Color My World Short Story #12

 

I raised my head as I heard the familiar clack of polished shoes on wood. Like so many times before, my mind immediately went to the days of my childhood where I snatched Dad's shoes and danced my heart out trying to perform some tap. Those attempts ended when humiliation replaced cheerfulness. One of those shoes that had been far too big finally rocketed off my tiny toes and smashed Mom's nose. She laughed it off and complained more to Dad about why he felt the need to have footwear with such hard soles, but my tap dancing days were done.

    "Hey, Crys. Feeling any better?" Dad asked as he rounded the corner. He was already hovering over me with a sympathetic smile before I could answer.

   "Yeah. This new medicine is working a lot better than the other ones have. I'm still feeling a bit weak and unsteady though. Kinda cold too. Part of me wants to turn the fireplace on, but it's summer. That seems like it's a bit much," I smiled.

    "I can help you if you don't mind some cuddles."

    "How could I ever turn down cuddles? Just as long as you don't mind getting your clothes wrinkled."

    "Bah, what's a few creases?"

I scooted over for Dad to settle down next to me. The couch was a lot less manageable than it used to be when my crashes happened when I was little, but Dad refused to admit this old loveseat might not contain us for much longer. He snuggled me tight, and I closed my eyes relaxing into his secure hold. Too many times I'd ended up in the hospital because of my anemia. Him and Mom making sure to always be there with a warm hug was a gift I would never forget.

The Simplified Color My World Summary...With Pictures!

Gen One

Ethereal is the protagonist of Generation One. She's an albino, a person devoid of her natural coloring due to a genetic defect. She lives a quiet and peaceful though isolated life behind locked doors with a small yard surrounded by large, white walls. Ethereal initially doesn't mind the situation. She's been told she's an important part of a plan for The Company, the organization who has been taking care of her.

Color My World Generation One In-Depth Summary

     In the world in which the story takes place, people are made up of all sorts of colors. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, gray, and brown to be exact. However, ten-year-old Ethereal is without color. She is an albino, a physical state admired and glorified by the rest of the world. Yet, that world is something Ethereal knows nothing about. Kept in a pure white room with tall walls encasing the yard she's given to explore, Ethereal has lived her entire life isolated from everyone else. The scientists tell her she's an important part of a project they have planned. Ethereal finds she has no issues with that. Almost no issues, anyway.

     Ethereal grows up knowing only three people. The first one, Mr. Blue, is in charge of her physical health. She doesn't mind when he does a simple check of her state from time to time, but in the majority of cases Ethereal finds herself sedated in the small medical room attached to her living space. It is what he does when she's unconscious that bothers her about the project. Ethereal never finds herself hurt. Unfortunately, she always finds that blood has been drawn, there are multiple needle holes in her arms, and something simply feels off when she wakes.

     As much as Ethereal doesn't like Mr. Blue's visits, they don't happen often. Who she does see everyday is a woman named Ms. Yellow. This scientist who is neither nice nor mean brings Ethereal her meals, checks on her twice a day, and overall makes sure nothing has happened to her. Who is nice to Ethereal is the final scientist allowed in her room, Eden Yonder. Mr. Blue and Ms. Yellow tell Ethereal to call him Mr. Green, but Eden refuses to let himself be called by that title. Ethereal grew confused when Eden told her long ago that he was in charge of monitoring her psychological health as she had no idea what that word meant, so Eden simply smiled and stated he was in charge of making sure she didn't turn into a nut case. Ethereal enjoys his frequent visits. His visits majorly contain them playing together or relaxing on the grassy hill. Occasionally though, Ethereal grows mad at Eden when he tries to tell her of the outside, normal world. She has no interest in such tales, and Eden isn't supposed to tell her that stuff anyway.

