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Post by sand dollar on Aug 7, 2016 0:59:25 GMT -5
Salutations and welcome to my story, "Hues of Love"! This is my entry for A.M.'s writing contest.
Feel free to leave critique and reviews! I won't be able to edit my chapters between entry submissions, but I'll still keep advice in mind and benefit from it in future writing. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! The theme of the contest is a Soulmate Color AU. People see the world in black and white until they meet their soulmate, but when their soulmate dies their world relapses into a colorless one yet again.
Soulmate
noun
a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner.
There are all sorts of soulmates. Here is the telling of one particular pair and the bond they share. |
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 7, 2016 1:04:00 GMT -5
 Music - Each round/chapter will have music to go along with it. It's there for you to read with, listen to separately, or ignore entirely!
Round One - First Bit of Blue
•••••• [ACHROMATIC]
Ella.
Her name was still fresh on his tongue. It lingered in the air, left unsaid on phone calls and in conversations with acquaintances. His children walked on eggshells around him, each smile bright enough to power a 100 watt bulb and each voice glazed with enough sweetness to cover a dozen donuts.
Ella. The blankets moved with him as he reached over and patted her pillow, cold and vacant now. He liked to imagine her there, once-brown curls spread in a halo around her head, chattering on about all sorts of things. Regardless of whether he could keep up, he would always listen.
"Hmmf." He recoiled from her place and grunted as he rolled out of bed, his sock-clad feet hitting the floor with a satisfying thump. He dressed quickly, tossing on a fleece at the last moment to fight the morning chill.
In the kitchen, he brewed a cup of black coffee and sat down at the small dining room table with his mobile phone. He and Ella always saw advertisements for whatever fancy iWhatchamacallits kids had these days. He didn't understand the fad; phones like his were simple, used for calling people like they were originally designed to do in the first place! Alas, everyone needed bigger, better, newer things. As far as he was concerned, the new generation was wasting precious time on their electronics. He knew they'd regret it one day.
The man frowned as he concentrated on the tiny screen. There were only three numbers on it - those of his two children and his best friend. He punched his friend's number on the illuminated keypad and hit DIAL.
After five rings, a voice answered on the other side.
"Hello, Alan. This is.. Chris." The voice of his friend's husband was shaky.
"Chris? Where's Gabe at? I was hoping he'd be up for a walk. I wanted to see how he was doing." It was typical for Chris to answer for Gabe, Alan knew. He was always forgetting his phone at home when he went out. Recently, he had been feeling a bit under the weather, but there was nothing good ol' Gabe couldn't handle.
Chris was silent for a moment. His breathing was audible on the other end, and it set Alan on edge.
"Alan, Gabe... he passed away this morning. As you know, he was a few years older than you, and the flu hit him hard. I'd love for you to come to the memorial service. We both would, I mean." Chris said solemnly.
"I'm sorry, Chris. Gabe was a great friend of mine and I could tell how much you meant to each other. I'll be there."
END CALL.
Alan let his phone clatter to the glassy surface of the table. Numbness devoured his limbs and internal organs as the news sank in. Ella had passed away two months prior; he didn't need another death so soon, he didn't deserve it. The color had already seeped out of every last crevice of his waking world in Ella's absence. It wasn't fair. Now that he had no wife, he was expected to live his life in black and white until he passed away as well? Where was the logic in that? Heck, who designed their screwed-up soulmate rules anyway?
Sometimes he went to the Achromatic Community Center, a dilapidated building designed to bring Achromatics together and make them feel less lonely as they trudged around in black and white. Alan played chess there sometimes. That was how he met Gabe, actually, before they met their significant others and began living life as happy Polychromes, part of the in-crowd.
He felt a sudden urge to visit the place again.
His coffee was ice-cold but he downed it in a few gulps. He donned his hat and gloves and stuffed a wad of cash into his pocket.
Alan stepped outside.
•••••• [ACHROMATIC] He half-expected to see green grass under his feet as he descended the steps of his porch.
The elderly man shook his head as he crawled down the street at a snail's pace. Ash Lane, Soot Street, Void Avenue, Charcoal Court. The Achromatic neighborhood was a grim sight. The houses were of standard quality, at least, with humane living conditions and small, boxy front lawns. But they were cookie-cutter houses; Alan didn't need to step inside another Achrome's house to see the layout. He knew it like the back of his hand.
On the other side of town lay the Polychrome neighborhood, with sprawling properties that boasted unique homes and happy families. Life there had been bittersweet. Unlike the majority of the other Polychromes, Alan and Ella had felt uncomfortable with the air of entitlement and superiority the others had when out in public around Achromes. They had all been there, in their black and white days, and to act as if they never experienced the world in any other way and look down upon the less fortunate made Alan sick to his stomach.
The community center came into view as he scrolled through the Panchromatic park, where Polychromatic and Achromatic families could come to enjoy the day. It was designed to be inclusive of everyone, and the Polychromes that hung there typically tended to treat Achromes with respect and decency. They were "chill", as he heard some young hipsters say.
