colorblind.

"This is your final task, Evy. Today will be the test of your obedience..."1

Evangeline smiled faintly, closing her eyes. Those melodious voices never failed to put her in a dream-like state every time they spoke. But every beauty has an assassin's shadow--and theirs was an impatient intolerance. If she messed up even once, those voices would turn into screaming rage.2

She vowed not to fail. She promised to make them proud.3

The paint was ready earlier than they had expected it to be--a good sign. The process was now as familiar to Evy as brushing her teeth. Her friends' mouths were stretched into Cheshire Cat-smiles, but it wasn't like the girl would notice. She was always so trusting in her innocent naivety. 4

It was good that her attention span was faulty as well. She was already smiling to herself, her fingertips caressing the fine hairs of the paintbrush. She recalled a faint memory of receiving her first set of paintbrushes and oil paints as a child. She loved every color, of course, but one always stood out above the rest. She couldn't ever understand why she loved it so much--it seemed so bland and out of place, yet it captivated her so much that she would paint entire canvas of just that color, over and over again... 5

The sensation of gentle fingertips on the inside of Evy's wrist brought her back from the realms of her imagination into reality. Her friends leaned down on either side of her. She suppressed a giggle as their breath tickled the tips of her ears. She felt so delighted today, and she didn't know why. Her right hand curled around the paintbrush, gripping it firmly.6

"It's time to get started, Evy," they whispered softly. Their fingers traced abstract shapes onto her skin. "We can't waste any time. This will be your greatest challenge yet." Evangeline nodded cheerfully and obediently. She would do anything for them.7

Evy dipped the brush into the paint. Her left arm tensed immediately, but she ignored it. She had remembered an earlier instruction; to relax. Tension meant nervousness, and nervousness meant mistakes. She was an artist now, not a child. She couldn't afford to mess up. Every stroke required perfect precision and accuracy, much like surgery...8

The wall towered above Evy. She realized why this was to be such a challenge-- she was painting a mural. Every other task that she'd been instructed to do had been smaller than this. Last time she had painted a large piece of canvas entirely. That had tired her greatly. However, she was used to it. Her friends constantly reminded her to always inhale oxygen through steady lungs, and to exhale all impurity and fear. Most of all, she was to take her time and never feel rushed. She would fail if she ignored those things.9

The paint smeared across the cold wall. Evy evened it out as much as possible, trying to create perfect layers. 10

"Remember that every stroke must echo the beauty that resounds within your mind," her friends spoke. Yet again, a smile played on Evy's lips. She loved those voices and the adoration that they expressed. They told her so many times that she was beautiful, and she believed them. That was why she vowed to always obey them--even if the source of paint was so strange to her. They desired art, and she was willing to give it them, no matter what they required of her.11

The minute- and second-hands of the clock waltzed by so quickly that Evy lost awareness of their dance. Her friends were silent the during that time. She would have forgotten their presence had their fingers not continued to caress her. Sometimes they dipped into the paint and drew designs on her skin. She would laugh but would also try to remain focused on her work.12

Evangeline suddenly realized how tired she was. Her arm faltered, muscles aching. The paintbrush fell from her hand. The familiar sense of vertigo was clutching at her head as black flashing circles began to fill up her visions. She blinked rapidly, trying to will them away. Her heart tasted panic as she realized that the circles were not dissipating. 13

Suddenly the world felt very heavy. A moment later, Evy found herself on her knees, gasping. Her friends watched her fall...but the warmth had left their usually-melodious voices.14

"Get up, Evangeline!" they barked, their tongues thick with venom. "There's no time to waste! Don't quit now!"15

Evy gasped, her lungs shaking as much as her legs were. She struggled back to her feet. Fear tugged at her heart. Something was wrong here, and she didn't quite understand why...16

"I'm...trying," she answered. Her voice sounded so weak and far away. Her own frailty shocked her. But something else caught her attention-- adrenaline had no effect on her strength whatsoever. The world continued to grow heavier by the second. What was going on here? 17

Had she released too much?18

Her hesitation broke her friends' composure. They reached at the shard of glass on the floor. Before Evy could stop them, paint was dripping down her arms.19

"Finish!" they screamed. 20

Evy felt her eardrums bleed, her head swarming with sickness. She didn't notice that she had lost sensation in both of her arms. She fingers tried to grip at the dripping paintbrush that was at the feet, but she could not grasp it. Even her perspiration felt heavy.21

Inhale. Exhale. Senses blurred. Gravity crushed. Tears escaped.22

Evy was on the floor. She wanted to ask her friends why this would happening, but her tongue was unable to form syllables. The voices roared demonically at her to pick up the fucking brush and finish the masterpiece, but their amplitude was dying out, and Evy didn't feel like fulfilling her promise anymore...23

A warm wetness stained Evy's cheek. Paint. Spending the last reserve of her strength, trembling, she pushed herself over onto her back. Everything felt strangely calm and serene. The only sounds that she could hear were white noise and the sound of her slowing heartbeat.24

As the black circles grew in size to dominate her weakened vision, something changed suddenly that trapped the remainder of oxygen into Evangeline's lungs. The painted shade on the wall turned into an inexplicable color that, before this very moment, Evy's eyes had been unable to see. A final smile spread across her lips as the beauty of the color devoured the rest of her fading world.25

Exhale.26

The walls dripped crimson.27

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