The Color Purple
Chapter one
The mirror looked back at him. He wondered how today would go in school. He put his cap sideways and exhaled, "Today will be just another boring day." He looked down to inspect his new sneakers, some nikes he bought the day before. He looked back at the mirror again, he clicked his tongue "Maybe not."
"Rys" a voice called. "Stop talking to yourself and come down. You'll be late for school."
Rys gave himself two thumbs up and a big smile. "Lose the cap? Yeah lose the cap" he put the cap by the bed next to him. Another thumbs up and a smile. "Better."
"Rys" the voice called again.
He sighed, "I'll be right there." He picked up a purple backpack lying on his bed and a playstation controller beside it. The TV screen lit on and a purple dragon stood looking at a boulder motionless. The dragon blinked and moved his wings from time to time. Rys held the controller tight. He also sat motionless on the bed. There was something hypnotic about this. Rys loved his dragons, but there was something about this one in particular that made his heart jump. It both scared and excited him at the same time. What was it? It felt like he knew the little purple guy all of his life. Like he wanted to talk to him. It felt as if he would come out of the screen and talk to Rys. Oh how he wished that would really happen. Talking to this guy in person would be like talking to Bruno Mars after a concert. He couldn't help but giggle at the thought.
"Rys bro you here?" a different voice called from the other side of his door.
"Yeah Sparky" he said. "Tell mom I'm almost done. I'll be right down."
"You better sleepyhead" he said. "Stop dreaming about dragonflies and come on."
"It's butterflies."
"Whatever hurry up."
He sighed and couldn't help but smile as he turned off the playstation. He walked out of the room and down the stairs. "Hey you, aren't you gonna have breakfast?" his mom said from the kitchen.
"Nah I'll get something at school ma love ya" he said as he walked out the door.
Sparky already stood by the bus stop a few houses down. The bus was almost there. Sparky signaled his brother to run. He walked faster, faster, faster. The bus stopped and Sparky jumped in. He was almost there, almost, when the doors closed in front of him, "Hey open the doors" he said as he pounded at them. A slight grin appeared on the driver's face.
Sparky sat up, "Hey let him in." The driver looked back, the grin disappearing from his face. While still looking at Sparky the driver pushed a button and the doors opened.
"Thanks" Rys said. He walked into the bus. The driver quickly pushed the button and drove off. Rys stumbled and fell beside Sparky's seat. "Thank the ancestors we made it."
"What?" Sparky said.
"Oh sorry" Rys said. "It's something they say on my new game I'm playing. It's about-"
"Way too much info dude" Sparky said. "You're into all that a little too much"
Rys fell silent. For him it felt right to say that. Maybe Sparky had a point and he was into all of that way too much. But somehow it felt right to say it. Rys looked up, seeing a purple ribbon attached to the roof. No one else seemed to notice. That purple ribbon made him exhale as he stayed looking at it for the remainder of the trip.
The bus left everyone in the front steps. Rys and Sparky were the last ones out. "Well see you after school bud" Sparky said as he walked off. Rys stood there a few seconds. He sighed as he too walked off.
The hallways were crowded. Students walked in every direction in a hurry while others talked as if they were in the town square. Rys walked past a few lockers until he found his. The voices talked but Rys didn't understand them one bit. They all sounded the same. Until "Rice Crispy." Rys knew that voice all too well, even from within a sea of voices. He tried not to look as he pretended to stay busy opening his locker. His luck was not on his side. A hand loudly thumped on Rys's locker, closing it in the process. "Rice Cripy" he said between bites of gum.
"Oh uh hey A.J" Rys said not turning his gaze towards A.J.
A.J looked down, chuckled and then looked back up, "New shoes Rice Crispy?" Rys just looked down, not uttering a single word. "What won't talk to me? I though we were friends. And as friends you're gonna let me borrow your shoes right?" He stood closer to Rys 's face with that last question.
"Right um right" Rys said still looking down.
"What are friends for right?" A.J said. From behind him a black haired girl appeared, her gaze turned towards Rys. He looked up. This girl was beautiful. Her hair dropped flawlessly between her shoulders. "Ain't that right honey?" Rys wondered what the hell was she doing with a loser like A.J.