A newspaper tumbled across the cement in front of his feet. He paused to pick it up and was surprised to discover it was the current week's issue. Eureka!
•••••• [ACHROMATIC]
Pleasant heat embraced him as he entered the building, on a mission now to find a nice spot to read his paper. He sank into the ratty couch - it was surprisingly plush! - and glanced around. He was seated in the "reading" corner of the downstairs area, where a group of children were playing Connect Four at a table nearby. Other than that, the space was relatively quiet for a Monday morning. Good.
He turned the pages of his prize eagerly, devouring the recent news. Or what there was, anyway. Not much happened in their little Podunk town of Spectville.
One article in particular caught his eye:
Warning: There have been sightings of a loose dog running amok in Spectville!
We all know how dangerous those foul beasts can be.
This is a picture from a witness. Please exercise caution while outside and report any future findings to the Spectville police.
Have a radiant day!
Alan stared at the dog. From what he had learned in school dogs were creatures from another land that Spectville tried to keep out at all costs due to how harmful they were. There were stories of children getting attacked, houses being raided, and overall terror among the community. The dog featured in the picture didn't look that harmless when taken out of context. Then again, he had never seen what it could do.
He reached to turn the page and had to clench his teeth to refrain from crying out. There, as he moved his hand, his veins flashed blue under his papery skin!
How odd, he thought. Perhaps his sight was acting funky because of the emotion Gabe's death had invoked in him.
Slightly spooked, he tucked his newspaper under his arm and carried it home.
Word Count: 1,216
Round Two - A Colorful Sunset?
•••••• [ACHROMATIC] A slice of raspberry pie loaded with enough whipped cream to feed a small country was deposited in front of Alan with a smile. The old man gazed down at his plate with a face of stone, waiting for the beaming waitress to leave. What a pest! He couldn't blink without having to answer her questions about what kind of syrup he needed or what kind of sweetener he desired in his coffee. Heaven forbid he liked it black!
He twirled his fork thrice and dug in. Chewed, swallowed. Paused.
Inhaled, exhaled.
A little dry, but still worth the price. An entire 75¢ higher than Polychromes had to pay!
Shadowy semicircles surrounded his eyes. The previous day's encounter with a color - blue, for cripes' sake! - had shaken him up. Some connivers in the Spectville community believed colors were something to fear, despite the constant drilling of their importance and indication of approval of the Overlord, but Alan had loved his bittersweet time as a Polychrome. If he did regain his color, he would be an anomaly, an outcast even, if he didn't have a lover. Clearly something had triggered his split-second moment of polychromia.
But what?
The man adjusted his posture as he flipped through yesterday's newspaper, hoping to recreate the moment he experienced in the community center. News articles, ads, a minuscule advice column. He'd leafed through the pages at random that night, to no prevail.
He decided to scan the whole thing, thoroughly this time. His hands cooperated nicely with each other, one shoveling pie and the other turning pages. It was a rhythmic endeavor.
Bwaaaaaaaah . . . Bwaaaaaaaah . . . Bwaaaaaaaah
Alan jumped nearly a foot in the air as the screeching of sirens decimated the peaceful atmosphere of Spectrum's All-Night Diner.
There is a dog running wild in Spectville. Please stay inside your homes. There is no need to worry.
The voice of Helen Voddi, Mayor of Spectville, crackled over the restaurant intercom (and presumably the intercom-recorders planted inside each house to ensure the safety of every civilian). Alan stood up and gathered his belongings, managing to spill his coffee as he did so.
Rats! The pesky waitress from before appeared at his table to mop it up, but her smile was wavering and her hands shook.
"Excuse me, what am I supposed to do?" Alan asked, softening his attitude at the sight of the scared employee. He'd never experienced a situation like this in his lifetime, which meant it was a first for her too. Nothing ever went wrong in Spectville.
"Stay here, dear," she replied, fidgeting with her laminated name tag. RHONDA. "Until the danger passes."
She scurried away to sooth the other customers, though it was clear she was as shocked as they were.
He sank into the worn vinyl of his booth and gazed across the street, treated to a view of their town square's crumbling fountain and the aged coin-wash laundromat directly across from the diner. Two dim streetlights provided just enough illumination to clearly see the cobblestones on the otherwise empty road, darkening by the minute as the sun descended from the sky. Nothing stirred.
Until a short, fluff-covered beast trotted by, pausing to sniff the fountain.
Holy mackerel! Alan gazed at it in awe as it examined the dilapidated structure, completely unaware of his presence. From this view, it didn't look at all menacing; in fact, it appeared to be frightened - of Helen Voddi and the Spectville authorities, perhaps. He couldn't believe his eyes.
Glancing around to make sure no one had seen the dog, Alan hefted his bag over his shoulder and crept his way out of the back exit. It was easy really, as the other occupants were too preoccupied with chatting among themselves to notice him slip away.
