Black & Blue

Everything was black; everything had been black since the beginning of his life. His mother had told him that perhaps it was for the best: the grime and crime in the small but packed town would disgust him. But Ailen didn’t believe her: all the teachers at his school kept propounding one sentiment into this heart: love. Love for the government that ruled over all corners of the land and ensured all inhabitants lived in safety. Love for the rules the government implemented, ensuring that disabled people - like Ailen - could live in peace and prosperity.

Ailen sensed a shift in the position of the sun. It no longer shined directly upon his face. Rather, it now came from the right-hand side. So, following it, Ailen shifted on his chair and faced the warm rays once again. He loved to bask in the sun in his garden (yes, his. The government had given it to him for free!) and imagine the golden rays diving through the blue sky. But what was blue, anyway? Could one touch it> Smell it> He sighed and sank into his thoughts once more. Felix’s eyes had been blue, he was sure of it. Everyone had told him so. Ailen sighed again and remembered their childhood days, when he and Felix had gone to the same school, talked and played in the same park, ate at the same table…

But five years ago, when they had both been twelve, Felix had been taken away by the government because he was special. So Ailen had been left without a friend. But the rules helped him - the government’s wise rules! He had referred to them whenever in doubt and they had worked perfectly on every occasion. He hadn’t gotten into any trouble for the last five years!

An itch near his right eyebrow shook him out of his reveries. He raised his hand to the protection device he wore, pressed a small button, and t the itch was obliterated by a small brush that whirred out of the plastic case and brushed his eyebrow. The plastic case was an important part of his and everyone else’s life. His teachers had told him that everyone wore it: a squat grey piece of plastic covering the eyes, much like goggles or glasses, that protected the eyes from offending branches or unexpected bird excrement. Ailen stretched on his chair and yawned, then stopped his action halfway - someone was coming towards him through the garden path. He immediately stood up and faced the sound.

“Hello?” he asked softly. He couldn’t identify the person’s footsteps.

it was a man; he could tell because the steps were sure and wide. The man stood before him. doing what, Ailen couldn’t know. The newcomer was tall. Much taller than Ailen. So he tilted his head upwards.

“I am Soldier Alma from the troops,” a baritone voice rumbled at him, “and I have come to inform you that you have been invited to a government meeting because you have acted according to the Laws every day, just like a good citizen should.” An envelope was pressed into his hand, “show this to the guards at the parliament hall tomorrow at nine o’clock in the morning, and he will let you in.”

Ailen bowed silently, awed. He was invited to a Parliament meeting? What an honour!

The man saluted, his heels clicking against each other, and then left.

‘Tomorrow’ came fast. Ailen took out his best suit and picked up his stick, tapping it on the ground as he proceeded towards the appointed place.

He was led into a large room - the sounds reverberated so much there were echoes - and was led to a seat. He sat down and put his stick across his legs neatly.

People filed in. The meeting began.

But the meeting was strange. The people didn’t discuss politics or pedestrian safety, or the number of house cats found wild, or the number of vaccines given out… They went on and on about goggles, computer code, and LED screens, and pixels, and Ailen swore he heard his name a few times. The phrase “make them see” was used frequently. Make someone see? How could that be possible? How could one be made to see something? Could he be made to see something?

But the meeting ended there. People filed out. Ailen was led back to his garden, and his family house. he spent his whole day thinking about “making someone see”. He wanted to see.

His dreams were filled with house cats screaming PIXELS at him on and on.

The next day he rested in the garden again. The exact same thing happened: footsteps, he stood up, and said hello. Only this time it wasn’t a soldier. a vaguely familiar voice saluted him, then hands grasped his shoulders. Again, the newcomer was tall. So Ailen lifted his face again.

But then the person shook him, shook him hard. His voice broke, as he whispered hoarsely, “You have to help me. Ailen. You have to help me. It’s me, remember? Aeran from primary school? They want to kill me! Hide me, help! They won’t ever dare to search your house!”

Ailen’s adoptive father and mother rushed out, heard the babbled please of the other young man and promised to hide him.

Ailen frowned, “Are we going to hide him, Mom? he’s probably done something wrong.”

His mother sighed, “Ailen, I’m sure he hasn’t. It might just be a misunderstanding. let’s help him keep his life, okay?”

Ailen frowned still but nodded his reluctant assent. Aeran was led into the basement.

In the night, unknown by his parents, Ailen crept into the basement. He sat down near Aeran and asked, “What did you do? Why are they chasing you?”

Aeran sighed, “I… how should i put this…I discovered some…plans…that I wasn’t supposed to.”

Ailen’s curiosity peaked, “What is it?”

Aeran hesitated, then spoke, ”It’s about the goggles. The government’s been controlling them for years, hiding things from the people…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Ailen bolted out and called the police, “Hello, officer? Ailen Keeran here. There is a person denigrating the government. There’s a criminal in my house.”

But by the time the police came, Aeran and Ailen’s parents had already run away. So Ailen went to sleep again. The police kept searching.

This time there the cats weren’t yelling PIXELS anymore. They howled at him like the call of a police car.

Ailen woke up alone in his house. He made breakfast, ate, and then went outdoors to… well, do anything.

A commotion caught his attention. It was near the town square. People were screaming and yelling. Ailen strained his ears and heard the scream of a loudspeaker horn.

“CONFESS OR DIE!”

And suddenly Ailen knew what was going to happen.

His city would be mutilated, people would be massacred, just because Aeran was a traitor and his parents had hidden him. His city would be ruined.

For some reason, he started running. Where to he didn’t know. All he knew was that he was out of the city, and out of breath too. After tumbling to a stop after he reached unknown territory, he rested and gasped for breath.

A hand grasped his and Ailen was dragged behind the other person as they ran. He knew why in a few seconds: the clink and whirr of machinery roared behind them.

They ran into an enclosed space - a tunnel, most likely, judging from his enlarged gasps reverberating off the walls.

The other person embraced him. Ailen suddenly realised that IT WAS FELIX. He didn’t know why but he knew it. The other man - also taller than him, why is everyone so tall? - embraced him, chin resting on his shoulder.

“We’re safe,” Felix soothed him. Silence ensued for a few seconds more. Felix’s voice echoed on again, “And y’know, I can make you see now. The protection gear - they’re not protecting you. They’re goggles coded to show specific images on LED screens. Kind of like a Virtual Reality camera. Here, let me take them off.”

Hands grasped his glasses and lifted them off.

“Look up,” Felix intoned gently, “open your eyes.”

Ailen followed his directions cautiously and opened his eyes.

And he squinted.

The tunnel was dark.

There were dark tiles on the walls.

Then he looked up at the figure before him.

Felix had a crooked hat with the letters PM on it.

For the Prime Minister, perhaps?

His uniform was crisp and dark-coloured (he had to know the name of the colour! It was gorgeous.), complete with cufflinks and a few medals to mark off his impressive feats. Of what Ailen didn’t know, and didn’t particularly care.

He lifted his gaze upwards. This newfound sight was amazing.

He saw Felix’s face.

Ailen saw Felix’s eyes.

And he knew what colour they were.

And the coat as well.

They were green, dark green - like the bushes outside of the tunnel.

Those eyes looked back at him.

“Why did you do that?” Ailen’s voice was hesitant.

Felix cocks his head and smiled crookedly, “The better to see me with.”

Ailen looked around again. The tunnel was black. The sky outside was blue.

He embraced Felix again.