A Golden World

Where I’m from everything is golden. Everyday is a golden day. I awake every morning with a smile on my face, as the days are so golden you often feel golden yourself. I’m eighteen years old, I attend Golden High School and it’s just the day before graduation so I’m preparing. As I set out my cap and gown, along with my heels and my graduation dress I find myself reminiscing on my senior year. I had met so many people, and had been offered countless opportunities that I knew would impact the person I was about to become. I had spent the last twelve years of my life preparing for tomorrow, and the days ahead. It was relieving to know I was on the right path. All my life gold was the only color I’ve ever known. Although, we were taught the names of different colors in elementary school we could never actually see them, so it was hard to even fathom what they would look like. We were all so used to life being so simple, peaceful, and planned out. Golden. I read books about green trees, and the deep blue oceans that stretched for miles, and the colors of the sunsets, and although sometimes I wondered what it would be like, I cherished my golden life. I never wished for anything more. One day I had a great feeling of change growing inside my chest, the not good kind. And then my eyes opened. I opened one eye at a time, then squinting. The light stung my eyes, it made me want to keep them shut but I was intrigued. Whoever the people in the room were, noticed me stirring and began to yell and scream, and jump with excitement. After they had finally calmed down they pushed the call bell on the door and a nurse came in and explained that I had been in a coma for the past 8 months. The people in the room claimed that they were my parents but I had no recollection of them, or anything at all. They assured me that it would slowly come back with time, and told me not to worry. As I looked around I noticed that everyone in the room was wearing a face mask and wearing gloves. Then I noticed the full body suit that the nurse was wearing, and the plastic dividing us from each other. I began to panic, asking a series of questions. “Where am I?” “Why isn’t everything Golden anymore?” “What color is this?” “What's that on your face?” … I felt overwhelmed with change, the colors weren’t as exciting as I hoped they would be. Everything here was anything but Golden, and later I found out I was still upon graduating, but it would be virtual. No gold, no dress and heels, and I would be watching my name come up on a computer screen. I decided that I would do anything to go back to my Golden, simple life.