What am I doing? Alan stepped as quietly as possible for a seventy-year-old man as he inched his way towards the fountain. The front of the store had an abundance of glass windows, so he stopped at the corner of the building - hidden from the diner's view.
"Hey," he whispered. The dog's eyes zeroed in on him immediately, and for a moment they appeared almost... blue? He blinked, and the color disappeared. If it was even there to begin with. He shook his head. "Come here."
Come here? Take a seat, Alan. This was a potentially dangerous feral animal that threatened their entire town and he, a mere elderly man with brittle bones, had decided to confront it?
He had no idea why he wasn't still safely inside the confines of the warm, sticky diner, but he knew there was something about this dog that intrigued him.
It seemed harmless, at least, as it blinked at him, still as a statue. Alan suddenly felt as if he had entered some sort of staring contest, a game of some kind. The dog was unresponsive to his words.
"It's alright," he stepped gingerly towards the silent creature, palm outstretched. Maybe it would take it as a sign of peace.
Before he could react, the dog seized the opportunity to flee and scampered past, through the very heart of the town.
"Hey!" Alan cried out, blowing his cover as he tore after it as fast as his weak legs could carry him. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he chased after the blasted thing, perhaps two or three blocks.
Halfway across someone's driveway, his right knee gave out and he went sprawling onto the cracked cement.
He closed his eyes. He was done for. He'd be hauled away to who-knows-where for failure to comply to the authority's safety precautions and he'd never have a shot at seeing in color again. They would find him here, injured and defeated, unsuccessful in his mission.
Something licked his leg, quickly, with rapid strokes. It was wet and felt like a tongue, soft and smooth. Faintly, but surely, he heard a distinct noise of sniffing.
Alan opened his eyes to see the dog from the square by his side.
But what was more shocking was the fact that the sky behind it was in color - reds and oranges melted together to create a pure masterpiece. Color had re-entered his world.
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 7, 2016 21:01:14 GMT -5
Credit to Jas at Freedom Wings for the beautiful layout! The banner, headers, and coding are hers. I highly recommend her shop for all of your graphic design needs.
Credit to Tumblr for the Soulmate Color AU prompt!
Credit to A.M. (aka ❴ ғα∂ιηg ✦ яεαℓιтү ❵ ) for the creation of the writing contest and this opportunity to write!
Credit to me for the characters.
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 10, 2016 15:56:05 GMT -5
aaa i actually wrote some stuff. i can't figure out how to remove my signature from my posts on here rip
this is open to posting!
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 10, 2016 17:49:21 GMT -5
chapter 1 is up!
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Aug 10, 2016 17:53:02 GMT -5
This chapter was sad, like wow I have feels and its just chapter one. But it's also super amazing and really nicely written.
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 10, 2016 17:54:57 GMT -5
This chapter was sad, like wow I have feels and its just chapter one. But it's also super amazing and really nicely written. ikr i feel so bad for him. thank you! |
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Aug 10, 2016 17:55:58 GMT -5
Same, poor Alan. But hey, you know you're a good writer if you attack everyone with the feels in just the first chapter.
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 10, 2016 18:11:41 GMT -5
Same, poor Alan. But hey, you know you're a good writer if you attack everyone with the feels in just the first chapter. i actually think of myself as super inexperienced and i'm a bit rusty on my writing skills but that's very kind of you to say! (: |
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Aug 10, 2016 18:12:50 GMT -5
No problem, the story is really good!
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 10, 2016 20:20:01 GMT -5
Ohhh, I like this take on it, Sand! Instead of it being a human to human love relationship, having it be more of a friend connection with an animal! It's very unique and cool! thank you!! |
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Post by Jas on Aug 10, 2016 20:51:59 GMT -5
how adorable, my heart
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 10, 2016 21:04:21 GMT -5
thank you!! ahh (: the layout really adds to the story! <3 |
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Post by Brownie on Aug 10, 2016 22:59:42 GMT -5
"Spectville" I love it
And the whole world being segregated like that is an awesome take on the prompt wowza.
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 10, 2016 23:01:55 GMT -5
"Spectville" I love it And the whole world being segregated like that is an awesome take on the prompt wowza. thanks! i just figured spect has to do with sight so. o; ahh ty i thought it would be interesting! |
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 10, 2016 23:04:01 GMT -5
Alan strolled, not scrolled through the park ouch that typo is bugging me sm
see what too much internet can do to you kiddos
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Post by Jas on Aug 11, 2016 0:14:07 GMT -5
hehe, i'm glad you think so!
i was wondering if this was the path you were going down when i was making the banner. and i'm really really glad you did. it makes me so happy. ;u;
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Post by sand dollar on Aug 11, 2016 0:35:42 GMT -5
Jas aw, i'm glad it makes you happy! i love dogs so i thought it would be fun to write.
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Post by Jas on Aug 11, 2016 1:38:57 GMT -5
yeah, it's always really fun to take those kind of relationships and write them out ;u; it doesn't really seem like something you can put into words very easily. but once you get started, it just kind of flows
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