Transparent Color's

In the morning I just lie in my bed with my silk pajamas on, thinking about the closet and drawers full of clothes that are my sizes. Why would there be so many clothes here to choose from? And in my size? Toby’s room has the same. After he had cleaned himself up and changed, he came into my room like I asked. Maliki put doubt in my head and now I don’t fully trust this place.

I prop myself up on the firm pillow and look around the room. It’s a lot bigger than my old room. The room is all decorated with gold and red fabrics. The walls are red with gold borders and more swirls going around. The bed’s silk comforter is gold with red buttons, and the sheets are red. The furniture is a dark brown wood. There’s a wooden desk to my left, past the entrance to the room. On the wall adjacent to that wall is the dresser, closet, and bathroom entrance. The wall to my right has a huge window with gold drape accented with blue. The accent of blue is odd to me, but it is still quite pretty.

My mind goes to Maliki, the kiss, and how he left without saying anything to me. We no longer have his protection, why would he just leave? My mind then goes to the server, Jo-Shana, and how the look in his eyes has me in such wonderment. I feel it was intentional, a look he wanted me to see and question. A look of caution, but yet a look of trust. Or are my eyes deceiving me again?

I lift myself up in a seated position, and look at Toby sound asleep. I wish I could sleep peacefully like that with no worry in the world. I take the covers off of me and carefully push myself off the bed. My bare feet touch the cold floor, which causes me to move swiftly to the rug by the window. My eyes catch the blue sky and beautiful landscape of trees and hills beyond the wall. I didn’t realize how high up we were to be able to see pass the wall. I hunch over and place my hands on the window’s panel, just staring at the view.

Two yellow birds, like the ones I saw laying on the grass, fly in my sight. I watch them as they make loops in the air and then swoop down. I put my head against the glass to follow them to the ground, but unable to see all the way down. So I unlock the window and open it. Suddenly a camera shoots out and is now poking in my face.

“Back up Ms. Collins!” the little speaker on the camera says. So I do. The window then closes automatically and locks. Interesting security system, it kind of frightens me.

“Maggie, I’m in love with this bed! Hey what are you doing by the window?” he yawns.

“I’m just looking out it. Did you see what just happened?” I say with some shock, pointing at the window.

Toby scratches his head, “No. What happened?”

Before I could answer there was a knock on the door. I look at Toby, and then the door knocks again, “Yes, who is it?”

No one answers, so I go to the door and open it. No one is there, but on the door frame a tiny note is sticking out of the wall. I pull it out and look curiously at the slit in the frame closing, and now looks like an ordinary frame.

“What does the note say Maggie?”

I read it:

“You are invited to have breakfast with His Greatness. Please be ready promptly at eight-thirty. No later.”

I look at the clock on the wall above my dresser and it reads seven-thirty. An hour, I guess we need to start getting ready. Toby quickly gets up and runs back to his room. I go to the bathroom and see a gorgeous Porcelain tub. I felt so sleepy last night I didn’t even bother to clean up. I take a quick bath and when I’m done, a quick dry on one of those air mats. I go to my closet, open it up and an outfit is already poking out. I guess they want me to wear this one. The outfit is; black silk shorts and a purple silky top. The shoes were black silky flats. I have come to the conclusion that they really like silk here in the Grand City.

After I dress I comb out my hair, brushing it back smoothly. Then suddenly remember my mother’s pin is in one of the pockets of the dress I wore last night. I rush to the laundry chute in the wall and open it. It’s empty of course, probably being cleaned at this second. My eyes start to water, but I shake it off, and tell myself the pin’s fine I just have to ask the Majestic about it at breakfast. He seems kind enough.

I finish my hair and pin some back with a purple clip. My face looks decent enough, I think, so I don’t need to apply any make-up. I’m not sure I would be able to put it on correctly anyway. I move out of the bathroom and sit on one of the silky gold and red chairs. Next to the chair is a little end table; on the table is an unique looking lamp and a drawer. I open it. Inside the drawer is a tiny book. A big smile comes to my face and I gently take it out. The book is old, so I open it carefully. The pages are full of different writings. I read the first one.

“No body-length mirror to peer upon. I sit here

quivering, questioning my existence.

Life or death? Which one will be my survival

or my demise? Life is surely the undoubting way

of survival. But what is life, if your existence is

merely a scheme? Therefore, it will be my

demise, and Death must be doubtingly the way

to truly go.”

Well that was cryptic! I sit for a moment pondering about this daunting passage, trying to understand it. Then there is a knock on the door. I quickly put the book away and go to the door. Jo-Shana is on the other side of the door, and Toby is next to him in black pants and a purple top. Jo-Shana’s eyes do not look into mine and he tells me to follow him. So I do. I wonder if he noticed I noticed something in his eyes, and that is why he is not looking at me now.

We all head down the stairs, and once we reach the bottom floor we turn to our left down a wide hallway, like the one that leads to the ball room on the opposite side. This hallway, in contrast with the other, has red walls with blue swirls, and the floor is blue. He opens up another double door all the way down the hall. As he does, he bows and puts one arm behind his back and the other out for us to proceed inside. When we do, he does not enter the room with us, but closes the door behind us. He looks at me not once this time. My eyes must have been playing tricks on me. I shake my head and look around the room.

