Colour Blind
Alice Foster was born with achromatopsia, a rare condition where those afflicted are only able to see in shades of black and white. She cannot see the colour of her dog Harvey’s eyes, or her mother’s gentle smile. The condition is genetic, and her grandmother was the only other person Alice knew to have the condition. When she passed away around Alice’s sixteenth birthday, she gave up trying to see the colours. She began to push those close to her away and isolate herself, which only made her world darker. One summers day, Alice, her little brother Jacob and their friends went to the woods for a while. Alice didn’t say a word for hours, and after her friends made an attempt to include her, she lost her temper and stormed off into the woods. What happened next, changed her life forever... Alice ends up in a fantasy world where dangerous reds and warm, welcoming yellows tempt her. She admires the sky and the forest though she has no one to share them with. Alice was used to being on her own, so it didn’t seem so bad at first. For the first time in her dull, grey life she could see everything how it was supposed to look. Though nothing feels like it is supposed feel. Is it truly enough for her? Will this world truly bring her the happiness she so desires?
Alice Foster was born with achromatopsia, a rare condition where those afflicted are only able to see in shades of black and white. She cannot see the colour of her dog Harvey’s eyes, or her mother’s gentle smile. The condition is genetic, and her grandmother was the only other person Alice knew to have the condition. When she passed away around Alice’s sixteenth birthday, she gave up trying to see the colours. She began to push those close to her away and isolate herself, which only made her world darker. One summers day, Alice, her little brother Jacob and their friends went to the woods for a while. Alice didn’t say a word for hours, and after her friends made an attempt to include her, she lost her temper and stormed off into the woods. What happened next, changed her life forever...
Alice ends up in a fantasy world where dangerous reds and warm, welcoming yellows tempt her. She admires the sky and the forest though she has no one to share them with. Alice was used to being on her own, so it didn’t seem so bad at first. For the first time in her dull, grey life she could see everything how it was supposed to look. Though nothing feels like it is supposed feel. Is it truly enough for her? Will this world truly bring her the happiness she so desires?
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COLOUR BLIND
It hurt at first. The strength of it. The intensity of it. The beauty
of it. She had to keep blinking to help with the shock. Finally,
she was able to open her eyes completely. There were trees
all around her like the forest she was in before, but these ones
were painted with something that felt like calm, like fresh fruit
and vegetables. She knew this feeling was called green and the
feeling of it made her want to cry. Green was everywhere, in
the trees, on the ground, in the water. It was so natural and
effortless, like living. Then she looked up at the sky. It was
a soft colour she knew was called blue. Blue was different to
green; it was smoother and more peaceful like water or sleep.
Blue was something that made her feel lonely. Everything was
quieter with blue. Alice walked away from the river into the
forest to explore. The colours were everywhere. The trees were
cloaked in a beautiful dark brown bark. There were toadstools
around her feet a dangerous colour she knew must be red, it
was both so intense and enticing that she didn’t know whether
to stay away from it or get closer.
After walking around the forest her head began to ache and
she had to stop for a minute. She lay beneath a tree while the
grass tickled her ears and neck. Hours passed and it was just
her and the sky. Alice heard it sing to her. Songs of orange, red
and pink as it set behind the clouds. This was the first sunset
she had ever seen and it made her think of Jacob, yelling to her
about how beautiful it was. This made her angry still, she was
glad to be away from him.
Alice opened her eyes in the morning and for a moment, she’d
forgotten that she could see. Every morning she’d ever woken
up to had been grey and black. Alice was so happy and content
at this moment, the colours brought a warmth into her and
made her feel awake.
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