don't think, just breathe

Bree Cerra pulled on her silver heart shaped locket which hung low around her swan-like neck. She wondered why she reached for it. She never took it off. It was a symbol of her creativity. She absentmindedly scanned the grocery products on the conveyor belt and occasionally glanced at the timer. It was almost over. She could join her friends in a couple of hours. She didn't know what she would wear tonight. It was a casual night out with her closest friends. Wednesday was social night for her group. Her section had to wear blue outer garments for identification. She remembered the blue denim jacket that her best friend, Jayce had made for her. That's what I’ll wear tonight. She recalled that she wore a blue leather jacket last month She clocked out and jumped in her pink Beretta. She pushed through the doors of her apartment and took a quick shower, brushed her teeth, and slipped on a khaki jumpsuit and her jacket. When she arrived at the Purple Hibiscus café, all her friends were outside laughing and passing around drinks.

“Here,” Jayce handed her a strawberry daiquiri. “Cheers to Wednesday the month of July.”

Karson nudged her softly, “You said the same thing last month. Bree smiled, “It’s ok. I think she was a little tipsy around the same time last month.”

“Yeah, chimed in Gracie. “She’s a lightweight like you girl. Gracie’s boyfriend, Harry, stood up and shouted, “To the lightweights and the heavyweights of Section Blue.” Their food orders arrived, and everybody quieted down to devour their food sharing everything from the fiesta buffet. Everything was chill and right in their world until a man in a red leather jacket shouted words at the top of his lungs. He recited a sonnet,

Sun Kissed by the early summer light.

Caramel sleek skin flash sheen so golden

Rainbow toes waltzing through waves at mid Night.

Touched by the Moon shine and Stars still glowing.

Cool Summer Breeze make me feel free so live.

Sleep quietly laugh peacefully out loud.

Beach hot sand blasting hard Rock until five.

Boardwalk fries saltwater taffy huge crowds

Travel by foot bus subway train plane car

Vacations in May June July August

Trips every Summer driving not very far.

Family tribal traditions just us

Ocean City Summer Splash free your mind

Release fireworks blasts boom its Summertime.

“Who is that?” Jayce whispers. “It doesn't matter who he is. He is out here. On the wrong day, Karson grimaced his teeth clenched shut. The Red Section’s night is Monday. He growled. “Hey, he's running. They spotted him”, screamed Gracie. “Is he's coming our way?” Bree yelled in alarm. “Everybody keep still” whispered Harry. The stranger in the red leather jacket dove headfirst and hid under their table. “Get out from there, yelled Harry.” “That’s not cool man”, grumbled Karson. A bright surveillance light passed over the entire area outside of the café. Everybody jumped up to leave when they saw officials from the agency heading their way. The man grabbed Bree’s jacket and tugged. He looked at her with pleading eyes. He whispered, “Please stay with me.” Bree’s friends look back cautiously eyeing her and the sky at the same time. “Are you coming?” “No, I'll be fine.” Bree murmurs. “Suit yourself.” Gracie snarls. Harry hunches his shoulders in disbelief. Karson walks away with his fists in tight balls mumbling under his breath. “Here stupid!” Jayce growls and pulls out a blue sweater from her knapsack and hits the boy upside his head with it. The two are together and alone now. He discards the red jacket and they both watch as the officials scan them and run past them quickly. He stares at her and her heart locket. “Who are you?” “Nobody knows who we are.” “I mean your name.” “I’m Gill Bale.” “What do you do?” “I build houses. “That's good.” “I don't like building houses. I should be writing. I should be writing stories. I should be writing poetry. I should be writing essays. I should be writing news commentary. I should be writing novels. I just should be writing, and I really should be who I am. Who I really am. What about that locket. I'm sure they didn't program it for you. Did you choose it?” “I don't remember.” “Oh, that's the key… memory.” “What are you talking about? “I heard them… saw them using a strange device. It has a way of knowing who we are. Aare you happy with who you are? I am who I am aren't I? Don’t you want to know who you should be?” “I am a store clerk. Why would I worry about that? I am not concerned about happiness in doing it. It has to be done. Everybody can't be writers.” “Why not? I can be a writer. I am a writer!” Gill pulled out a piece of paper. He read the words softly,

Brown pairs well,

Love the shades I’m in blue-black chocolate tan caramel cognac sepia sable redbone doo doo brown sand coffee high yellow dark white beige Hershey special dark you choose no matter what shade we can work it out because,

Brown pairs well,

Blinded by the lightness of Yellow come over here you make me unique with your liveliness you compliment me so well,

Brown pairs well,

Oh My God Orange you take my neutrality I'm so much more appealing trendy and hip by your side they won't call me the ‘black sheep’ of the neutral shades thank you very much,

