by ipam
The rain starts along with the loud thunder and white lightning strikes.
Nephella runs through the rain, getting wet for the requirement of meeting her second trip into the red color tone, running towards the room of mirrors, along with Lamis.
Rincon squeezes Ketona by the hand, smiling and winking. “Time to plot our bodies towards the golden circle, for our dream jobs…”
We dash into the rain.
Rincon and I slide over the wet floor, inside the room of mirrors, then hug and giggle into each other’s face. We separate, flinging wet droplets from our hair and face, meeting the new thing to fly back into the Cubby Hole. We walk towards the rear of the room.
I gasp and stop, staring and fingering Lamis, sitting two rows before mine.
The me-chee chair belongs to Lamis.
We were the only the teens of our friends, left behind inside the red color tone, until Rincon and Nephella came for our rescue, like good friends.
Lamis views the ceiling then frowns at Ketona, softly saying. “I…have a confession to make, Ketona. I dropped, before you, from the Cubby Hole, not realizing that my me-chee chair was gonna land, inside the red color tone, again. I really thought that I had gotten three out of the four questions correct for the 75 percent passing value. However, when I emerged into the room of mirrors, I was the first me-chee chair…”
I smile and slap her collar bone, nodding. “Congrats! You’re the first one, here,” then I exhale, frowning with confusion. I view the ceiling, then the floor, and finally the opening. “I don’t understand. You were not afraid of the cotton plants, or the cotton bolls, or the spiders, either.”
Lamis giggles, covering her mouth. She nods. “I am not afraid of spiders. I’m afraid of spider webs, like you experienced, with the sticky netting. Feeling or touching the netting freaks me out! Thanks, Ketona! You’re a good friend to me. I couldn’t have done what you did touching the spider web…”
Nephella slaps Lamis on the collar bone, sneering. “Congrats, too, working the team for the cause…”
Rincon shoves Nephella from Lamis, sneering. “Enough love taps, ladies. We work great, as a team, so we’ll work great, as both friends and neighbors, living within Colfax, too, our home. Let’s go and get Marsilla, being all alone inside the golden color tone,” he chuckles and grabs Ketona by the hand. He escorts Ketona to her me-chee then swings around. He kisses her then pulls back, smiling. “I’ll see ya on the other side, love.”
I giggle and nod.
Rincon swings around, dashing towards the rear of the room.
I spin to my me-chee, patting the metal, smiling.
Nephella slaps Ketona onto the collar bone, standing taller than the petite girl. She giggles. “I don’t believe the city of Colfax allows two wedded husbands that I know of…”
I gasp, swinging to Nephella. “What!?”
She leans into Ketona, grinning. “You need to pick your beau, now? Rincon’s smart, but Buffo’s cute. I know why ya failed and fell into the red color tone, but that’s my secret.” She winks. “If’an ya don’t want Buffo, I…”
I growl. “Duchie failed and fell into the orange color tone.”
Nephella drops her mouth. “I see more clearly. Go and get your man, honey from the dookie girl!” She views the cigar, exhaling. “The rain ruins the smell.” She leaves Ketona, walking along the mirror towards her me-chee, pitching it into the wall.
I exhale, viewing the mirror. I have a decision to make, now.
Rincon has disappeared from the red room of mirrors.
Buffo is trapped inside the orange room.
I slowly slide into my me-chee chair, without any stinging pain, but dripping wet hair.
The fabric cloth wraps about my body then the floor drops.
I barely scream.
Chapter 9
Green color tone
My me-chee chair rises into the green colored room, in the same spot, with a heavy jolt, like always. I see the green shielding chairs of Lamis, Nephella, and Rincon.
We are the only four me-chee chairs and teens inside the glowing green wall, missing the other 300 plus teens.
The me-chee does not waste his time, or the teens’ time. He stands, raising his arms.
This the first sign of the next set of academic questions for the next color tone of green.
I wiggle side to side, not smiling, with mixed feeling.
I wanna see Buffo, but I wanna advance with Rincon, too.
