Flickering Colours

I wandered through the crowd of mindless people. I couldn’t hear anything except for the thoughts flooding my brain. The same thoughts as everyone else. The world was bleak and dull. Just as we like it. I think? I turned the corner and my school came into view. The building was the same shade of grey as it's always been. The classrooms exactly the same. The students, carbon copies of each other. I hear stories of students who were different. At least I used to until the people telling them disappeared.

I trudged down the hallway, towards my locker. It was the same as every locker in the school. I opened it and emptied the contents of my bag into it, the same bag that everyone else had. I picked up my notepad, a pen, and my water bottle. The same water bottle as every other student. Walking into my first class, I sat in the same seat as always. Nothing ever changed. Just the way I like it. I think? I diligently took notes with the same bored expression as usual. The information entered my brain. The class took a sip of water at the same time before returning to our notes.

The walk home was the same as it's always been. Until I discovered the strangest thing on the side of the road. It was a colour I’ve never seen. I think it’s called green. I remember being told stories about green things. Trees, bushes, grass, flowers. I don’t care for them. I think? I was intrigued by this green thing, however. It turned towards me, brandishing a shining tentacle it grabbed the side of my neck. I felt a shock go through my body. This was strange. I didn’t like it.

I looked up around me, the world was no longer grey. The colour flickered before returning to grey. I thought I would be relieved, but all I felt was… disappointment? The world now seemed so boring. I felt a zap to the side of my neck. My hand went up to feel the painful spot and it brushed across something metal. I started to walk towards my house again, confused.

I picked up my pace as I drew nearer my house, the little green monster, the shocks, and the metal still fresh in my mind. I had the urge to do what I did every day, but instead, I went straight up to my room. I heard what vaguely sounded like an alarm in my brain. I ignored it. I noticed the colours in my room seemed all out of place as they flickered into view. I looked at the still painful spot on my neck in the mirror. The reflection showed what looked like a little metal chip in my neck. The last thing I remember was a blinding pain going through my body before the world fell dark.

When I awoke, I walked into the kitchen to eat breakfast. Oatmeal. Just like every day. I got dressed quickly in the only thing filling my wardrobe other than my grey pajamas, a grey school uniform. I couldn’t help but feel as though I wanted to wear something different. I didn’t know what, just something else. I walked to school, just like the day before. Colour flickered into my view after a bright green light flashed before my eyes. I froze, taken aback. The memories from yesterday rushed into my brain before the world fell dark again.

I woke up the next day and did the same thing I did yesterday, eat breakfast, get dressed and walk to school. The same routine as always. I felt a sharp pain in my head. That was concerning. No one felt pain. I had been told of a time when people did. It sounded awful. I ignored it. I sat down in class only to find that my pen was no longer black. I almost yelled out in surprise until I remembered what had happened the last couple of days. A blinding green flash shot past my eyes, touching everything in sight, before settling to reveal wondrous colours.

I sat at lunch, mulling over everything that had happened. What even had happened? I was so confused. The colours had not turned back to grey and honestly, I was grateful, they were beautiful. Things I had previously thought were boring greys were vibrant yellows and greens. The sky was a vivid blue. It was all so overwhelming. I had heard stories but I thought they were just that, stories. To find out they were real… I couldn’t believe it.

I watched students walk past, void of life. I couldn’t help but wonder why. I caught sight of the metal things in their necks, it had to have something to do with those. I decided to test my theory out after school, a few students walked the same route as me to get home. I needed answers.

I left school a little later than I usually would so I could corner another student. I approached him slowly and carefully. I had figured out that you were alerted when something out of the ordinary happened, and if it wasn’t rectified immediately, you would pass out. I attempted to rip the metal thing out of his neck. He hissed in pain as the metal came out easier than I had expected. The student I had approached looked around in awe.

“Surprising right?” I asked.

He didn’t respond. I looked down at the metal in my hand. It seemed to be some type of device. I heard the alarm in my head and knew it wouldn’t be long before I passed out. I tried to start explaining to him what was happening but before I could a sharp pain jabbed into my neck. I fell to the floor in agony. My brain felt like it was melting. The boy looked down in horror as I convulsed on the floor, the same green light from earlier burning my eyes. My consciousness slipped in and out until I finally fell into a never-awakening sleep. He fell soon after, a hole in his neck spilling blood.