Still Life in Black and White

Lora Brenner had lived her entire life of twenty-two years without realizing color. It was illegal in Principality 44. Legend has it that artist Klaus von Ritchen had once painted a work entitled “Still Life in Black and White” which displayed the irony since the painting was done in vivid colors. For this act of civil disobedience, he was jailed when Lora's father Lars was just a boy. According to the Newsfeed was still an inmate at Broadsword Prison.  

Any use of color was against the law as only black, white or any hues of gray were allowed in the spectrum. After the law was passed Prime Minister Karl von Ritchen ordered a curtain hung over Principality 44 blocking out the sun and the wide spectrum of colors that came with a sunrise.

One night, Lora had a dream which was in color. Klaus Ritchen greeted her, “Welcome, young lady to my still life of black and white. Let me be your guide as we walk through this enchanted land.”

She followed him as he meandered through the color-rich world with trees that reached the golden sunshine and skies so azure, blue that looking at them hurt her eyes. She saw creatures in the forest and birds of every color in the trees chanting their melodic songs.

When they came to the end of the path, Klaus bowed, “That is my world.”

“I want to stay.” She pleaded.

“I’m afraid you can’t, my lady.” He opened a door that appeared out of nowhere and through it was the black and white world of Principality 44.

The alarm clock was ringing. It was time for her to go to her job at the factory. The sun was in the sky casting black shadows below her window.

“Good day, Lora.” Mrs. Whittle called out as she stood in the open window.

“And to you, Mrs. Whittle.” She waved to her mother’s best friend. Together they were making a quilt of black and white patches. If they were allowed to use colored patches, the quilt would become a masterpiece, but it was rather dull, if the truth be known.  

She was reminded of her dream, where she had met Klaus von Ritchen, the younger brother of Prime Minister Hans von Ritchen as she looked in the mirror as she brushed her long blonde hair. As she began to braid her hair, she saw a glint of color. She did a double take, but by then it had vanished. She longed to see and experience color, because it was different and exciting. And because it was forbidden. It was strange how forbidden things were always the most attractive to her. Her grandmother warned her when she was a small child not to give in to the temptation of doing something that was forbidden. In Principality 44 there were plenty of things that were forbidden including the ripe fruit that hung over the stone wall heavy in the branches of the trees of the Prime Minister’s quarters.   

Often when she knew no one was watching, she would reach up and pluck an apple from one of the Prime Minister’s trees. If she was caught doing this, she would be put in Broadsword Prison for three months.  

Today she would forego the temptation because she was running late to the factory. She got to the bus stop just in the nick of time. The big black bus had just rounded the corner and was seconds away from her stop. She walked on as if she had been waiting with the rest of the passengers.  

Riding seated next to the window, Lora passed by her old high school where she had graduated top of her class, but that did not help her with her college placement, so she chose to work in the factory with other laborers who did not seem to offer the knowledge and skills for university placement.  

Lora worked in packaging the products that came off the assembly line. The products included a whole array of beauty accessories that would be sold at Gummo’s, the only store in the entire district. A few years ago, Prime Minister von Ritchen put a stop to online shopping as it nearly bankrupted Gummo’s. 

“You’re late.” Sarah Cauldfield snapped at Lora as she put her apron on.

“Sorry.” Lora apologized.

“You must be on time, or I will have to let you go.” 

“It won’t happen again.” She promised, but often her promises were only held to the next time.

When Lora got to the packaging belt where the products rode until they were packaged, she saw that some of the quality in the products was a bit lacking, but if she were to complain, she would be accused of tampering with them. It was usually followed by an instant dismissal.

“So, how are things?” Maggie Wiess, one of the packagers asked. Maggie was almost her mother’s age. Her round face was usually red. She wore a scarf over her head to keep the dust out of her hair even though there were warnings posted about the hazard of wearing head gear.  

“Fine.” Lora nodded, placing some lipstick into a box. One of the containers had broken open and was leaking all over the belt. “Miss Brenner.” Sarah used her microphone, so everyone knew she was not doing what she was supposed to, “Please come see me.” 

“It’s okay, honey.” Maggie nodded as Lora walked up the wooden steps to the supervisor’s office. 

After being put on probation, Lora sat on her couch after her shift and fought off her tears. She hated this place and Principality 44 where all the rules had to be always followed.

She longed to see colors. Her father was just a boy when the black and white laws were passed, but he remembered all the colors before those laws. He would tell her about the rich colors of spring when the flowers began to bloom. Genetic alterations put an end to the colors of the flowers as with any other living organism that displayed the illegal colors.

