Behind Closed Windows

The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room.

He was new to their desolate town. She was outside on her phone, texting him as she walked. He was outgoing but mysterious. She got his number from a friend of a friend. She had just introduced herself, yet his aura felt familiar to her.

He marveled at things she despised throughout her life. The barren trees, the absence of wildlife, and the monochromatic color palette of the city. He came from a place where grass grew a vibrant green and wildlife lived in a blossoming and ever-growing forest.

This ugly city was a direct result of the collapse of society, yet nobody knew why. So many generations passed since the city became this way, and now the next generations have to cope with this depressing world.

He had never seen these colors before. He had never seen this deprivation before.

She could never comprehend how amazed he was by this world. The memories he described to her from where he used to live sounded like something out of a fairy tale.

A few weeks passed.

He asked her to come to his house, and she accepted his invitation. She stood before her closet, trying to choose an outfit.

The wood was rotting, the hangers were broken, and her clothes were an organized blend of disgusting shades of black, brown, and grey. She grabbed a brown vintage dress with a grey apron and ruffles on the sleeves and collar. It was horrid, but it was the best thing she could find.

She walked to his house just down the street. She discovered that he lived in a large mansion. Compared to the dark and depressing city, the house looked like a castle. She rang the doorbell. In a way she couldn’t quite describe, the doorbell sounded like pure diamonds. She heard footsteps echo to the door.

The only true white door in the whole city opened before her eyes, and the boy stood in the massive doorway. He invited her inside.

Somehow, the house was even bigger than it looked. Gold trim lined the walls, chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, and a spiral staircase stood tall in the center of the home. In the living room, there was a gorgeous fireplace with a photo of someone hanging over the mantle.

“Who is that?” She asked innocently.

“Someone my mother and I lost,” He replied sternly. “My father.”

He didn’t look particularly sad, which puzzled the girl.

"Oh," She said, disappointed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

He looked at her and smiled shyly.

"It's okay," He said. "Sacrifices have to be made sometimes."

Her expression changed from sad and empathetic to concerned and a little frightened. She stopped asking questions for a moment.

"Why don't we go upstairs?" He asked. "I have something to show you."

The girl wanted to feel scared or nervous, but stepping up the glass staircase was so entrancing that she couldn't find the ability to feel anything other than excitement. Walking down the long hallway, they found and entered his room.

It was messy compared to the rest of the house, but just as astonishing. She scanned around his room. Nothing like her room. The colors alone left her mesmerized. White, gold, hints of blue, and... green?

She spotted a color that her world had lost a long time ago. She found it in the window. He allowed her to be mystified by what she saw. It was exactly what he described to her. She had never seen anything like it.

"What is this?" She asked in amazement. "It's so beautiful!"

He smiled at her, but she was in too much of a trance to look anywhere but this new outside.

"It's why I invited you," He said. staring out the window with her. "I have to tell you something."

She had no idea what to expect, but she listened to him anyway.

"Okay," She said calmly. "I'm all ears. You've got my attention."

He explained to her that the window was where he came from.

"It's why we lost my father. He has a history of being rebellious here, and it wasn't safe anymore. That's why we built this house. The bright colors make people think we have power, and it keeps them away," He explained. "He's too afraid to come back because of his reputation if that makes sense."

She turned to face him rather than the window and nodded her head.

"That's also what I wanted to talk to you about," He said. "Somebody has to go there to restore this wretched city to the way it used to be, bright and colorful. For these past few weeks, I've been searching for the person to do that. We can't do it, but I have faith in you."

Although it was a lot to take in, she understood.

"You'd come with me though," She said nervously. "Right?"

He looked at her with disappointment.

"No," He said. "We have to minimize the number of times someone travels through the window to stay safe and undercover. It's complicated. You have no idea why the world became this way, but you'll certainly find out when you leave. It's not pretty."

She hung her head and thought. The room went silent in just a few moments.

"I'll do it," She said, breaking the silence. "For you. For us."

He smiled and thanked her. He opened the window. She reached an arm out and, for the first time in her life, felt a breeze of fresh air. Just before she left, they looked into each other's eyes.

"Oh, also," He said. "I should probably give you this."

He reached into a drawer in his bedroom and pulled out a picture of his father. He placed it in her hand right before she stuck it in her pocket.

"If you see him," He said. "Say hi for me, won't you?"

She smiled at him.

"I will," She said as she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you when things get better."

He shut the window and waved to her. She waved back, and then she was gone.

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