
Chromatic Awakening

by Patrick Reiner
Title
Chromatic Awakening
Artist
Patrick Reiner
Medium
Digital Art - Midjourney & Photoshop
Description
"Chromatic Awakening,” a short story:
Ava’s life was a quiet monotony, devoid of color, a series of monochrome moments seamlessly blending one day into another—the same faces, the same streets, the same muted routine. Color was a fantasy, something that existed only in the stories her grandmother used to tell.
One day, when news arrived of her grandmother’s passing, Ava found herself sitting alone on a park bench during her lunch break. Tears blurred her vision as she reflected on the person who had raised her like a mother, who had gradually faded into a mere shadow of her former self. Ava reminisced about the enchanting bedtime stories, the ones that had once lulled her to sleep with their beauty and wonder. As she sat there, lost in thought, her mind grappled with a poignant question: Was this all life had to offer?
As night fell, Ava lay in bed, her thoughts a revolving whirlpool of gray. She eventually cried herself to sleep, when something extraordinary happened. Vivid and lucid, she awoke in a dream. Her grandmother was standing before her—clear-eyed and comforting—just as in the memories from her youth. Brimming with emotion, Ava's heart overflowed, spilling tears down her cheeks. “Why can’t I see the world the way you did?” she asked.
With a smile, both gentle and knowing, her grandmother replied, “Oh, my dear Ava. You keep searching outside, when the answer has been inside you all along.” As these words lingered in the air, Ava watched, mesmerized, as her grandmother reached out and softly placed a hand on Ava’s chest, right over her heart. Her breath caught in her throat as warmth spread to every corner of her being, igniting her universe in an explosion of vibrant color. It was a sensation as profound as it was inexplicable, a blending of love, understanding, and a deep sense of homecoming. It was her chromatic awakening, revealing the full magnificence of her own kaleidoscopic beauty.
Ava awoke with a start, her room bathed in the soft light of dawn. Droplets of gratitude trickled from her eyes as the dream lingered in her mind, its colors imprinting on her soul. When she stepped out into the world, she encountered the same faces, the same streets, the same muted routine, but this time, color was inhabiting spaces that had previously been awash only in grays. A richness—a vibrancy of experience—enveloped her every sense.
The newfound spring in her step didn't go unnoticed; a familiar face paused, looking at her with a puzzled expression. “You seem different today, Ava… what's changed?" A bright, beaming smile spread across her face as she met their gaze, her eyes alight with the fire of inner radiance.
“I did.”
Uploaded
February 1st, 2024
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