Lora was just a toddler when Klaus von Ritchen painted his infamous piece that was destroyed by the Prime Minister’s guards. The guards wore black uniforms and white armbands with black PMSG stamped on them. The letters stood for the Prime Minister’s Security Guards. From what she heard, these men were brutes and would not hesitate using force to achieve their objectives. Over time, Lora had heard horror stories of some of the tactics they would use to restore security and order. If you followed the rules, chances were good that you’d never have to deal with them. So far, Lora had done just enough to keep from dealing with them.

One of her friends had gone to a public rally at the Prime Minister’s quarters. The guards were sent to quell the disturbance resulting in her friend losing her hearing after taking one of their nightsticks to the crown of her head. Knowing that her friend loved to play the piano made Lora sad when she thought about it.  

With all of those things running through her head, Lora dozed off on her couch. She was not aware that she had fallen asleep.

“Hey, I know you.” Klaus von Ritchen was standing at his easel with a paint brush in his hand, “Lora, right?” 

“Yes.” Lora smiled.

“Yeah, I know a pretty face when I see one.” He chuckled as he brought his brush across his canvas. 

“Can I see?” She stepped closer to him.

“Of course. Come behold my masterpiece.” He held his arms out with the brush still in his right hand.

She stepped up to view what he had created. When she saw his painting in full color, she put her hands to her face. Tears filled her eyes as she proclaimed, “It is so beautiful.”

“Thank you.” He bowed. “When they outlawed color, they might as well have removed my hands.”

She nearly put her head on the canvas so she could see the colors she had missed most of her life.

“My brother is sometimes very self-centered and feels that his way is the only way.” Klause shook his head slowly, “Whereas I only wish to explore all that he has forbidden. Growing up, he was quite a spoiled child.” 

“I miss colors.” She felt a single tear roll down her cheek.

“If you get me out of here, I can make it so you may see colors again.” He promised.

“How?”

“I am at the prison with the other malcontents. None of us deserve to be here.” He shook his head, “We speak to each other of bygone days when Principality 44 used to be paradise, but no longer with my brother in charge.”

“I miss color. Black and white on its own is so boring and drab.” 

“Oh, I quite agree.” He sniffed, “When I first painted this work, Karl told me that I was the best artist in the Principality. But then all at once he flew into a rage one day. I never understood what upset him so.”

Her alarm clock buzzed, “Oh no, not already.” 

She got up from the couch and went to get ready.

“Remember to come to the prison.” She heard Klaus’ voice as she looked in the mirror, but it was not her reflection staring back, it was his. 

If she went to get him, she would be breaking a long list of rules. She was taught in school that rules help keep the clocks running so the buses will be on time. She had seen what happened to the rule-breakers. Punishment was swift and just. Or was it? 

Colors made the world interesting and without colors, it was hard to imagine what could be.

That was it. Without imagination you could not dream of what could be, only what was. If she was fired at the factory, what would be the worst thing that would happen? There were other possibilities, but like covering the sky, making someone feel that the only possibilities were the ones set in front of you.

She would go to the prison and meet Klaus. Sarah Cauldfield would take pleasure in dismissing her from the factory, but that would not change anything. 

“Does this bus go to Broadsword Prison?” She asked the driver.

“Yes miss, but why on earth would you wish to go there?” He asked. His deep blue eyes and white stubble reminded her of her grandfather.

“I wish to see someone.” She answered.

“Oh, I do hope you visit him before Prime Minister von Ritchen makes it illegal. I’ve heard he may do that soon.” The old driver shrugged.

“Then let’s hurry, shall we?” 

“By all means.” He chuckled as he closed the door as she got on board.

She sat by the window as her entire life ran by. Her school, the factory and the cemetery where her mother was buried.

The sky overhead turned gloomy and dark as they neared Broadsword Prison. The bridge to the enormous gates seemed rickety and worn.  

“One day this blessed bridge is going to collapse, it will.” The driver muttered a few cuss words that Lora did not hear nor was she meant to. “We have arrived.” 

He opened the door and Lora got out. She was immediately met by the dark uniformed PMSG.

“State your business.” One of them growled.

“I am here to see Klaus von Ritchen.” She spoke without hesitation.

“Hey Loydd, is Klausie allowed any visitors?” The guard asked one of his comrades standing by the gate. 

Checking his clipboard, he shrugged, “I don’t have any reason why not. She cannot meet with him face to face, but she can converse with him through the glass.