The me-chee says. “Welcome back to the Cubby Hole, teens! I hope you have enjoyed your fun in the sun. There is more fun to have inside the rest of the color tones. Please sit back and relax into your assigned me-chee chair!” The red shielding shimmers, around each teen, inside the me-chee chair. He says. “Close your eyelids! I will present the next series of academic questions for your individual answers. The time limit is fifteen seconds for each posed question. To remind, each schooler, again, for clarity of a proper verbal response, please state my answer is…then your vocal response. If you answer three-fourths, or more, of the academic questions, correctly, you will advance to the next color of green. If you answer one-fourth, or less, you will remain stationary inside the color tone of red. If you, incorrectly, answer two-fourths of the academic questions, then you will slip back into the color of orange. The first question, what is the color tone of the me-chee, inside the Cubby Hole, presently?”
I exhale, wiggling with nervousness and indecision.
Rincon is cute and gentlemanly.
Buffo is cute and gentlemanly, too.
Rincon is sweet and tender.
Buffo is sweet and tender, too.
I exhale. “My answer is…green.”
The me-chee says. “A star ship orbits the planet, moving in a circle, experiencing a gravitational force in relationship to the planet. If the star ship reduces its thrusters then slides down into a new orbit of a smaller radius, how does the gravitational force and speed affect the star ship?”
I exhale. “My answer is…not affected.”
Rincon kisses, good.
Buffo kisses, good, too.
Rincon is advancing into the golden circle.
Buffo is advancing into the golden circle, too.
The me-chee says. “The first of the year 2160, the world is populated at 2.6 billion. Assuming a growth rate of 3 percent, the population of the world, in billions, for z years after 2160, what is the population equation? Do not calculate the answer for the word problem.”
I exhale. “My answer is…p equals z times (2.6 times .03).”
Rincon loves me.
Buffo loves me, too.
The m-chee says. “A circle has a circumference of 16 feet. What is the radius of the circle, in feet?”
I say. “My answer is…nine.”
I giggle, seeing my me-chee chair turn bright orange. The fabrics wrap around my body.
The me-chee chair dumps down into the dark tunnel, as I scream with excitement and happiness.
Chapter 10
Orange room of mirrors
I sail from the dark tunnel then emerge into the room of mirrors. I wiggle side to side with excitement, going to seek and search for Buffo.
I missed him, so much. I love him, so much more. I chose him, forever.
The chair jolts then releases me.
I scoot from the chair, galloping towards the orange wall, slapping it silly.
The opening reveals yellow dirt and brown boulders.
I slowly walk into the dirt, stirring up tiny dusters from my boot prints.
The skyline is blue, melting down into the brown boulders. The air is dry, making me, immediately, thirsty for cold water.
I touch my throat, turning to my left, slowly strolling along the yellow dirt. I scoot around a rock, the size of an eating table for four adults, then veer towards the left some more. I slowly walk towards the edge of the yellow soil.
I gasp with fear.
I’m on a mountain side, not a sharp peak, not a
flat tabletop, not an inner forest, but, lots of yellow dirt and lots of tall and wide non-moving brown boulders.
I slowly back pedal from the sloping drop, which could land my face onto another pile of rocks. I giggle with my silly mental thoughts then slam into the object.
I swing around.
A row of small four-wheeled terrain vehicles holds two persons, a steering wheel, a tiny fluttering cloth rooftop, and two webbing nets for some real yahoo fun.
I giggle, touching and caressing the smooth metal on the rooftop.
The cupped hand slaps my collar bone, when I gasp with shock.
“Ketona! Ketona!” Buffo dashes from the opening of the room of mirrors, extending his arms, smiling. He slides then slaps the back muscles of the unfamiliar male, blocking and touching his girl. He grabs the biceps of the male, shoving him into the tree bark. “Ketona,” Buffo tucks his hands under her armpits then swings Ketona around in circle for both fun and love. He completes the circle, bringing her face into his face. He deeply kisses her lips, holding the pose, forever.
Buffo pulls back then smiles.
I pant then exhale, catching my breath. I giggle and smile.