Brown pairs well,

Ravishing Red wait a minute let me step by your side we’ll be so feminine and comfortable we can get oh so cozy child,

Brown pairs well,

Oh no it’s Gold you're so magical and bold did you need to be toned down a bit with my cozy brownness let's get visionary and versatile we be feeling feminine from vintage to contemporary don't you think,

Brown pairs well,

I'm going allow your light shade of Green to walk with me I’ll be masculine yet so soft we're so organic we pair so well,

Brown pairs well,

Yes, its Pink you add a fun part to my brownness so bright with my darkness,

Brown pairs well,

I think I'll pick me some Copper with my deep chocolate brown I will be so bright with more pizzazz bring it brassy I know you can,

Brown pairs well,

Hey, I don't know you all I might have to leave you I see blue people wow we’re such a peaceful duo so subtle so smooth time to just relax in your blueness it makes my brown eyes browner,

Brown pairs well,

Purple you’re a no brainer plum mixed with tan coffee or beige creates a combo both muted and so professional,

Brown pairs well,

But wait a minute wait a minute I see another neutral I spot a neutral over there it's a crisp White we’ll be a duo with charm and drama so traditional and welcoming they’ll stare at us quite impressed,

Brown pairs well,

Well, I challenge you to pair me beautiful brown with your color so tell me out of all the colors of the rainbow what lovely hue are you? no worries opposites attract and,

Brown pairs well with everything.

“That’s beautiful! How did you do that? I thought you were a carpenter.” “I used the searcher and I found information about who I was before the satellite crashed and mutated the solar eclipse that changed our world. We lost all access to the web that day. They wanted to create a more controlled environment. There was so much chaos. People were doing whatever they wanted to do. No one wanted to do the menial jobs like collecting trash, cleaning hotels, being a store clerk.” He looked at her as she fidgeted with her locket. What are those initials, T.J?” She looked up, “Yes, TJ.” “You said your name was Bree.” “I am Bree.” “Why are you wearing TJ's locket? “It's my locket. I'm going home now. I have to work tomorrow.” “Can I come to your house. I have to tell you… She placed her fingers to his lips and got in her car. “You can’t stay long. I have to…” “Yes, I know. Work tomorrow.” He was silent for the entire ride. “We’re here.” She unlocked the door to her apartment and turned on the light. “Be careful.” When he stepped inside, he had to gingerly step over a pile of boxes. There were many boxes filled with jewelry. There were other boxes filled with gems and natural stones. “I made these.” “You are a highly creative jeweler. “I just do it to pass the time.” He spotted some abstract oil paintings in the corner. The name written on the bottom of all the paintings was T.J. “So, who is T. J?” She put her hands up to her face and sighed. “T.J is…was my boyfriend. He tried to sell his art when he found out I had to have surgery and we needed extra money that year. They caught him and now he’s gone.” “Did you have the surgery? “No, I am surviving.” “Are you? “Look, everybody gets the same pay. Everybody gets food whenever they want it. Everybody gets a home. Everybody get everything they need to survive so I don't need to know anymore. “Don’t you wanna know what happened? How they ended everything. How they cancelled the world… the world we used to live in.” She covered her ears and screamed, “I don't wanna know about anything else. It’s ok to pick up the trash. It’s ok wait on customers in a market.” “But you can't stifle creativity. Don’t you have any passion?”. “I love doing my jewelry but that's what you mean wouldn't you like to see if anybody what want to buy your jewelry? you can sell all this beautiful jewelry. “Why would I want to do that? “You would want to do that so you could get more money more money to buy yourself or your friends all your family more things. You could pay for your surgery. “I don't have to or are you about that we have everything we need to survive I want you to know who you are why do you care who I am if I don't even care. I think you should go now. I t's causing a lot of trouble and I just want to go to bed and get up he's already ruined our fun we only have one day, and you ruined it for us and now we have to wait to go out and have fun. “I go out whenever I feel like it “Yeah, you sure do. You spend your time running from the people who are trying to make our lives easier. Why do you want to have a life that’s more complicated? I don't understand you. T. J’s gone. He tried to do what you’re talking about and now he’s gone. I don’t care anymore. I wanted to go find him, but everybody says that it would be a waste. I can’t do it alone.” “You don’t have to.” Gill took both of her hands and squeezed them tightly before he released them. She collapsed in his arms and sobbed like a troubled child. She looked up into his eyes and wiped away a few tears that had begun to fall. Starting tomorrow we will join the ‘searchers’. They gather information about life on this world. We used to be creative people. We can have that again. It can’t be done overnight but it’s a life where you can be who you are. Will you come with me, Bree? Bree walked over to one of her cases and reached for a silver locket. She placed it in the palm of his hand and said, “I’ll engrave it tomorrow after we find the ‘searchers.’”