THE EXHIBITION (A SHORT STORY)

THE EXHIBITION

 Colors are one of the first allies for an infant when learning. They all serve different meanings. To invigorate a sketch initially, they all fulfill the same purpose while appearing rather diverse. Each marvelously causes unique features of catharsis.

 

 A noise coming from downstairs startled me. “Packed up yet?”. The force the green pencil took from me because of the shiver created a new tone to the half-colored grasses near the drawn building. A darker green tone probably seeded a new meaning because of the unsuccessful drawn smiles on the walking family. I knew from my classmates that a drawing minimum included three if it defined happiness. Mine was maybe lacking, yet not the joy.

 

 Authority spoke once more. “I won’t duplicate my calls.”. It was precise to end the tea party with the colors. Not another second could be spent. I yielded and rushed downstairs. There she was, on her throne, with her giant reading kaleidoscopes checking what the bold messenger brought for us. I was ensured of being noticed as her left ear twitched like a donkey via my existence. With a little distressed sigh, the mail was put on the table. They were in the style of the cards that ma used to gamble with her companions.

 

 Her given gaze on me was a sharp one. It was more like a check rather than a warning. Without further a do, she pointed her brows to the outside. According to her, everything should be punctual and perfect. Even when driving, she would remove her golden rings to avoid the noise on the steering wheel. A woman craving flawlessness would surely demand to raise her offspring that way. That was the primary reason for the route we were headed. 

 

 Once we arrived at the destination, my eyes got locked on the structure of the building. It was familiar in a way. The breeze was combing my hair as murky grasses surrounding the area with sparse plants covered with thorns were synchronously shaking themselves like a deterrent. I slowly entered the place with a firm grasp, pull, and drag on my wrist. A burgundy carpet, like one in the balls, welcomed our arrival. Everything was lively and embracing except for the half-tired exhibition sheriff that worked at the reception. Mom’s conquering voice rose and echoed through the entrance hall. “Tickets for two. They won’t appear per se.”. Unfortunately, the exhausted fellow interfered with the same strike I had with the color green. With a sleepy mumble of obedience, two shiny tickets were given to ma’s hand. The tickets probably got shiny as mother had a talent for turning everything she touched into gold. 

 

 Various paintings on the walls were all an invitation to coherence. The tea party I left behind brought me into a glamorous dinner event. We walked through the paintings, giving each color a few minutes to invite me to their bliss. Woefully, those few minutes varied as the golden key to my handcuff was held by my mother. While my enticement was trying to push me to the paintings with more vibrant color usage, our collision was continuously prohibited by an external force. Whenever I was compelled to observe a pale painting, I sought an escape.

 

The truth was that my mom’s grasp on my arm would not remain the only force that would dominate the exhibition corridor. The invitation I received from the alluring paintings was trying to give me my freedom. I started hearing voices from the pictures. They were all calling for me as if arguing about my situation. While sky blue was calmly sobbing for me, scarlet was fierce and assertive. The pastel yellow and rare orange tones reflected the light source, encouraging me; meanwhile, the light green was trying to protect me with its words. Purple violets were underestimating and pitying me. With every whisper they made, I was embracing a heat. This warmth gave me goosebumps, and the derived energy created another source of power that showed itself out of nowhere.

 

 Likewise, suddenness might be defined and claimed by my mother; however, I took the reins for the first time. My hasty rebel brought up a sudden gasp as a reaction. I accomplished one thing that I should have never dared in my life. Disobedience. The rage in her blazing eyes accompanied the pretentiousness of the pale maroon tones in the hung painting in front of us. My arm was free; I was free. Without even recalling how I ended up in front of the lively-colored image that summoned me, I found myself running into a different surrounding.

 

 Among all the fuss, a vivid voice was heard out of nowhere. “There you are, young lad. Finally among us…”. I had no idea about the source of this possessive voice. I turned around, trying to find where it came from. A giggle followed its words afterward. “You don’t have to seek for me a far; just look to the ground, child.”. Then, after obeying its will, my eyes met with the grass. The herbs were built with professional brush strokes. “It is so gratifying to protect you with my existence. I am Viridis.”. I took a deep breath, yet it was with relief.

 

 “No need to fear the child, Viridis. You may cause a stroke on the kid with your alive and moving brush strokes.”. Another voice interfered with the shock I was trying to get through. “It is all fine, child; you are alright. My close friend, whom I give my brightness, was just trying to be welcoming. Flavus is the name, and it is an honor to host you under my beams”. My mouth made a circular shape simultaneously; the openness could clearly be seen.

 “Stop, end the madness this instant. Such absurdity. Can’t you see the child is in pain? Introducing yourselves with unnecessary sincerity would demonstrate nothing but a mock for him. Didn’t you all witness his tragedy?”. There was once more an unfamiliar voice, yet the tone was weeping rather than sounding confident. Each time one of them talked, their color would dominate the atmosphere. 

 

 The surrounding turned yellow once more. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the one and only victim player in this portrait to the stage, Caeruleus. Just cut it off; the lad is brave enough for everything. After all, we are here to guide him.”. I was still trying to comprehend all of this unexpected sorcery. 

 

 They were fighting over my situation, attempting to predict my status. Still, they needed to be corrected. I was not being afraid; I was feeling free. The sense of belonging to this mesmerizing view was indefinable.