Buffo lowers Ketona down to the yellow dirt, making tiny dust swirls in the air.
I can’t stop grinning, giggling between his biceps.
He whispers. “You’re here. I was so worried that you fell back down into the yellow color tone. After the academic questions, I didn’t see ya. I haven’t seen ya for a few hours, doll. Are you okay, darling? Where have ya been, honey?”
I gasp, dropping my mouth. “I…I…”
“Buffo,” the female voices shouts.
Buffo swings around, waving and smiling, when I hide behind his bicep.
The female smiles, dashing from the rock boulder, coming towards Buffo.
“Duchie,” I slide from Buffo, screaming and tossing my arm, sneering, not smiling.
Duchie slides to a stop, dropping her mouth.
Buffo chuckles and hugs Ketona, nodding to his friend. “Duchie’s here with us, too. Okay, we need to start our fun,” he spins and drags Ketona by the arm. “I guess. We use these the provided terrain vehicles for our next fun adventure…”
I trip over my own feet, being rushed by Buffo towards the line of terrain karts.
All the teens are loading into the karts, starting the engines. When a kart warms, the teen driver zooms off, driving the karts towards the high sloped mountain side.
Buffo assists Ketona into the seat, securing the webbing around her body.
I view Duchie.
She dances towards another terrain vehicle, sharing with a different male, not Buffo.
I exhale, asking. “I…”
He chuckles, sliding into the driver’s seat, starting the engine. He secures his own net webbing around his tallness. He winks at her. “I hope this color tone is as fun…”
I frown with annoyance, “Buffo, how are you able to have fun, within the same color tone? I mean, I saw the blue w…,” I pause then clear my throat. “Remember, when we both peeked inside the yellow tone color, holding Java and Hatch?”
He nods and smiles, driving up the sloped mountain side, following the next kart. “This country is pretty. I like the yellow soil. I’ve never seen yellow dirt, like this. Someone’s daddy told the secret to one of the other teens, before, entering the Citizenship Day. When a teen drops down, inside any color tone from the Cubby Hole, the park place changes from the original model into the teen’s bad fear, or good like. So, we figured out which teen had the least scary fear and bestest like, then the teen slid into the me-chee and returned back into the Cubby Hole for our continued…”
I slam both hands onto the console. “Wait! Have you returned back into the Cubby Hole, for a second time, Buffo?”
“Yeah.” He nods and drives higher up the slope between the rocks, creating twisting yellow tornadoes.
I gasp, viewing his nose profile. “And, you did not bother to advance into the...the red color tone.”
He laughs. “Naw, I had to go back into the Cubby Hole and answer the first silly question, about the color of the me-chee, which is always orange. I met the one-fourth question rule, staying inside this park place. I had to take my turn, being the first me-chee chair to land, inside the yellow room, exposing my nasty fear of…”
I exhale, growling. “Yeah, I know. I learned the same method. The first me-chee chair modifies into the teen’s fear, then the second time, the same teen falls into a different park place, the love answer is shared with the rest of the teens…”
“Yeah, I had to go back into the Cubby Hole, another time…”
I gasp then yell. “I’m been…stop.”
Buffo slows then halts the kart.
I jump out then finger the sign, frowning at him. “This is a mountain cougar warning sign, where they live, play, and prey on anything, everything, and me, too. This is crazy, Buffo. We can’t invade and interact with any type of wild animals. Cougars attack on people, cows, and dogs, when frightened or hunger…”
He nods, sitting inside the kart. “A cougar, the mammal is the heaviest cat in the world. The beast is secret and lonely native of the mountain terrain, working both night and daylight hours…”
I gasp, nodding and saying. “A cat!? I love cats. I wrote that down, as my love question, on my app for Citizenship Day.” I scan the boulders. “Unbelievable! The Cubby Hole has twisted my pretty petite cats into long and lean fighting cougars. I failed and fell into the room, first, being the only teen. I changed the park place…”
He smiles and nods. “Yeah, the Cubby Hole is totally fun. Get inside the kart, Ketona! There’s plenty of food up here, for the cats, not us. The hills are full of fat elk. So, we just observe one cougar then turn around quickly, and zoom back down the mountain, and then into the room. The end! Keep your eyeballs peeled for our cat.”
