1:53pm, Thursday

A world without color is a world without feeling. A world where you are too distant to care. A world where you are at your most violent…or so I’ve been told.

“Beware of the world without color, Dryden.” That person would say. “Or else you will end up like your father in the PC Bracket. Doing the jobs no one wants. Doing the jobs that fit your...” The voice would pause. It’s eyes would scrutinize me like an insect. “Well, it would just fit you.”

But I can see color. I see vibrant blues every day when I have my cup of blueberries in the morning.

“Murrderrerr…” That whisper still haunts my steps as I hurry through the alleyways.

Blueberries have amazing antioxidant properties. I speed up my steps. Just a quarter cup of these little fruits can slow brain degeneration and increase memory and cognition.

“Murrderrerr…” There is that whisper again.

I look all around me swiftly. My eyes burn from the excruciatingly bright yellow from the sun. Like the bananas Aunt Mac brings home from the market. Bananas are a good source of potassium.

“Murrderrerr…”

Where…! The rolling oranges that line these alleyways in patterns that have no meaning. In names of places I’ve never heard. In images that… I slam my fist against the wall. My chest heaved with each breath that rips through my lungs.

“Oranges are orange, Dryden. Remember that and you will never forget this color.” Aunt Mac’s soothing voice came crashing into my head almost as hard as my heart thumping against my chest.

“Remember Dryden, oranges are orange, and oranges…”

…Oranges have good vitamin C. I swallow and force my eyes to stare right at the waving orange lines in front of me. If you eat the white portion of the rind, you get a good amount of calcium…

I grope at the orange line and follow it around and around.

I can see color. I can see it. My finger intersects with another line. A purple line. Purple grapes. Then a blue line. Blue blueberries. Next is yellow. Yellow bananas. Then back to orange. Orange oranges, brown potatoes, grey…black…grey…black. My breath starts coming faster again. Where’s the color? Where did it—

“Murrderrerr…”

I put my finger on a random line. Purple…purple…think Dryden! Purple….purple beets, blue potatoes, yellow lemons, orange pumpkins.

Blue corn, orange carrots, purple plums, yellow spaghetti squash.

Yellow pineapples, purple eggplant, blue blueberries, orange sweet potatoes.

Orange apricots, blue potatoes, yellow pepper, purple elderberries.

I follow the lines out of the alleyway and back onto the churning walkways. Back into the sea of color.

My breath starts to return to normal. My heart stops beating so fast.

This is has been one of the worst days ever. And it all started this morning with this:

Dear Mr. Ekbur,

I work for the office of Government Sector Relations and I found your scores perfect for interning with the Gavi Quintar Government Sector official Elite Bracket Paldine, Merv Ervot. However, there is an issue with your family background. I would like to discuss this in person so that we can quickly clear up this issue and have you smoothly transition into the Government Sector.

Sincerely,

Gary Hartfield,

Office of Government Sector Relations, Gavi Quintar

“Issue with your family background.” They probably mean my biological father…I run my hand through my hair. What the hell? What does my biological father have to do with my life anymore? He’s been gone for more years than I’ve been alive and yet he still……oh ishnik! Seven minutes to get to the building. I do a complete 360. Where the hell am I?

…

…

…

...This is definitely the worst day ever.

2:07pm, Thursday

“Dryden Ekbur.” A wide smile spread across Gary’s face as the door opened. “Please come in. Were you waiting long?”

“What? Oh, um no. I—”

“Please, sit. We have much to discuss.” Gary held out his hand at the empty seat as the door closed behind me with a faint click. “Before we get started, I just have a few quick questions to update your file.” He started before I even pulled the chair out from the table enough to fit in it.

“Alr—”

“You were mostly raised by your aunt on your father’s side?”

“Yeh.”

“When did you start living with her?”

“Just before my sixth birthday.”

“What does your aunt do?”

“She is a Middle Bracket Sports player.”

“Sports One, I see.” Gary scribbled on a pad of paper. “And your uncle?”

“He’s a Middle Bracket Sports doctor.”

“Any specialties?”

“Sports nutrition. Um, how is this relevant?”

“Like I said, I just need to make sure our records are up to date.” Gary smiled thinly. “As I’m sure you have already leaned in Government class, but the Qui Duty passes from father to son and from mother to daughter. So, since your father was original Qui Duty was Sports One, your Qui Duty is, therefore, also Sports One.”

