“Did you know that colors come from a dystopian place called Wham Town? My grandpa told me so before he died. We used to have so much joy and color hundreds of years ago in this town. The people, streets, forest, food, clothes, and homes were a variety and shades of colors. It was a beauty to behold.” Ken sat on a stone watching Bebe do what she loved to do the most-paint as he spoke. He squinted and scratched his eyes a little as he tried to block the sun's rays. He loved to watch her paint.
The way her face bloomed with each stroke of the brush awakened something inside of him. At the same time, it made him feel relaxed and alive. It was therapeutic. Ever since Ken lost his grandfather, he found himself spending more time with Bebe and her painting sessions.
“Umhm! And your grandpa told you all that?” Bebe raised an eyebrow after Ken finished talking.
“Yes B! One day, the king of Wham Town went on a voyage and lost his way back home. Ever since, Wham town mysteriously disappeared and all the colors disappeared with them. It is the reason everything is just gray now.”
“What are you talking about Ken? That thing you carry around everywhere is the only color I've ever seen in my life! See.” Bebe spread her arms gesturing for Ken to look around him.
Ken wriggled the little carved wood in his hand and imagined how divine it would be to see those colors in Bebe's paintings, the grass, sky, mountains, and forests. Ken smiled. The idea was like a little light bulb that quickly lost its shine when Bebe jolted him back to reality.
“What do you think of it? This time, I added the landscape.” Bebe threw her hands around Ken as she tried to showcase her work of art.
“You were born for this. I think that it would look even more splendid with colors other than gray on it. Ken looked at the gray sky, mountains, sand, grass, and trees. His eyes then fell on his palms. Everything including their skin was gray. Ken sighed. “This can't be all there is Bebe. There is more. Grandpa used to say so.”
“Ken. Your grandpa used to say lots of things. The old world of colors is just a myth to get people out there searching for nothing. All we need is here.” Bebe pointed toward the vast expanse of land that surrounded their little town, Saya. She began twirling around in her a-line dress that flattered her waist.
Ken's gaze fell on his little wood again. It was a toy carved in the form of a castle. It had been given to him by his grandfather Mut. Mut was a man of many weird words and Ken often wondered if the years had made him like that. On his 95th birthday just before he passed, must held Ken's hands. “This is the key to unlocking the Golden Era. A new world of colors lived by our ancestors before now. The colors of the land have been trapped in this castle Ken. Only true kings and queens can unlock the treasure. The treasure of a new life. The word to say is Nahwa on a cold night.” Those were Mut’s dying words as he locked the little Castle in Ken's palms.
As far as the Sayans could remember, they had never seen anything of color. It was as though a gray screen had been drawn over the little town. What was more mysterious than the colors on old Mut carvings was the isolation of the town. They lived secluded and the town had never seen any visitors in over a hundred years. Their ancestors had passed myths about an era of color that flourished in the past. The colors had mysteriously vanished and given rise to the gray era they lived in right now. “The Golden era of color will return,” they had said.
“Boo!”
Ken and Bebe became startled as Meme emerged from the bushes.
“You do this all the time.” Bebe cried.
“And it never gets old.” Meme hugged her two friends and sat beside Ken. “So when do we make it to this golden treasure land? It looks like it is going to be a cold night. The perfect time to say the magic word ‘Nahwa’” Meme extended the pitch of her voice and made a grand gesture. All three friends laughed heartily.
“You've been here the whole time.” Ken playfully pulled her arm. “Well, you never know the wisdom in the words of an old man. Perhaps the myth will come to pass. So I'll just leave this here.” Ken smiled as he dropped the wood on a stone. The three friends then journeyed down the mountain.
That night, Ken felt uneasy. He kept tossing and turning. Finally, he jumped out of bed and grabbed an oil lantern. He was going to journey up the mountain top. The night felt eerie and cold. There was an unusual hissing and bellowing sound in the air. Some minutes later, Ken was on the mountaintop. The air around him became colder. Ken could smell Jasmine lingering in the air. The kind Meme would use on her hair.
He came to where the wood sat. Ken noticed a little flickering glow around the edges of the carving. Soon the stinging cold permeated his body. Ken heard soft footfalls behind him. He quickly turned to find nothing. He then began to feel a strong urge to yell “nahwa” and he did.
Instantly, the air turned colder. Streaks of lightning covered the entire sky. Hundreds of them. Ken looked at the sky and shuddered. When he looked away from the sky, he found himself standing in front of the most magnificent castle he had ever seen. His little toy had transformed into a giant castle of red, blue, and yellow. Ken was astonished. His eyes widened.
The door suddenly opened and Ken was greeted with a disco of bright blinding colors that he had never seen before. Inside the door was an entire city of lights.
“Awe another one”
Ken began to hear whispers as he adjusted to the light and colors. He began to spot them one after the other. There were hundreds of little creatures with different shades of brown, caramel, and peach. They were about the size of a palm. Their skin looked like plastic. They had big round eyes and silky hair. They were suspended in the air by tiny silver twinkling feathers.
“Welcome to Wham town. We've been expecting you. I am Mia” one of the creatures fluttered to Ken’s face. He was bewildered to find that she was around the same height as him. Ken looked at his body and he was left in awe. He had transformed to look exactly like one of them. He was in shock at all that was happening.
He looked to his side. One of the miniatures was standing beside him. She smelled like Jasmine and Ken recognized her eyes.
“B! Is that you?”
“Yes, Ken. I thought I'd explore the little myth and I said the magic word. Your grandpa was right.”
Soon, the door behind them opened again. Another miniature creature came fluttering in.
“Meme!” Ken and Bebe exclaimed.
“I knew I heard something behind me,” Ken said.
“Our prophecy has come to pass. Get the crowns quickly.” Mia jumped in excitement. “It was said that on a cold night of the new era, a king along with two queens would return to Wham town. Soon, Ken, Bebe, and Meme were adorned in Golden shimmering crowns. The new Whammy King and Queens.
Cheers and applause filled the air.
“Now we shall shower the world with colors again.” the miniatures chorused. They began fluttering in masses through the door. As they did, they let out showers of rainbow colors that began lighting up the world.