FADED GOLD
(October 10, 2012) (Tishri 24) (Wednesday)
Chara stopped watching the other children and returned to her book. But then she paused.
About three feet in front of her was a crow. Pitch black feathers and eyes that stared and bore into her soul. But it was not an intrusive or accusatory stare; simply a knowing one.
"Hello," she breathed, keeping eye contact. The crow responded with something between a chirp, a click, and a purr. Chara repeated the noise quietly. The crows on the farm made this sound a lot; she had learned it.
The crow cocked its head; she copied. When it started to fly away, she quickly followed. She always followed the crows. But a meer five steps in, the bell rang loudly. She was torn. To follow rules or to follow a friend?
The teacher made the choice for her, taking her hand and gently pulling her toward the other kids. "Come on, Chara. Don't make me call your father." A common threat that rarely did more than humor him.
Chara watched one of the domesticated birds land at her feet and cock its head. Like the crow did, before. She didn't copy.
"What's on your mind, Chara?"
"I wanted to know what happened. What caused your soul to turn grey."
His simple smile faltered slightly. "Ah, right. I suppose you want to know how I died."
"Yes, sir." She felt the need to speak quietly.
"Well," he cleared his throat, "I had just turned nineteen when I was drafted into the Vietnam war."
"What year?"
"1969"
Chara nodded.
As the veteran spoke, Chara got not only the reason for his soul, but the reason for every scar, and for all eight halos. He explained them.
Red: Substance Abuse
Orange: Self-injury
Yellow: Veteran
Green: Depression
Teal: PTSD, Anxiety, OCD
Black: Insomnia
The red and orange were broken, signifying that he overcame it.
Wait.
She counted the mess of colors above his head again, "but you have nine. What's the second yellow one?"
He gave a very strained smile. "We've been here a long time. You should get home before your father worries."
"What's the second yellow halo?"
"Go back home," he said again, a little more forced, "that one is hard to explain and we don't have time."
She finally hopped from the bench. "Will you tell me later?"
"I don't know, Chara."
"Okay," she ran home, "dad?"
"Yes?"
"What does a yellow halo mean?"
"I think they mark veterans."
"What else? is there another one?"
"I'm not sure. Mr.Russel might know."
"He won't tell me. He said he didn't have time to explain, but I think he just didn't want to."
"Well, how about we make him cookies."
"Yeah, okay."
"And Chara?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's wait a while before asking him again."
"Okay. . ." As her father finished cooking, Chara went to check on her flower friends. She was almost unsurprised when she found Integrity gone.
"Chara,"
She took the pot to her father. "Integrity's gone."
He sighed, sadly. "We'll send her down the river after dinner, okay?"
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FanfictionIt had always been just her and her father, they never needed anyone else. They had their gardens of wheat and forests of crops of every kind. The air was always clean and the animals loved to play. The wonderful sunrise as she ate freshly made butt...