The room is bright. Windows surround the walls, and in the middle of the room is a long table with fourteen chairs around it. On one end there are only three places set up, so Toby and I go sit down in two of them. We leave the one on the end for the Majestic, figuring that is his seat. I sit facing the window, so I can look out, and Toby sits across from me. We wait for a moment, then the door opens and the beautiful blue eyed man comes walking in. He gives us a big smile and sits down.

“Why good morning, I’m sure you both had a good sleep?” he says to the both of us but keeps his eyes on me.

“Yes, thank you, the rooms are quite lovely,” I say back with a smile. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I look at Toby. Toby must have been feeling my awkwardness, so he steps in.

“Oh, yes the beds are amazing. It felt like I was sleeping on a cloud. A very silky cloud I mean.” Toby starts to laugh. The Majestic is looking at him now and laughs as well. Toby to the rescue!

“Good to hear. So Toby you seem like a smart young man, how do you feel about the Grand City and its people?” He asks with curiosity in his voice.

“The City is beautiful, well from what I’ve seen anyways. The people are nice, they just look weird,” Toby says honestly, I look with some shock on my face. The Majestic laughs and ask how so.

“Well they all look too perfect, and the women have way too much make-up on. I guess there’s no nature looking people here,” says Toby.

“No natural beauties like your cousin here?” The Majestic says, and then looks back at me, my face feels hot. He gives a little laugh, and so does Toby, and then he calls for the food to be served.

I’m not sure if that was a compliment or an insult. So I look down at the table, I can feel unnecessary anger boiling up. I feel a slight touch on my hand and I look up at the Majestic.

“Have I told you yet how lovely you look today? Well you do.” He smiles and takes my hand and kisses it. My face reddens again, but out of bashfulness. I smile and say thank you. The anger drifts away.

The food trays come in and are placed on the table. The cover is removed and I see three different plates. On the first plate are fluffy yellow egg, with potatoes, bacon, and sausage. The second plate has three large waffles, with all kinds of berries on top. The third plate is a bowl of grits. I look at the bowl of grits and think of my Aunt Bristol mixing the pot. How she would always wipe sweat off her forehead, caused by the hot steam hitting her face. She would smooth back her hair and fix her pin. The pin!

I instantly ask, “Majestic, I put a pin in one of my dress pockets and forgot about it, I sent it down the chute last night. Is there any way I can get that pin back? It’s quite special to me.”

The Majestic looks at me and with a soft voice he says, “Of course. Jeffery, please retrieve Ms. Collins’ pin.”

Jeffery says certainly with a bow and goes out the door. He must be the Majestic’s right hand man, because he is always with him. And always to his right.

“There no harm done… and please don’t feel nervous to talk to me or ask me anything. We are all friends here,” He says with a smile. His smiles are so infectious, I could look at them all day. I start to feel like I’m drifting again, and wish Maliki was here to kiss me to bring me back.

“Thank you Sir. Um… so when do we get our new home?”

He grins then says, “Right after breakfast if you wish, although I was hoping you both would accompany me to the City and maybe a show beforehand?”

I go to talk, but Toby shouts out, “Yes!” then he looks at me and goes on “Maggie we can always get our new home later, please lets go to the show!”

I want to say no we need to get our new home and that we have taken up too much of this man’s time already. But the excitement on Toby’s face causes me to say instead, “Sure, why not.”

“Splendid!” The Majestic says and then starts to eat. So we do the same.

After we have finished, we are escorted out of the home, by Jeffery and Jo-Shana. Two purple cars pull up.

“Jo-Shana will be your personal assistant, anything you need he will get.” The Majestic says to me. “Magolin, you will ride with me, Toby will ride with Jo-Shana.” The first car door opens.

I hesitate; I don’t want to be alone with his blue eyes, like I was while dancing last night. Toby’s not going to be here to save me. I watch Jeffery get in the front of the car, then look back at the Majestic waiting for me to go in. I suck it up, give a smile and slide myself into the two seated back seat.

Once the car is moving the Majestic leans in towards me, “I’m so glad we are finally alone to talk.”

“Yes, and what to talk about?” I give a little nervous laugh, and then stop myself out of embarrassment.

He smiles and says, “Well, how about Maliki?”

I look at him with confusion, and say, “Maliki? Why Maliki?”

He looks at me with questioning eyes, “He just seems like an interesting lad. He says he’s from this City, right?” I start feeling like I did in the questioning room, just waiting to be shocked by electricity.

“He did. Why do you ask?”

“Hm. Well I looked in our records and there is no Maliki recorded to have lived in this City. Or in my knowledge, out of the fifty men I sent out on the mission. I just find it quite odd, don’t you?” His blue eyes look right into mine. Just for a second, they seem darker than before and instead of feeling desire when looking at them, I start to feel an inkling of fear.

I don’t want to give away I know about thirty other men, so all I can say back is, “I do.”

The rest of the ride is in complete silence.