Neurosistale

Chapter Three

FADED GOLD

(September 6, 2011) (Elul 7) (Tuesday)

School was mostly long and repetitive. Same boring subjects over and over, same long lunch that she used for reading, same teacher who always looked down on her. However, today they had something new. Something a little more interesting.

"Alright, class, today we have a story."

Chara looked around to see what people thought of this change of pace. Most were overly excited.

It then took an insanely long time to pass out coloring pages, colored pencils, and crayons so kids could color during the story. And an even longer time to calm everyone down enough to start the story.

"Long ago," the teacher finally began, "there were two races on the Earth, the humans and the feyists. The feyists had all sorts of looks, some looked like goats. Others like lizards, some even looked like skeletons. Yet they considered all of themselves to be the same race. Why do you think that is?"

Chara glanced around. They all looked clueless. So the teacher continued,

"It's because of their soul shape." She drew two hearts on the chalkboard, one was right side up, the other was upside down and colored in to be white.

Chara looked down at the drawing in front of her, trying to ignore the fact she already had several things wrong with the story, and it hadn't even started.

"Does anyone know what happened to the feyists?"

Chara pickinled up another pencil and started to carefully color in the spaces.

"Well, the humans and feyists used to live in peace. Until one day, a feyist went crazy and attacked us humans."

Chara paused her coloring, shocked at the inaccuracy.

"We tried to defend ourselves, and a war broke out."

Chara raised her hand again.

"Chara?"

"That isn't right. There was no war and it wasn't their fault. They were hated. They were called monsters and creations of devils before they were forced to run and hide under the Rocky Mountains."

Many of the students stared at her, and the teacher looked slightly mortified. "Chara, where did you hear that?"

"My dad told me." Her voice was strong, not a hint of doubt.

"Could I. . . Speak to you outside?"

"Sure." Chara slid out of her seat and went to the door. She started walking down the hall.

"Chara? Where are you going?"

She turned around to look at the teacher, who still stood next to the door. "Outside. Aren't you coming?"

"Heh, no, um, come here." She motioned Chara back.

The child slowly walked back.

"Chara, did your father really teach you that?"

"Yeah." She shrugged. "I've also read books about it."

"You don't seem bothered at all."

Chara shrugged again. "It doesn't surprise me. It's what everyone here does anyway. I don't think humanity changed a whole lot."

"You see people being rude to each other?"

"Some of them. I always tell them to stop but they never listen. . . My dad taught me to always be nice. But then I came here and now he's always sad. And so are a lot of other people. They all act fine, but I think they're really sad. A lot of the trees are sad as well. And the grass, they don't like being treated like nothing."