“Yeh, I have training every evening while at the Akademy, and all day in the summer…in case the Akademy falls through.”

“What sport are you specializing in during the summer training?”

“The GQ national sport.”

“What is your training regimen like?”

“…Intense. Um, I don’t want to stay in Sports One. That’s—”

“Yes, yes. That’s why you have made it into the Top Six.” Gary picked up a piece of paper. “Your scores are very competitive—”

“To intern for Padline Ervot. It was in the HOL message…” Dryden trailed off as Gary glared at him over the top of the paper.”

“Your scores are competitive, but there is a slight problem with your relation to your biological father.”

“How so? By Qui law, anyone sent to the—”

“I know Qui law.” Gary snapped. “And if you were going for any other sector within the Elite Bracket, this wouldn’t be a problem, according to Qui law. However, members of the Government Sector, no matter the Bracket, must come from upstanding citizens. Do you understand why?”

“No.”

“The Government Sector directs society. We are the role models of society, you could say. Therefore, those who hold office positions in the Government Sector must have an impeccable backgrou—”

“B-but I made it into the To Six…”

“Yes, you did.” Gary said unblinkingly. “And if you would let me finish, I think we will be able to come to a favorable conclusion.”

“Sorry.” I muttered.

“Like I was saying…Those in the Government Sector must be the role models of society. And the only thing keeping you back is that your father was found guilty of conspiring against Qui and was, therefore, sentenced to thirty years labor in the PC Bracket.”

I nodded.

“However…” Gary paused as he put the paper down. “General Shaw has reviewed your father’s case in light of some recent information coming to light—”

“Recent information?”

“—and he thinks that your father should be honored for his service to Qui.”

“What?”

“…The Gavi Quintar Government was led to believe, ten years ago, that your father was the main cause behind several attacks on Qui. Therefore, he was sentenced to the PC Bracket.

“But you said recent information.”

“That is correct. We now know that your father acted uprightly and should be honored for his actions…and service.”

“Service?...Service?” I could feel my voice going as high as the woman’s earlier. “He was dragged away like, like…like a dirty, filthy, PCer. And you call that service?”

I can understand how that must have been upsetting for you to watch at such a young age—”

“You can understand?” I slammed the chair backwards in my haste to stand up. “You were the one that sentenced him Mr. Hartfield. I remember—”

“Is that so?” Gary’s blue eyes pierced into mine.

“Yeh.” I stared back. “And you know what I think—”

“Dryden Ekbur.” Gary’s voice sharpened quickly. “Do you want your father to be honored or not?”

“That isn’t the point.” I slammed my fist on the table.

“That is exactly the point. Now, if you do not want to listen to how your father will be honored you are free to leave.”

My breath came in short bursts from my nose. “…fine. How?”

“I expect you to sit in your chair with calmness and patience without interrupting me.”

“I rolled my eyes, but picked up my chair and slumped into it. “Happy now?”

Gary snorted softly as something flickered across his face. A smile? A facial twitch? Creepy old guy. He opened his mouth to speak.

Sometime within the next year, a new society bracket will be established called the Paragon Bracket. It will mainly be to honor special people in society…really make them stand out as the best of the best, you understand?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

“We would like your father to be the very first person to be inducted into the Paragon Bracket. You, by direct relation, will automatically be placed within the Elite Bracket after you complete your Top Six training.”

“…Is that it? What about the recent information” you received? Why didn’t you find it earlier? Why was he blamed?”

“Ah, I am unable to tell you that, unfortunately. However, just know that we have taken care of the person truly respon—”

“Who was responsible? Mrs. Warek? Dr. Sadzo? Dr. Wiston? Mr. Belmont? Who else worked with him…?”

“I can’t—”

“Who was it?” My fists slammed down onto the table.

“Easy boy.” Gary’s slithery voice did nothing to hide the twitch of his eyebrow or his smug expression. “All you need to know is that he was wrongly blamed. But, if all goes well, his name will be cleared within the year.”

“Why a year? If you have the information now, why can’t you clear his name now?”

“Well, two reasons. First, the next Presidential elections will be in six months.”

“So?”

