The lights flickered on and off; the buzzing hum of electricity the background to the shattering of glass. I’m so used to having a painted mask for my face, but I can’t help the twitch of a smile controlling my micro expressions. The click of the heels of my boots match the thrumming of my heart, excitement speeding it up. My fingertips get smudged with black, oily grease as they run across the brick walls of the hallway. As I storm my way up the white tilted staircase. The echoes ring through my ear drums and small harsh breaths escape my lungs. I’ve never felt so in love. The rumblings make the wall quiver. Tension builds in my heart and I find myself smiling wider; I reach the top. I walk out onto the metal plank that extends from the shopping mall’s second floor. Only when I feel the grates below my bare toes do I know it was an escalator flipped upwards. My eyes wander towards the ceiling, the massive round skylight blown out as massive chunks of concrete seem to be snatched into the swirl storm above. The sky is angry. A chuckle claws its way out of my snarled lips. The wind picks up my silver hair, running it’s hands through it the way my mother used to. I push the thought of her away. She left me, not the other way around, I remind myself. Cheers start from below me as I extend my arms out from my sides, my eyes taking in the glory of the purple storm. It’s rage and hatred for the corruption of this town owning all of us.

“They told us we were freaks!” I boom as the crowd quiets. Small worms of electricity dancing off my finger tips. The lights go out. The only ability to see coming from the storm brewing above us. “They told us we deserved to die.” The crowd laughs. It irritates me how one person laughs louder and rougher than the rest. “But look at us now! They are the ones who deserve to die!” I take careful note of each expression, jotting down the ones that hesitate. My lashes meet and the bright light box letter “T” from Target rips from the wall and is sucked into the storm. I watch talented ones below me rip the mall to pieces. The wind holds me up as a skinny man in a janitor’s uniform launches the escalator into the crater. Chaos ensues. Rails whip past my face, a guitar breaks into pieces and everything crumbles. Shouts clog my ears. Each strand of lavender, hazy blue, periwinkle, fuchsia, and that pungent purple of retainer cases explodes into sparks and falls into night. The air turns against me. It shoves cotton balls down my throat, blindfolds my eyes and submerges me in water. My arms fight for the surface, scratching at the darkness. My ears ring as the world falls silent.

“Grandpa!”” My head whips to the side. “Grandpa look! Mommy bought me this purple dress, ain’t it pretty!” Light steps pound towards me, but darkness blinds me.

“Talia! Slow down. Dad, I’m sorry she still doesn’t understand that you’re blind. She thinks your grey eyes make you a wizard.” Warm lips touch my temple.

“My daughter, It’s fine. Go put Talia in something else, purple is a horrible color.”