     It would go on to be that Ethereal would find her mindset changing rapidly. Eden shows up for an unscheduled visit only to reveal in a contained rush that she has to make a choice. Ethereal can refuse a sedative he has brought, but if she does he has to leave never to return and she would never see him again. On the other hand, if she trusts him they can continue to be together. Knowing she would go crazy losing the lone source of love she's had, Ethereal chooses to trust him. She easily falls asleep. When she wakes, a small rundown brown and gray building is where she now finds herself. Eden is there too, of course, and after instructing that they have to keep the windows covered, he explains the truth.

Color My World Short Story #3- Part Three (END)

For the first time in months, I overslept and arrived at work late. Well, late according to my standards. My mandatory shifts didn't require me being at the building for several more hours, but this was a rare occasion when I missed one of the deadlines I set for myself. No one paid me any attention in the break room, so I hurriedly shoved my stuff in my locker before rushing down as nonchalantly as possible towards Snow's room. My heart raced as I opened the door, and it sank a million miles when I stepped inside. He wasn't there. None of his stuff was there. There wasn't a single thing in the room that signified a baby was nearby, and, worse, several things had been packed inside that hinted the space would return to a place to stuff storage.

Maybe...maybe they had simply moved him back into the nursery?

Color My World Short Story #3- Part Two

It wasn't as difficult to roll out of bed as I expected. I guess I had long accustomed myself to little sleep and early mornings. However, given how much work Ethereal would require if she was living with me normally my crazy work schedule really wasn't that different from that of a first time parent with a young child. Ridiculous hours, never ending responsibility, and constantly exhausted...which was why if I could barely handle it, I knew Blaze struggled a dozen times more. The drive to Berrybrook proved calming and gave me the clear mind I knew I would need to deal with the biggest baby out of Ethereal, Amaranth, and Blaze. He was difficult to begin with, and that phone call the previous afternoon wasn't going to do me any favors.

I arrived several minutes later than intended, although it certainly didn't make a difference to Blaze. I had began driving to the house in which Coal and Desire had hoped to build their family. The money for the place had been the wedding present from Coal's parents, but, unfortunately, the two story building with three fireplaces, an in-ground pool, and excellent view of the sea now had a For Sale sign in the front yard again. Getting my car down the appropriate street, I found a spot to park on the road and made my way towards the place Blaze and Amaranth now called home, which was little more than a glorified trailer.

Color My World Short Story #3- Part One

I don't know how she always knew. Ethereal could say about four words. It was difficult to gather at this stage exactly how many she understood, and she naturally had no idea how to read a clock. That latter bit didn't matter so much as there was no clock in the room to begin with. Thus, it was difficult enough for me to keep track of time and when I was meant to leave. How she somehow understood when I was about to take off each and every single day boggled me. Was there a certain expression that came over my face? Did the inflection in my voice change? Perhaps Ethereal had the ability to read minds? With me being as exhausted as I was in that moment, they all felt like plausible answers to my confusion.

And what a problem I had on my hands. My dear little sister wore that immense pout on her face, and it let me know what was coming the second I spoke or tried to put her down.

Purity, Wisp, & Prism- Colored

With there being a rather drastic lack of green that came out in the Christmas Presents (Amaranth and Ethereal's lovely rugrats), I decided that it would be interesting to give Wisp and Prism color to see if that was where the green was hiding. I also decided to take one extra step to give Purity her color as well just to cover all the albinos we've had in the story until this point. Who got which color where was determined with a classic clip of the coin. I like to think the results are pretty good.

To make things a little more interesting, I'd love to hear any ideas anyone has for what these characters would have been called had they been born with their color.

Color My World Behind the Scenes #2

So, I know you're all excited for the next generation of Color My World. I thought this would be a good opportunity to let you know that the story will be returning in exactly one week from now, on October 6th. The reason for bringing it back on that Tuesday instead of Monday is that October 6th is actually the one year anniversary of CMW! I thought waiting that extra day and starting the tale back up on the same day it all began would be a great way to celebrate the occasion. Updates would still remain on Mondays following that.

In order to help tide you over for these seven days, I am releasing the second half of the Behind the Scenes content I have for the first generation. As always, this content contains randoms things I noticed or thought about the game while taking pictures, how certain shots are set up, and how difficult it can be to get these digital people to cooperate. Enjoy!