“Very good.” He turned back to Lora, “Alright miss, follow me.” 

The huge iron gate began to squeak open. The BSMG stood there with her waiting. Once the gate was locked in place, he walked into the open courtyard accompanied by Lora.  

The rancid odor seemed to be omniscient as they walked toward a dark hallway. In the courtyard was the stump of a once lively tree, but no longer. The cobblestone walkway was slick with mold, but Lora was sure footed and followed her escort to a foreboding door. With a key, the guard unlocked the door.

“This way.” He walked into the great hall. She followed him through the hallway where beleaguered faces were pressed into the iron bars of their cells. She could hear water dripping but could not see the source. “We are here.” 

It was him. He was at work on another painting. Without turning to see who was there, he chuckled and replied, “Oh, I am so glad you decided to come.” 

“I will stay here. He is dangerous.” The guard whispered to Lora.

“Dangerous? I highly doubt that after all this time, Erik.” He brought his bush across the canvas which he had turned away from their view. He cast a sharp glaring glance at the guard.

“Well, you were on the list of Dangerous Inmates.” The guard blushed. 

“For what reason?” 

“How should I know? They never tell me why.” He shrugged.

“Oh, in that case, perhaps I am what they say.” He looked closely at his painting, “Perfect.” 

He turned to look at the guard, uttered a few words and then told Lora, “Lora, take his keys.” 

“I can’t.” She shook her head.

“He is incapacitated.” He waved his hand, “They are there on his belt.” 

She looked up at the guard. His face was frozen in an expression of surprise. Carefully she reaches for his keys and with a single yank, frees them from his belt.

“I think we must go on an adventure.” He waits until Lora puts the keys into the lock on his cell door. With a single twist, the cell door pops open. “And I thank you for my liberation.” 

“You’re welcome.” In her confusion, her response sounds like a question.

“We must be off.” He takes her hand and leads her down the hallway.

“Where to?” 

“We are escaping.” His voice is filled with enthusiasm.

“Where are you taking me?” 

“We are going to the sky and remove that infernal curtain.” He tells her as they enter the open courtyard. Before she has time to ask another question, Klaus spreads his arms, and they become airborne.  

“Oh my God!” Lora exclaimed as she looked down as the dark dungeon became smaller and smaller. When she finally had the nerve to look up, she could see the giant curtain the Prime Minister had put in place eighteen years ago.

“Are you alright?” Klaus asked her. Clutching his paint brush in his other hand, he charged the barrier like a cavalry soldier charging the foe.  

“We are not going to make it.” Lora told him from the fold in his arm.  

“We shall.” His brush hit the burlap and tore a hole in it. The huge curtain began to flutter. This time, Klaus came from the other direction, tearing another hole in it. Repeating this a few more times, the giant curtain could no longer stay aloft after having so many holes torn into it. It was then the curtain began to fall

 earthward. Watching his amazing descent, he proclaimed, “Everybody will think their power went out.” 

Hearing this, Lora began to laugh. Klaus began his descent back to the ground. When he landed several guards seized them.

“Wait, she is not a part of this. She was my prisoner.” He told them.

“Release the girl.” One of the black uniformed PMSG ordered.

Lora noticed that the guards were no longer dressed in black uniforms. Their uniforms were dark green. All along the color was there, but it could not be seen because of the barrier that was now covering the ground. Slowly people began to cut away the burlap material that had dropped from the sky.

“Miss, I will see you again soon?” Klaus said as they put him in handcuffs and led him to a van.

“You think you were so smart?” The guard shoving him into the van asked gruffly.        

“Oh, for sure.” He laughed, “For sure.” 

Lora watched as the van pulled away.

“We will have this replaced soon.” One of the guards held a piece of the burlap.

“I’m sure the Prime Minister will see to it.” Another PMSG nodded.  

Lora got on a bus and went home. All the colors were fascinating as the bus continued on.  

It would take Prime Minister Karl von Ritchen a few years to attempt to replace the fallen curtain. After several futile attempts, he finally gave up and rescinded his law about color. No one could even remember why the law was put into effect in the first place, even the Prime Minister. A few weeks after that, he had his brother released from Broadsword Prison. Lora has seen him with his easel open, his paint pallet out, painting another of his masterpieces that is full of color and life.

Everyone cheered when color was once again legal. It reminded Lora of the magical scene when Dorothy Gale landed in the Land of Oz in the 1939 movie. Once she opens the door, the black and white world of Kansas turns technicolor. 

 How can anyone ever doubt the magic color brought to us after that?