Gloom

The world has been so dark for as long I could remember. I had heard stories that told of brightly colored flowers, grass with a vibrant color called green, the sky was a beautiful color called blue, and the sun emanating this pretty color called yellow and sometimes gold.

Of course these were just stories. Though Grandmother seemed to know exactly what she was talking about. I can remember how happy I was to hear these stories. They always bring a certain happiness that was unexplainable.

"You might never see this world in such a light, my dear." She would say after every story.

"But why?" I would always question. She never gave an answer. Instead just she'd look at me with a small smile and turn back to her knitting.

I looked outside. Smoke covered the skies, grass shriveled and gray, trees dead and lifeless. It never was a nice sight. I wished for a world with color.

"You want to see something?" Grandmother asked, not looking up from her knitting.

"Yes!" I said hopping off of my seat next to the window.

Grandmother got up and walked over to a bookshelf. She reached to a high shelf that I was forbidden to touch. Grabbing a box off the shelf, she waved me over and sat down in a rocking chair.

"What is it, Grandmother?" I asked, weary to walk over.

She took a photo out of the box and flipped it around. Showing a picture of a beautiful sunset. The sky was not only blue but it had many different colors, the sun had a golden glow, trees had leaves on them and were a dark green, the grass looked alive.

I stared at the photo in wonder. It was so beautiful I almost cried. I grabbed the photo from Grandmother's hands and held it up to my face, taking in the colors. Hoping that I would get to see this for myself.