Chapter 13: Colors red and green

The person who was staring at me a while ago was Cyrus all along. How could I have not noticed? Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting any of the kids here to speak to one another?

"Were you calling me?" I replied coldly. I could feel the intense stare of Miss Asmia at us.

"Yes I am," he replied without looking at me, "I need you".

Did I hear that right or am I just hearing things now? It may be because I only ate a small protein bar for breakfast and now I'm hallucinating out of hunger. This is bad.

"Virginia?" he called.

I shook my head. I just realized that I've been staring at him while I zoned out just a while ago. I hope his guardian didn't notice that.

"What do you need me for?" I coldly replied.

He held a white rectangular object and showed it to me. "This," he said.

I can't help but squint my eyes, "what do I do with that?"

He grabbed a long thin wooden object which has tiny hairs on its end. I watched as he dipped the object's tip (which is the tiny hairs) to a vibrant red liquid inside a container.

"You dip the brush into the paint just like this," he began to rub the brush's tip to the rectangular white surface. "Brush it along this canvas to create an image of your choice," he explained as he continued to brush red color into the so-called "canvas".

"Good job there Cyrus!" Sir Luke exclaimed as he appeared out of nowhere. "I like that teamwork, keep that up!" he said then gave us a thumbs up.

"Thank you, Sir Luke," Cyrus replied coldly and continued with putting red paint in his canvas. I wonder what kind of image he'd be making.

Sir Luke may be watching the both of us but we were too occupied to notice. Speaking of surveillance, I know someone else who got their eyes on us. Specifically, they have their eyes on Cyrus.

I looked at my peripheral vision and saw a surprised look on Miss Asmia's face. She then proceeded to look in another direction with an irritated look on her face. I tried to follow her line of sight and it ended up on Sir Luke. I glanced at him and saw a smirk on his face while looking outside the window. At my peripheral vision, I saw Miss Asmia furrowed her brows and gritted her teeth while looking at him.

I may not understand what is exactly going on in here but I am sure that Miss Asmia is angry at Sir Luke. I am not surprised by two adults getting into arguments though. I can recall my parents getting into arguments too, so it doesn't sound as much of a surprise to me. I've come to realize that even the grown-ups, which are the mature persons that we children are looking up to, have their flaws too. That is the reason why they argue. Each of them points out the flaw in the other in the noisiest way possible.

I wonder if I would end up like them once I become an adult. Do I even want to be a dull adult? I don't think I want to grow up anymore.

I shook my head. I faced the white rectangular object called a "canvas".

"Brush it along this canvas to create an image of your choice." The voice of Cyrus repeated in my head.

I wonder what kind of image I will create.

I closed my eyes to try to think of something. The thoughts of a distant memory lit up just like a lamp.

"Just hold on to me"

"You can do it!"

I quickly opened my eyes. Of course, that's the only memory I have left of my past! Why didn't I ever think of that before?

I grabbed the brush and pointed it at a blue color but I stopped midway when a thought came inside my head.

I looked around at the images created by the other children. They didn't use other colors besides black, white, and gray. I looked at Cyrus's image and saw he was the only different one. He made use of other colors besides the three mentioned.

I feel that something about all this is weird. Most of the children here only used the three colors black, white, and gray. If we were just supposed to use these three colors, then why are there other colors that seem to be available for us to use?

Are we even supposed to be using the other colors?

I am now doubting whether I should use the color blue on my image. I dipped the brush instead of in black color and began to create an outline of my parents. I'm doing my very best to recall their faces but it is nothing but a blur in my memories.

Wait I realized another thing again. If I did paint my parents, wouldn't I be giving a clue that I still have some of my memories not wiped out? Once they find out about it they might force me to have my memories completely erased.

I stopped outlining my parents. I need to think of another image that would be safe to create and would be clear of any suspicions.

Aha! I know what to create now! I dipped my brush into the black paint and started to create two long rectangles.

This will do.

***

"Time's up!" Sir Luke announced, "Show your artworks now".

Everybody stopped from doing their images and placed their brushes on the table. I did just the same. Then we all held our images and showed them to Sir Luke.

I glanced at the other children's works. Some of them were really good and almost perfect with the forms and outlines, while the others needed to be looked at for some time before you get what it is. All of the artwork looked dull because of the use of only three colors.

Another similarity of each one of the artworks is the image created. Most of them feature bookshelves, test papers, tall and dull people, and last but not least are high-rise buildings, just like mine.

Good thing I didn't go for the first plan or else I'd be different and stand out.

"Cyrus what an interesting painting!" Sir Luke exclaimed.

It was weird but everyone looked in his direction and there I saw one of the most beautiful images I have ever laid my eyes upon.

The use of different colors than black, white, and gray was new to the eyes. The image looked like a flower. It is something that you don't ever get to see on this colorless planet. It was full of color and life.

"Do tell me about it," Sir Luke replied with a smile on his face, "so what is this?"

"It is a rose," Cyrus replied coldly with no emotions present on his face.

"And what is it and where did it come from?" Sir Luke asked simultaneously.

"It is a lovely flower that came from-" I could see a change of impression on his face, "It came from-" he looked like he was struggling.

He held on to his temples as if having a headache, he looked like he was in pain. "I can't," he spoke up weakly, "I cannot remember, I apologize Sir Luke". Even in pain he still bowed down.

"It's okay take your seat," Sir Luke replied and Cyrus followed. "Can you give me that painting?" Sir Luke asked. Cyrus shook his head and handed him the painting.

Sir Luke looked at it for quite some time then spoke, "I have to go do something for a while, Miss Asmia would look after this class while I'm out". He grabbed the painting while heading for the door.

Oh no, I have a really bad feeling about this. I purposely spilled paint on me.

"See you later Sir Lu-" the class said in unison but I butt in causing for them to stop. "Sir Luke!"

Sir Luke looked surprised as he faced us, "What's the matter, Virginia?"

"I need to go to the comfort room," I said as I showed him my dirty soaked shirt.

He sighed as went back to his table and placed the artwork on it. He opened his table to look for the Washroom Pass.

Now's my chance.

I walked in his direction with the container full of dirty water and when I was right in front of the painting I stumbled and fell. I dropped the dirty water into the painting and now it was all dirty and unrecognizable.

Sir Luke gasped in shock as he saw the painting barely recognizable.

"Nooo!!" he shouted.

As I try to help myself up without the help of the shocked teacher, I glanced at Cyrus and I swore that for a split second I saw a surprised look on his face.