No place to live

What was normal for Sofia, was strange for everyone else...She saw the world in HD, vivid colors all around, sharp vision like an eagle’s, she was able to see auras, colors and lights around bodies based on their emotions. Friends, family members, and even animals.Sofia would often be in awe while she walked to and from school, or school field trips, so much so that her teachers would have to keep calling her name out to make sure she would keep up with the rest of the group. Some students didn’t like her because she wouldn’t get in serious trouble for holding up the class, other students thought she’d be doing it for attention, and to make things about her. They simply couldn’t see the world as she did. And they radiated jealousy and hate all around them. Sofia would not know the emotion early in age, but eventually putting the facial expressions, and body language together with the colors their aura had, she had discerned the knowledge, unlocked the secret to the ultimate truth about how people really felt about her or any situation you can ever imagine. 

Some called it a gift, some a curse. The pain it’d cause someone to see your own family’s aura telling you the truth about what they feel towards you, the discomfort you cause them, for being exposed, worried for being almost in a vulnerable state, irritation when Sofia would walk in the room, because the truth kills the fun. The fun that they go on about making jokes, and playing pretend with one another. 

Half the town feared Sofia, except her neighbors, they saw her grow up and being raised by their long time friend, some parents from school wouldn’t let their kids play with her, they were afraid that she’d change them too. But this special ability, made babies, children, and animals magnetize towards her no matter what the parents would wish, think or say; an inexplicable phenomena to the ones who didn’t know of her condition. 

One day, Sofia was at the grocery store, and she was picking out avocados, making sure she picked the best ones for this perfect guacamole recipe she was just going to try out, and accidentally brushed hands with someone else, whom was also picking out and both in their own world, for a moment, it almost felt like everyone in the store paused what they were doing, as if frozen in time. 

Sofia and this gentleman startled, locked eyes, automatically were apologizing to one another, for not having paid much attention and bumping into each other. She was drawn into his eyes, with the subtle yellow hue to his eyes, noticing how the light from the sunlight peaking through the window shone almost perfectly where the shine so pure, in its truest form. She’s never seen someone’s eyes like that before, or felt what she did at that instant. His aura was a familiar shade, but with a rainbow of colors luminating around him, provoking an instant relaxation, the trust sensation she’d only find in nature, a force that she almost couldn’t look away from. 

Sofia couldn’t help remember a poem she’s read in her English class, “the eyes are a windows to the soul”, and caused her wonder about his, minutes later another phrase she’s heard her grandma say, “if you see it, it can see you” bringing Sofia back into the rhythm of her heart, and asking herself if he can sense her beats, as she felt like she was levitating on a cloud. 

There’s not much to say about this fella, only that he was new in town, he’s been living for under 3 years and they’ve never ran paths with, except he had seen her before, one time that he was walking in the forest, and saw a young appearance of a lady in awed of the way the trees breathed with the wind. It was something he’s never seen anyone do before, but before he could even think of something to say; he preferred to not do anything, and instead observed, as this beautiful vivid flower bloomed right infant of his eyes giving back to the forest, a life breathing it, loving it in its truest form. That’s something that was a fantasy to him, since he found more comfort in nature than in his own home. He was born being color-blind in one eye, and that caused his motor skills and balance to play tricks on him from time to time, so much so, he was bullied by his siblings and later his own parents would join in making him runaway into the woods and sometimes he wouldn’t come back home until nightfall. But every time he’d leave, nobody came looking for him, which made him grieve in silence. That’s how he found comfort and healing in nature. He had left the nest, and found a new home in the town where Sofia lived her whole life. 

“I’ve seen you in the forest before!, I’m Jenoah”,

Sofia’s eyes widening in amusement by this random encounter and reaction to say the least, she could see honesty in him. 

“I’m Sofia, thank you for your honesty” she calmly replied,

As she walked out of the grocery store, a childhood memory overtook her whole vision, something she didn’t even remember happening, that only came up up until now, causing a momentary black out and it was then that she dropped the bag with avocados she was just carrying in her left hand. 

She remembered a lady she’s never seen since then tell her grandma that one day, when she turned 18 she’d be presented with a great challenge, one that would change the course of her life if not aware of what that challenge was. “The warning of what?” She thought, this suddenly sprung forth even more questions that she couldn’t wait to get home to make the guacamole recipe for dinner for everyone in her home. When she realized that she was no longer carrying the bag of avocados, she quickly turned around ---but Jenoah had already beat her to it, and with his hands extended out, giving her the avocados that had caused this phenomenon. 

Being outside with the daylight, Sofia saw a different color around him, much more different than she has ever seen. Her innocent curiosity drew her in closer. First, she observed him well, his mannerisms and body language, heard him while he spoke, she couldn’t help feel a familiarity sensation around him, as if she knew him from a long time ago. Sofia had a condition that drew her apart from the rest, or so she thought... Jenoah also with his special way to see the world, started to notice a change happening right in front of him.

Sofia held her hands out in awe of his aura and the moment she made contact with his energy field for now the second time, she began to notice everything around her getting dull. She had lost herself in him, his beautiful glowing eyes, and he now could see color, he was no longer color blind in one eye. A mysterious shift in their lives had occurred and they were unaware of each other’s experience. 

Seeing in grayscale, had caused Sofia to almost instantly focus more on her internal emotions, the ones of others but also their facial expressions.The ones that she had ignored and hid away from. She looked at the bag and the avocados were no longer green, she looked at the trees and the color was gone, the skies were gray, everything covered by what seemed like a veil; an intangible thin blanket covering her world. 

Sofia sprinted home, and locked herself in the bathroom, as that was a common place for her to gather her thoughts, but she seemed to no longer enjoy the magnificent translucent rainbows in the bubbles as she took a bath. Now, she felt more. She felt the burn on her skin from the water being too hot as she got in and sat there for too long. She felt the void, the ache of uncertainty, the powerlessness and confusion that this was going to be her life now, a punishment for having a gift and not sharing it with others when she could. 

“A world with a closed heart, is no place to live”. Was all Sofia could think about as she submerged her head under the water. Attempting to feel at ease, to feel on the clouds, floating, trying to recall the beautiful pastel colors that she’d no longer be able to see, the ones that will no longer feel like a hug from the heavens onto her. 

She was no longer special to herself, she didn’t tell anyone what she was going through, she didn’t want to give joy to everyone who’s ever mistreated her because of her ability before. But this just secluded Sofia even more. Months passed, and she didn’t go outside, nobody knew why, but they didn’t want to know either. Still thinking the way they did about her, intimidated and keeping their distance, they let it be, even better for everyone, nobody is walking on eggshells, or changing the conversation when she walks in the room, when indeed she wasn’t in the room at all. 

Sofia now lived in a world without color. 

-Stacy Gutierrez