You have to wonder about these Sims and their anatomy/bodily strength sometimes. I feel as if I would break my neck trying to lift my head like that. 

Gen One- Chapter Forty Six (FINAL)

I couldn't make up my mind as to whether the nerves racing through my body were better controlled by me standing or sitting. I figured it was probably better for me to sit, also because I knew I would be standing a lot during the day and needed rested feet, but how much effort it took to sit kept me on my legs instead. I didn't even understand how my mom had helped me wiggle into my dress in the first place. Losing a pound or two in the past several weeks due to my anxiety messing with my normal eating schedule felt like it was the main reason as to why the feat had been possible. I did love the dress to death, but as I kept rubbing at my arms as the material itched I wondered if I wouldn't go mad and rip the sleeves off before too long. I was already worrying enough as it was. I didn't need my outfit to add to the stress.

Gen One- Chapter Forty Five

I wished harder than I had wished in a long time that what was about to happen would not happen. It was impressive that my desire was so strong considering I had been begging the same thing for about fifteen minutes now. Unfortunately, there was no stopping what my body was insistent on putting me through. Sudden and rapid shaking rattled my upper half, my temperature seemed to sore while my senses went numb, and my stomach dove before flying up like it was on a roller coaster. Mostly I did nothing other than hack and heave, but there was a bit of rancid bile that flew up my throat and into the toilet- the last of the few crackers I had managed to eat before my vomiting session began.

Gen One- Chapter Forty Four

It still felt weird to be home. There were moments where I could forget where everything had changed, but of course everything had. Being white in a place where I had spent nearly half of my youth being green was taking some time to get used to. I was more accustomed to my white meaning I had to stay hidden, so to be able to move freely was bizarre. What was worse than that sensation was walking outside. Now allowed to come and go and live as I pleased, moving about Berrybrook as Ethereal was definitely a lot more challenging than it was for Meadow. My feelings of paranoia hadn't faded at all, because I might as well put a spotlight on me every time I go out. I gathered the courage to take a short walk the other day, and I got bombarded by people who wanted to talk to me or take pictures. I had seen such a thing be frequent with Purity, but it was at an obnoxious level for me with my story going as strong as ever. It was pretty much still the only thing being talked about on the news. It made sense though. It had only been two weeks after all since my capture.

With all the craziness, I had taken to driving whenever possible when I did decide to leave the house. I had spent the majority of my time, naturally, with my friends. The past several days had been full of us talking and me getting them used to the new me. It was frustrating in a way to see that even they acted differently around me. Thankfully, the more they grasped that Ethereal was just Meadow everything was shifting slowly to how it had been before. Sunset, Sunflower, and I had spent the whole afternoon hanging out like normal. That was what helped me forget the changes in my life. Walking down the stairs later that evening to get a snack before bed was what undid that. Eden had beaten me to the kitchen, and the conversation he was having on the phone alluded directly to the monumental event taking place the following day.

Gen One- Chapter Forty Three

Feeling my mind going numb, I decided enough was enough. I reached out to casually take the remote from Amaranth's hand, but I barely touched the plastic before he frowned, yanked it away, and set it far to his right side where I had no hopes of acquiring it.

     "Oh, come on," I rolled my eyes, wearing a light smile, "It's May. I'm not watching a shopping channel pushing Christmas stuff. It's bad enough some stores start the music the day after Halloween."

     "How can you ever get tired of Christmas stuff when it's our holiday?" Amaranth retorted back in sarcastic shock.

     "But I'm not green anymore."

     "Well, now we're like a candy cane instead." he shrugged.

     "I suppose," I accepted with a small chuckle, "But do you seriously want to watch this?"

     "Yeah."

     "Alright then." I caved.

