Colorful Dust

Prologue.

The sun became just a ruler thin ray of firery light.

Then nothing, as boiling black clouds covered every inch of the once clear blue sky.

Lightening zig-zagged across the sky, some raking through the clouds and others whipping out. Thunder boomed both sky high and ground low, like a stomach gone long unfed,

But none of this was noticed by Leigh because all her mind and eyes were set on were the remains of her bestfriend, blowing blackly into the furious wind.

The memory of honey brown hair, sunkissed skin dotted with freckles and twinkling green eyes flowed out in streams of tears down Leighs cheeks.

“No!” Leigh whispered before everything blurred in colors as deep as purple swirling with others as electric as lightening blue.

Then darkness rushed over her and pulled her away into the colorful dust.

Alexia woke to her mind full of flowers, honey and a sweet soft kiss to her cheek.

“Gran-mama!” Alexia giggled as she plonked herself into a seat.

Granmama Ted stood back with a smile bright upon her wrinkled old features. Nothing pleased her more than seeing her sweet little Alexia waking to a fresh happy start to the day.

“Oh, Alexia dear,” Granmama smiled over her pot of sweet smelling oatmeal, “pass your old fragile granma her walking stick please. You wouldn't want me to break a leg before feeding that little stomach of yours, eh?”

Before she had even finished her sentence, Alexia was standing before her with the dragon head walking stick clutched in her little fist. Such a delicate child.

The day went as every other day went for Alexia. First it started off as if she were walking in her own little world, which consisted of flowers, trees, bees and friends but then that will all crumble as she'll haul herself down the block to her school. Illois elementary shcool.

“Alexia Jones Sanders!” Screeched that hawk nosed teacher, Ms Potterson, breathing garlic breath into Alexias little flushed face, “What might you be doing?!”

Alexia had plenty of words she would have loved to say, like how the teacher was a big, potty mouthed and, guiltly thought, ugly teacher! But all she could utter, in a whispered reply was, “Uh?”

Alexia picked sukily at her lace heamed summer dress while dully hearing Hawk nose yelling like a whistle on the otherside of the wall, that currently divided her from Alexias view.

Alexia had not a clue on what could have caused such words and anger but she also doesn't know why her parents had left her and her granmama to themselves as they did.

“...I cannot put up with this type of behaviour any longer! The girl refuses to wear the school colors and instead bombards in with her...with her yellows and pinks and greens... Argh! And her books...”

The headmaster had glanced to a now smiling Alexia and had to force himself from not smiling by clicking the door fully close to his office and pulling the shutters close.

The hawks noise was cut off, for now, and Alexia felt relieved.

But then loneliness blossomened deep within her again for the zenith time, partly for being left alone in the empty school hall but mostly for her parents long dissappearance.

“If only I had a friend.” Alexia whispered to the still air. She had been through friends as fast as she had been through her cereals, which was in minutes. First there was Jennifer, then Alise, then Danny, or was it Kelly?... Alexia sighed and went back to picking at her hemmened dress when a loud bang echoed down the long narrow hall.

Alexia froze.

A rush of cool breeze ruffled her hair and kissed her cheeks. Alexia didn't want to look but couldn't help it as her head slowly turned in as slow a movement as possible.

The schools entrance double doors stood wide open, the afternoon light filled the open space like spotlights on full blast and a blurry dark shadow stood in the middle of it all.

Alexia gulped as the figure walked on slowly down the hall until it had came within a few steps of Alexia, forming a girl...or lady?

She was a very pretty lady...or was she one of those big girls who weren't yet a lady? Alexia thought to herself. She has very dark hair and very bright eyes, like twinkling blue stars. Alexia smiled at the thought and found herself imagining the girl shooting across the night sky, like a shooting star.

The new girl smiled, “Hello.”

“Hello.” Alexia replied, unsure why she felt as she felt. Safe and suddenly comfortable.

“I'm Leigh. Leigh Carlton, and what might your name be?”

Alexias smile wavered, unsure if she should be telling this stranger her name.

She seems okay, Alexia thought, maybe its alright to say...not like anything could go wrong...

Alexia looked for confirmation from any adult around but found noone, so making up her mind she said, “Alexia Sanders! Alexia JONES Sanders!” and accompanyed that with a big genuinly sweet smile.

Leighs smile dropped for a second, a second too long that Alexia thought she had done something wrong, making her heart tighten. But then Leighs smile returned, more wider than before and she said cheerfully, curing Alexias little heart, “Alexia JONES Sanders. What a pretty name for a pretty little girl. So, Alexia, why are you sitting out her all by yourself? Shouldn't a sweet little girl like yourself be in class, learning?”

Leigh had crouched down in front of Alexia, making Alexia blush under the intense and questioning but sweet stare. She also blushed by the word 'Pretty' used for herself.

“Well...” Alexia thought of a way to put that she never dresses in the new 'Dress code' that is grey, black or white, which is a big No-No, Or how she had drawn pictures of birds, flowers and people in her book instead of listen to Ms Potterson speak about boring things like how the world came to be, all of which caused her to be where she was.

Leighs waiting smile and patient posture made Alexia want to impress her, “I...” But she just didn't know what to say. So she slumped back in her seat and murmurred, “I wasn't listening.”

Silence followed after and Alexia felt ashamed to look up and find what could be waiting for her when a loud laugh echoed long and loud down the hall.

Her head shooting up fast like a dart, Alexia found herself staring into Leighs laughing face as she said, “Just as I had thought.” and a lone tear had left one of her twinkling blue eyes.