"That's right" she said. "Those shoes belong to the master now" she giggled. Rys didn't wonder any longer about her being with A.J
"Oh baby I love it when you call me that" A.J said as he turned around. Rys sighed in relief but A.J's girlfriend still looked at him. Those sharp, penetrating emerald green eyes gazing upon him, cutting deep inside Rys's being. "Cyndie coming baby?"
"Right behind ya sweetheart" she said. She giggled and turned around, leaving Rys's gaze. Rys felt like he could breathe again, like a spell was lifted off of him.
He exhaled once more. That damn A.J always got away with things. Rys exhaled again but this time something got stuck in his throat. He tried to cough it off. He hit his chest, he almost drowned. He coughed, everyone watched in disbelief. Then he ran to the nearest restroom and went inside a toilet. He knelt down and began to spit. Black little dots began to form in the water. "What the- not again." He stood up and went to the faucet. He splashed tidbits of water in his mouth, "Why does it taste like ash? Yuck" he said before realizing through the mirror that two guys were looking at him. Then they walked away rather quickly. "Yeah nothing to see here." Rys sighed once again.
Midday bell struck and all students ran towards the cafeteria. Rys on the other hand walked towards the school library. This was his favorite part of the day. He would get to talk to… the librarian.
The librarian read what must have been an interesting book because he didn't hear Rys walk towards him all the way to the front desk. He had a grandfatherly look to him. Rys cleared his throat. The librarian looked up startled. "Oh Mr. Gonard what a pleasant surprise" the librarian said putting down the book and giving just a hint of a smile.
"Can I talk to you privately?" he said.
"Oh sure sure" the librarian said as he closed his book very picking it up he signaled Rys to follow him. Rys followed him to a corner table overlooking the football field. They both sat down. "So what can I do for my dear friend Rys Po Gonard?"
"Don't call me by my full name" Rys said. "It's embarrassing enough as it is. We've been through this."
"Sorry lad I just like saying it" he said. "It is so unique" he chuckled at this. He looked at the boy. Rys wasn't laughing. The librarian cleared his throat. "What was it you wanted to talk about my friend?"
"I spit earlier something that looked like tar and it tasted like ashes. It was disgusting."
"Oh really?" the librarian said. He grew interested. "Was the black thing ash itself?"
"I don't know maybe it was, maybe it wasn't" he said. "It scared me" Rys looked down. What he was saying clearly hurt him. The librarian looked serious.
"How old are you now boy?"
"I'm sixteen why?"
"So the two worlds can collide now" the librarian muttered.
"What?"
"Oh nothing my boy" he said smiling. "I assure you, you're going to be okay now. I just thought of a book I need to read." He quickly stood up. The bell rang. He sighed once again and walked out of the library. But before reaching the exit door, "Rys my boy" the librarian called. Rys turned and faced him. "Come by tonight and meet me here" he said with great urgency.
"What for?"
"You'll know after it happens."
Rys didn't respond. That last sentence left him speechless. It made him wonder after what happens? What will happen? When he turned his gaze towards the librarian he was nowhere in sight. Rys cocked his head to the side. He turned slowly and walked out deeply confused.
The last bell rang and everyone came out running. Sparky tapped Rys on the shoulder as they both walked up to the bus. They both sat down together. Rys looked to the floor. "Hey what's with you? You okay?" Sparky said. "This morning you were looking up."
"Nothing I'm okay."
"Was it that A.J guy again?"
Rys simply nodded. He held his hands together as his eyes made contact with the floor.
"Tell me again. Why Rice Crispy?"
"You're not helping" Rys said.
"Oh right it's because when you take out the O in Po you're left with a P which in turn says Rys P. Rice Crispy ha ha."
"Harty har."
"Oh come on dude lighten up" Sparky said. "Hey listen I got invited to a party this afternoon and you're gonna come."
"A party? A crowd full of people? Pass" Rys said. He lifted up his head to look at the purple ribbon from that morning. It wasn't there. "Hmm where'd it go?"
"Where'd what go?" Sparky said confused but dismissed it with his hand. "Listen, this party will do you some good, get to know some people for a change instead of always being locked up in your room playing those weird video games you play."
"They're not weird."
"Is that a yes?"
Rys managed a smile. If there was one thing he liked other than his video games it was being with his brother Sparky. Somehow he always managed to make him smile. "Yeah okay."