I wasn't into the show any more than I had been ten seconds before, but I was willing to endure my mild boredom for Amaranth's sake. The mind numbing did help me some as well. We had spent the past two days cooped up in a little bunker house owned by one of Eden's friends. Jac, Eden, and his friends had taken the major step forward of outing everything Jac had swiped about The Company, which, according to him, was practically everything they had ever let him have access to since he started working for them. I was being kept hidden until the massive shock died down just a little. I was glad for it, because I could almost sense the chaos going on in the real world. The television Amaranth and I were watching didn't have any news channels. Just pointless stations like the shopping network that was currently playing away. I ignored it as I snuggled up against Amaranth. Instead of spending the past two days worrying about all the Company outing business, we both had been lounging around in our pajamas quietly comforting the other's griefs. For me it was mostly what Stratus had done, which none of the others save for Jac knew about, and for Amaranth it was naturally the fact that he had killed another person.

Gen One- Chapter Forty Two

I shifted against the cushion, smoothed the hem of my dress, and fiddled my fingers. There were two main emotions coursing throughout my body. Boredom, and then a tingling sensation of dread and expectation. But, mostly boredom. I suppose I was happy that that was what I was feeling though. It was a much better state to be in than the mess I had been the first day of my capture. Jac had returned with my real meal twenty minutes after Stratus and Rusty departed. Given that I had only just stopped crying a few minutes before he reappeared, there was no option of me denying that something had happened due to my tear-streaked face. I had gone through plenty of struggles in my lifetime, but getting the words out to tell Jac what Stratus had done was rather high up there on the list. I told him both about what Stratus had just done as well as about his actions in the insemination room. Needless to say, Jac was horrified and very, very pissed. I was assured that nothing would happen to me again, and I was also told both Stratus and Rusty would be getting a brutal reprimand.

All in all though, the actions and the lack of action on part of the two goonies did have some positive effects. Using their incapability at following orders as the reasoning why he apparently could only trust himself to keep track of me, I was with Jac constantly. I was always kept out of hearing distance from the important matters, but I otherwise followed Jac around like a baby duckling as he dealt with whatever monotonous paperwork that was a large part of his job. I was only in my room at night so I could sleep, and then we had been forced apart twice when it was time for me to be inseminated again. The second time, where I had been given my plain jane dress to wear because it made it easier for Coralie to get at those certain parts, had happened yesterday, and the third session had finished half an hour ago. I had all but thrown out the hope that their efforts would fail. They had injected too much up me in order for that to be the case.

Gen One- Chapter Forty One

Sensitive topic matter addressed this chapter.

Someone might as well have stolen all the sound out of the room. I had completely and utterly stunned the man in front of me. Jac stood perfectly still. I actually grew concerned that he had stopped breathing. His pose was stiff, and his wide eyes never blinked as they remained locked with mine. He remained like that for so long that I began to worry that I had made a massive mistake. Maybe calling out his secret wasn't the best idea when I still didn't have a full understanding of how he could help me or make my stay that much more miserable. My confident smile started to fade a bit, but that was when some life returned to Jac. Various emotions flittered behind his eyes. His face twitched a bit. Then, blessedly, realization dawned on his expression and the corners of his mouth pulled ever so slightly into a smile.

     "You little imp," he chastised in gentle amusement, "Here I thought the drug was still making you loopy enough for you to not realize how weirdly you were rambling on, but you were purposely trying to get a rise out of me in order to know the truth."

Jac shook his head at himself.

     "I suppose I should have been more wary when the rumors began to float about that you shared Eden's genius, or when I learned you had been hiding in Berrybrook."

Gen One- Chapter Forty

Sensitive topic manner addressed this chapter

Consciousness returned to me both slowly and suddenly. There was a long stretch of time where I understood I was aware of myself and my position on some bed but could not do anything about it, and then one distant noise jolted my thoughts to recall the events that had transpired. My mind woke up faster than my body did. I had already replayed the whole horrifying event before I was even able to open my eyes. Whatever drug had been used on me, it was vile. The taste lingered on my lips, the smell assaulted my nose, and my lungs ached in disgust at the last wisps of it that lingered within.

