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Follow the leader

Fifty hues of grey—

By SJ CoveyPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
15
Follow the leader
Photo by Albert Antony on Unsplash

The stupidest idea ever, camping--alone. What is she thinking, or perhaps she isn't, the blind bravado of youth. Nothing will, or can happen. A desire for some head space, away from all the noise and interference to focus on making a difference, she wants to think. Her mum tells her every day how she is exceptional. Her mum just isn't aware of how incredible she is.

The thin fabric of the tent does little to drown out the night-time sounds of the forest. In hindsight her air pods, should have been the first thing she packed, ignoring the noises with the ability to concentrate on the task at hand would have been much easier with them. Should anyone discover she is here she will be in so much trouble. The excuse is that she is staying over at her friends birthday party, another lie. To tell the truth is actually more unbelievable currently than making up lies and falsehoods.

The first time Tori realises she is different is watching a film in school. Tori's class mates all crying and showing such empathy for the animal which is slaughtered. In direct contrast, Tori's tears, plenty of them . Not mourning the beast, her grief is for the earth, and the over farming taking place. A severe lack of understanding for the price the planet pays in the film. At least the tears give the illusion of her being like one of the other children, when she is anything but.

Achromatopsia is the label they give to the young child who is unable to grasp singing a rainbow when everything is shades of grey. When her mother takes her to the library one day, and she reaches for a book about her condition. Shock isn't a strong enough emotion to describe her feelings, when her hand is slapped away from the book, her mother's scowl startles her.

"This is not a textbook about seeing 50 different hues of grey, not at all. Put the book back and come along."

This is the response of trying to learn more about what her condition, a rare form of colour blindness where the only colour she sees is grey, takes her. This happened several years ago and before Tori finds herself. The old Tori wouldn't dream of camping alone in a back garden never mind a creepy forest.

A familiar thrum of heavy machinery cuts through the sudden silence all around. The heightened senses of the animals are so far superior, picking up on a change to the atmosphere, as though a storm is coming and the air is charged. Complete absence of sound from the creatures a clear indication to Tori the time is upon her. An intense grey light fills the tent, and she goes to investigate, anticipation mixing with nerves and a fear of the unknown. The mist is green because of the bright green light on the undercarriage, but all is still grey in Tori's world.

A shaft of pale grey light leads her away from the tent, the thrumming getting louder, until... Hovering directly above her, a small space craft. Small in comparison to those in movies, but all things considered an average size. Another tunnel of light surrounds her, and she is transported aboard, transported home.

Accustomed to communicating with humans Tori begins to speak, she will need to learn other methods of communication favoured by her species.

"You made me broken, I can't see colours," not exactly earth-shattering first words to her kin.

We made you perfect.

Ah-ha, Tori understands she needs to think to converse.

Well you sent me to a dying planet, earth is broken and I want off.

Can we save the planet? The countless species upon her?

Not likely, they are a bunch of selfish idiots who care more for a manufactured breed of household pet than the magnificent creatures filling their abundant oceans. One of my school friend's mum paid £1,000 for a dog collar for her dog!

So sad. What is pet, what function do they serve? What is paid? What is dog? Dog collar for a priest is this what she bought?

Please can we go home now? Tori rolls her eyes at the need to explain all the questions.

This is your home, our plans are to fix this planet and you are going to orchestrate this.

"--I am?"

***

The pale daffodil yellow bedspread is tucked tightly under Tori's chin as her eyelids part, blinking she rubs at them wondering how she ended up in her bed, in her room. Where is her tent? More importantly where is her mother ship.

"Oh come on, this can't be a dream. This is so lame!" Tori stomps her feet in the bed, thrashing around, a childlike throwback for a sixteen-year-old alien. On the condition that I am an alien, if this is real.

Once she thinks rationally at the onset of morning she will surely recognise the pink floral blooms on her dressing table. The Mediterranean hue of the curtains blowing in an unexpected breeze from the open window.

"Colours!" She shouts.

Rushing through the door, her mother asks.

"What is wrong?"

"Pink, blue, yellow, green. Every single one. All of them, I mean I see them all."

Doctors are baffled, reversal of colour-blindness is unheard-of, never has there been a case in history. Tori's mother struggles to keep up with all the talk show appearances, she is cashing in on this . A small group of followers, grows to a medium group and before long a huge group.

The residents of earth speak of miracles and start quoting social media posts Tori posted over the years, her love of the oceans. A desire to clean them, to save endangered species and most of all to stop polluting and wake up to what is important.

With clothes so vivid, the earthlings wear the brightest colours imaginable, in her honour rallies are held. Begging mankind to stop what has begun, if not for themselves then in the name of Tori. Earth's miracle can lead them to save their planet, if they follow her example. Mission accomplished.

Short Story
15

About the Creator

SJ Covey

FamiLIES, SJ's debut NA book was released 20th Sept 2023.

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