I stomp to the kart, scooting inside. “This is all crazy. I’ll been worried and suffering over you, since the orange color tone. Why haven’t you advanced into the red color tone? I have been listening to all the academic questions, sweating through the correct answers, and then advancing…”
He drops his mouth, viewing her for a quick moment, driving up the mountain side. “Ya advanced forward into the next color tones, without me.”
I gasp then view his nose profile. “I…”
He drives. “I’ve been waiting for you to show up, here, inside the orange color tone, Ketona. Man, you’ve been keeping me waiting for a couple of hours, now, girl. Ya know I was really worried. Some of the math problems ain’t easy. I thought ya failed, or something. I thought you were stuck back inside the yellow color tone, failing and falling behind, too.”
I gasp. “I…”
He smiles. “So, I guess ya’ll be having fun inside the red color. Are Rincon and Marsilla with ya, waiting for me, too? I don’t particular enjoy, being around that new girl Nephella…”
I exhale, gritting my teeth, slamming my fists into the console. “Buffo, why haven’t you advanced into the red color tone, joining me, Rincon, and Marsilla? Why is Duchie, here, with you?”
He drives, turning away from the other karts, into an isolated flat plain, frowning with sadness. “I’ve been waiting for our friends.”
I shake my curls. “What friends? All of our friends are inside the…other color tone, except for Duchie. Why is Duchie, here, with you?”
“Our good friends and neighbors, Jara and Hatch.”
I gasp, viewing the console, nodding. “O yeah! Right, our friends, Jara and Hatch, yes, of course…”
“Have ya forgotten? They’re stuck inside the yellow color tone? We saw them, there, inside the yellow color tone.”
“Yes, I remember. We did. How long are we going to wait for Jara and hatch to show up, here, inside the orange park place? I mean, it’s late afternoon, already. Citizenship Day ends, eventually…”
He drives and smiles. “Naw, not until midnight…”
&
nbsp; I view his nose profile. “How do you know that strange fact? We were not told…”
He drives and nods. “I agree. My BPs didn’t tell me, either. Your BPs didn’t tell ya, neither. Some of the teens tattled about some information. So, we kinda put our heads, together, and added two and two, together, and finally figured out, how the Cubby Hole really works. It’s a game for fun and sport and adventure, inside each park place. That’s why it’s called Citizenship Day. The carefree teens have fun, before, becoming a serious working citizen of Colfax. The only one single rule to remember for the Cubby Hole, as long as, a teen zooms back and forth between the color tones, either failing or passing, then Citizenship Day is active. That way, any teen, at anytime, can advance into the next color tone, and eventually into the golden color tone…”
“What about the single difficult question, inside the golden color tone, which is asked to every teen? My understanding, that situation occurs, when the first teen reaches the golden circle, after correctly advancing throughout the color chart, which is Marsilla. Marsilla is there, inside the golden circle, already.” I exhale, tossing my hands and shaking my curls with confusion. “No, that’s not right, either!”
“She is? Huh, I didn’t think Marsilla that smartie with her academic questions.” He nods and smiles. “That’s sorta right, honey. Every teen will end up inside the Cubby Hole, for the single most difficult question, within the golden color tone, before, being granted their particular citizenship, into their new township? If the teen answers, correctly, the single hard question, then the teen picks out their dream job. If the teen answers, wrongly, then the teen stays put inside their current color tone, becoming a citizen of the township, represented by the color chart. So, we all end up in the same place, back there, within the Cubby Hole. However, that situation will occur, when every teen has failed and fallen into a color tone, or every teen has passed into the golden color tone. Not every teen will make it, into the golden color tone, so almost all the teens will work and live outside of Colfax, but me, you, Rincon, Marsilla, and, Jara, and Hatch…”
I smiles. “Nephella is the mayor’s daughter…”