Gen One- Chapter Thirty Nine

I swore that all three of us stopped breathing the instant Blaze spoke those words. His gaze was resolute on me while mine stared blankly back. Amaranth's eyes flittered between me and his uncle. Honestly, I almost forgot he was there. My mind could only focus on Blaze and the words buzzing throughout my consciousness. Eden was my brother? What? I understood that Eden was my brother because that was the bond we had forged for ourselves, but I knew that wasn't what Blaze was getting at. He was trying to tell me that we were related by...by blood? Eternity seemed to pass, but I'm sure in reality it was no more than ten seconds. Blaze then motioned the stunned me over with a little wave of his hand.

Gen One- Chapter Thirty Eight

One could not have asked more a more perfect late spring day. The temperature was just at the right place to encourage running around in the warm, sunny heat without getting everyone all sweaty. A swirling breeze wafted the scent of flowering buds across the landscape while scatterings of clouds provided relaxing pockets of shade. It was difficult to not stare up into the endless beauty of the sky, and when I chose to do just that I spotted one particular diploma being tossed so high that I swore it joined the birds flying overhead.

Gen One- Chapter Thirty Seven

My eyes stared blankly at the wall. My body ached from having lain still for so long, but the ache in my chest was far too great for me to pay attention to anything but it. I didn't even feel hungry despite not eating since the previous morning. I felt somewhat thirsty, but I knew Eden would be in soon enough to try in get something in me. There was no point for me to bother getting up. Shifting slightly and sighing, I ran my fingers over my cheeks. They were completely dry, but too often it seemed as if they were drenched. I had cried so much that even when my skin was dry like it was now that the tickling sensation of tears never went away. Content to not be sobbing again, I closed my eyes only to hurriedly reopen them when my head screamed at me. It definitely didn't like being rested against the pillow for such an extended length of time. It protested against me whenever I did anything that slightly resembled sleep.

Gen One- Chapter Thirty Six

No matter how many times I blinked or rubbed, exhaustion roared up to make it feel as if my eyes were drying up inside my head. I would have been able to count the hours of sleep I had gotten in the past three days on just my two hands if my mind hadn't been just as useless as my desperate attempts to convince myself that it didn't seem like a good idea to go sit on a toilet in the bathroom and nap sitting up. I had fallen asleep in one class, but my teacher ended up leaving me alone. It was as clear as it had always been that I had no real reason to be there after he woke me up the first time, and I not only answered the quick string of questions he asked but stood up to teach the next minute or so of the lesson before sitting back down and resting my head against my desk. I wouldn't have ever dared to do such a thing before, but I think even the teacher understood it was best to leave the girl who could dance circles around him when it came to the knowing the information he was sharing alone when she was overwhelmingly exhausted. I had done my best to control myself since then. Sleeping in class was naturally much prefer to hiding out in the bathroom, but I didn't want to be a distraction for the other students who did need to learn. Not that most of them paid attention anyway. Their laziness was not a massive concern of mine at the moment though. Standing next to my locker, my more pressing issue was remembering what my combination was.

Gen One- Chapter Thirty Five

It was one of those moments where I was highly glad that Allium could be so utterly unobservant about the world around him. It was a month into our senior year of high school, and we were standing out in one of the back walkways of the building not too long after we had been let out for the day. Taking a page out of my book, Allium normally chose to wait ten or fifteen minutes for the vast majority of students to clear out of the parking lot before he made any attempt to leave. And, like usual, we spent that time waiting together. However, that afternoon was one of the ones that was becoming more common for me. I found myself pensive, worried, a little anti-social, and rather frightened. It was growing harder to hide such expressions on my face, which was why I was relieved about Allium not paying a heap of attention to me.

     "They thought it would help them get down the hill faster." Allium laughed as he continued the story he was telling me about his friends in Bayport and their sled races over the past winter.

He faced forward as he talked, so I was able to fool him with the occasional appropriate comment and hastily placed smile when I sensed him giving me a quick glance. I wish I could have enjoyed the story more, for it was amusing, but it had been a long time since I had wanted Allium to just go away and leave me alone already.