"Yes that's what I'm talking about" Sparky said. "Go Gonards right?" Rys lifted his hands with Sparky and they said in unison, "Go Gonards."
"More like Go-nerds" a kid said from behind.
They didn't mind and completely ignored the comment, laughing and talking about the day's events.
A car stopped in front of a gate. The night sky made the road ahead look invisible. "I can't believe you came dude, finally" Sparky said.
"Which I'm sure it'll be a disaster of worldwide proportions" Rys responded.
"Don't give yourself too much credit bro. Tonight will be cool for you, a chance for you to meet some people. Probably a girl huh big guy?"
"I don't think so" Rys said. "One step at a time. I'm nervous as it is right now."
"Relax cause you'll see, nothing out of the ordinary will happen." And with that the gate opened. Sparky accelerated through. After seeing nothing but darkness, a few seconds away stood a giant house lit more heavily than a christmas tree. "Wow now that's a house I could live in."
They parked to the side of the house. They both got off and walked towards the door. Sparky rang the doorbell. After three rings the door opened. An elderly gentleman dressed in black with a bow-tie answered the door. "Yes gentlemen?"
"We're here for the party Alfred" Sparky said.
With a serious face the man directed them to the ballroom. Rys and Sparky walked in. Music came from within some doors just a little bit further down. The butler opened the doors for them. A sea of dancing people occupied the room. Sparky got into the groove of the beats and tapped with his shoes. "Come on bro let's dance." Rys gulped and followed his brother into the seamless ocean of faces.
Minutes seemed like hours for Rys. He sat down in a corner of the ballroom holding a glass of wine in his hand. He watched as Sparky danced off with a girl. Her name was Ashley. She was blonde with pink highlights. Rys wondered why the pink hightlights. They truly look horrible. Rys noticed her looking at him when Sparky gave his back to her. She winked and then kept on dancing. Rys tilted his head and drank a sip of wine. "Oh man disgusting" he spit. He stood up and went outside. Sparky noticed and went after him.
Rys coughed and spit as he ran to the driveway right beside their car. "Oh that was bad."
"Dude you alright?" Sparky said. He stood right behind Rys. After coughing a little bit more he turned around.
"Yeah just you know having a good time right?"
"Wanna go home?"
"Nah let's uh-"
"Hey yo you there" a voice called from behind Sparky. Sparky turned around. He saw four guys standing a few feet away from them. "Were you dancing with my girl brah?"
"Say what? Who's girl? Who are you?" Sparky said
"I'm Corey. I'm Ashley's boyfriend and you better stay the hell away from her" Corey said pointing at Sparky. Rys saw this. That finger sent shivers down his spine. Rys thought it was fear. He thought wrong.
"Boys let's teach this guy some manners" Corey said. All the guys took Sparky and held him not noticing the trembling Rys behind. Corey stepped in front of Sparky. "I've never liked you Sparky" and he threw a punch at Sparky's face. Blood came out of his nostrils.
"No" Rys whispered.
Corey hit him again, again, one more time. The other guys laughed as they held Sparky down. "You're next weirdo" he pointed at Rys.
Rys knelt down. He saw the last thing he expected to see on the floor. The missing purple ribbon from the bus. Rys made eye contact with it. He glared at it and clenched his teeth. Then he stood up.
Something hit the back of two of Corey's friends. They fell to the floor in pain. Smoke came out of their clothes. A yellow ball hit the other. Corey looked in surprise. A grand yellow flame appeared embracing Corey. Rys looked at Corey inside the flames.
The flames stopped. The purple dragon looked around him. When he was convinced there weren't any enemies left in sight he ran while spreading his wings and let free the dragonfly held hostage, "You okay Sparx?"
"Okay? You almost burned me Rys?"
"Rys?" He answered in confusion. He looked everywhere around him. He could swear he saw wings attached to his back a few seconds ago, that he was purple. He released a dragonfly from its cage right? No. He saw the house in front of him. For a second he felt lost but at seeing Sparky he regained his composure. "You okay?"
"What the hell was that?" Sparky said.
First chapter done. I will post more chapters on a weekly basis if not sooner. Hope you liked it and if you want you can review it. Thanks everyone and looking forward to writing some more.