“In order for Gavi Quintar to establish a new society bracket, our General needs to become President.”

“So basically, my father will be honored if General Shaw becomes the next President of Qui?”

“More or less.”

“Oh great.” I throw my hands up in the air. “So my father will only be honored if little Gavi Quintar, who hasn’t won an election for the past five terms, suddenly and miraculously wins the upcoming elections.”

“We will win.”

“Yeh, sure. And what will happen to my father if General Shaw doesn’t win?”

Gary’s eyes narrowed for just a moment before returning to a relaxed state. “I’m sure he will gain recognition….just not very much.”

I pursed my lips. “Will I still be eligible for the Elite Bracket if General Shaw doesn’t become President and my father doesn’t get special honors?”

Gary shrugged again. “Maybe, maybe not. It’s less certain that you will be able to switch your Qui Duty. It would all depend on your performance within the Top Six Program.”

Dryden paled.

“Anyway, the second issue is that your father was released from the PC Bracket three years ago—”

“Three years?” My eyebrows shot up. “He had triple PC sentences…he was supposed to be there for thirty years—”

“—However, he has missed his check-ins with the Middle Bracket Government official.”

“You lost him?”

“No, he’s missing. There’s a difference. But, perhaps you could help—”

“I don’t believe you.” I said flatly. “There’s no way my father would be free and not come home.”

“…So he hasn’t tried to contact you at all?” Gary’s eyes watched me carefully.

Is this guy stupid?

“No. Because. I. Didn’t. Even. Know. He. Was. Released.”

“Perhaps you know someone who would know where he is?”

I just stare at Gary. ”Are you serious right now?”

“Completely.”

“How would I know anyone from the PC Bracket?”

“Perhaps your mother would know…?”

I roll my eyes. “If she knew he was released, she would have told me. If he had contacted her, she would have told me.”

Gary’s eyebrow twitched. “ But your mother did know that he was released. It is protocol to notify the family when a member of the PC Bracket re-enters society.”

“I don’t believe you.” I stated again.

“That doesn’t change the facts, boy.”

Gary picked up the HOL without batting an eye. “Call your mother. She will tell you it’s true.”

“Oh please, how stupid do you think I am?...I’m not going to call my mother when she’s at an important job thing.” I scuff my feet. “Besides how incompetent are you people? First you wrongly accuse him, then, if it is true, you lose him? Maybe I don’t want to be a part of the Government Sector after all.”

Gary shrugged and put the HOL down. “That is your choice. However, we would still like to honor him for his service. If you find anything out about his whereabouts, don’t hesitate to contact me or Arline at the front desk.” Gary stood and walked to the door. The meeting was decidedly over.

“As if.” I mutter. The chair teetered back and forth as I shoved it roughly away from me as I stood.

Gary grabbed my arm before I passed the threshold. “Just remember Dryden, we would like to restore you and your father to your rightful place in the Elite Bracket. But we can’t do that unless all the pieces come together. Your role in this is tantamount to its success…how much does family really mean to you?”

I yanked my arm away.

“Just think about it.” Gary’s whispery voice followed me down the hallway. “Perhaps you know someone from the PC brack—”

The elevator doors closed, cutting off Gary’s voice.

3:03pm, Thursday

The inter-room mail system icon blinked on my desk as I walked into my room exhausted. I flung my jacket onto my bed and tapped on the icon. Yaiya’s name popped up and floated around in circles above the desk.

What now. I groaned inside my head as I waved my hand over the twirling name. It dissolved into a single piece of paper with flowing handwriting:

Dear Baby Brother,

Congratulations on making the Top Six. Here is a poem for you. I hope you cherish it for years to come.

You can’t see color,

Don’t you know,

You can’t see color,

You are the lowest of the low,

But you who were born to a father in disgrace,

You who were born to be nothing more than waste,

Somehow managed to pull off this accomplishment,

Trust me, if came to all our astonishment…

I crumple the poem in my hands and grab my HOL. Ten more hours before my mom gets off from her work. I collapse on my bed just wanting to curl up and forget everything that happened today. Worst day ever. “Perhaps you know someone…” Gary’s voice came back to me. I roll my eyes even though no one is around to see. As if I would know anyone from the PC…I froze. Arina is from there. I leap off my bed and rush to the door. Maybe Arina would know something…!