had seen it. But your eyes had been closed as you wiped your tears. Lynn, when you held my hand, I saw everything but black and white. But I knew that if I loved you, my iminent death would break you. I'm sorry I lied to you, my bearer of colors. I love you, Lynn.

Chris

Tears filled my eyes. His name, signed at the bottom of the page, was the color of the sky, as bright as I had seen it the day before.

A hand grasped my shoulder, and I looked up into Lyle's eyes. He held his soulmate's hand tightly as he read over my shoulder, before saying only one, simple phrase.

"He wrote in blue."