 

 “Yet all of you can still distract yourselves with foolish arguments that separate us from our main task. Nevertheless, child, speak to us. How long have you sorrowed this misery? What are the roots of this cruelty prisoning you?”. The atmosphere turned rose-red. “My sincere apologies; where are my manners? My fury is all I can contemplate currently. I am Ruber, at your service.”.

 

 To display my gratitude, I smiled at each source at once. After all the years of imprisonment, the bitter-sweet disharmony of the colors was just a humorous melody for my ears. Then, finally, I took a step forward and spoke. “The pleasure is all mine, meeting with all the colors. It is like a reunion with old pals. I hope to find answers and purpose in your guidance.”

 

 A cruel laugh hit the surrounding, turning the atmosphere into bright lavender. Meanwhile, the violets began their transcendent dance. “Such arrogance. All the colors? How dare you generalize your condition hastily without even observing your environment, brat?” The contemptuous voice that spilled all those words shivered me. “Why the trembling, kid? You must feel proud. Not everyone receives the chance to meet with Purpureus, the noble. You may bow.”. For the second time today, I showed disobedience. A cackle followed my resistance. “Why the hesitation?”. 

 

 The color turned blue again, and the sobbing voice came in front. “Purpureus, the child is not a subject of yours. He is our guest; we should be more joyful for his visit. Come closer and hear me, child, in aqua sanitas.”. Then, with a sharp transition, red color rose in the air. “Look who’s talking! Mentioning happiness while wailing for attention. I recommend you to come and listen to me, rather than them, child. In vino veritas!”.

 My only reply to this chaos was the demonstration of respect with a gentle bow I made that my mother taught me to greet our guests when I was younger. Yet, the color purple dominated itself once again. “Phony child. No wonder her mother acts this way. This child lacks intimacy.”. After those cruel words, the other colors joined in an upcoming debate.

 

 Since they were very focused on their profound argumentation about me, it was the perfect time to surrender to my wanderlust. Although the place I was exploring was tiny from a particular perspective, each time I took a step, an expansion in size was surprisingly irrefutable. Finally, I came across a cozy small cottage beyond the unending green.

 

 As the violets were lined up side by side, the sun hit the roof of the house, and the shaded brick area with ivy background disappeared in the beauty. Each time I was observing, I was evaluating my surrounding. The violets began blocking the entrance as I got closer to the building. While I was getting closer, I passed through a rock. It was more like a marble, a tombstone, to be precise. I came closer to feed my curiosity. “Here lies Roseus.”. I had never heard of anyone named Roseus in my life.

 In the middle of their colorful discussion, one of them suddenly came front. “Look at the boy; can’t you please compromise? Whereas he has found our friend’s demise.”. The air was orange this time. “His own reality is what the boy seeks, while his sensuality has been lasting for weeks...” the color added to its previous words.

 “Maybe our friend Luteus is right. I choose to believe this statement. Since it rarely speaks, yet always being accurate.” Purpureus included. “If the reality is what the boy is after, truth must show itself. He seems familiar to us all, yet look at his blindness, causing our friend to die. Open your mind, child, perceive. With eyes like these, who needs an enemy?”.

 

 With a sudden thrilling thunder, the sky started to crack, and, like a jigsaw puzzle, it was falling down piece by piece. Finally, Luteus shouted, “Judging your loved ones in your head and complaining about their acts won’t bring you wisdom, while the flaw must first be found in your heart’s kingdom. Clearly, your will is freedom, yet it can only be reached with the confrontation in your house of queendom.”

 

 Both of my shoulders were grabbed harshly by bejeweled feminine fingers. I was shaken by them. Then, after a short moment, my glance was trapped by my mother’s eyes. The fire that was once in her eyes hence came out from her mouth. “What silly game do you think you’re playing with me, mister? What is the reason for this stupidity? Is your inappropriate and abhorrent behavior a display of gratitude for all the exertion I’ve shown you over the years? Did I raise you to witness something like this? Is this how you thank me? Explain this nonsense immediately!”.

 At that very moment, I wanted to share the bits of advice from my old friends with my mother, who was unfortunately uninformed about the world I had discovered. All she could view, on the other hand, was the shine on my cheeks from the wetness that the reflection of the exhibition lights was causing. The beam on my cheeks was the reason for my unanswering. Mother’s sharp frown was the last memory I had of the exhibition. Relentlessly, I was taken away without saying goodbye to any of my friends.

 After our arrival back to our queendom, my mother rushed into my room. She started collecting my sketchbooks and watercolor paints. Likewise, I was being robbed, and the caused nakedness was cold, unlike the warmth I had back in the exhibition. “The passion you have for this nonsense made you delusional and mad. These sickening jinxes are immoral. I won’t allow my boy to grow in this falsehood. I will be waiting downstairs when you consider returning to reality.”. A loud and thrilling door slam arose when my ma finished her words. From the clicking sounds from the keyhole, I could predict I was locked in my room. Yet again, another key was owning my peace and liberty, smirking and mocking my captivity while belonging in my mother’s palm.

 

 The compulsion was eroding me bit by bit. Eventually, I found myself in one of the corners of my cold room, close to the window. Nothing was hopeful or influential, not the horizon, not the falling, crispy leaves, and not even the sun trying to appear between the clouds. Even the supposed peace that needed to occur from the dead silence after that loud door sound was not even welcoming me. I needed my friends, yet instead, I was counting and playing with my fingers. I was longing for hope… Then a sudden glimmer showed itself inside the closed cupboard of mine.

 

 Although unintentional, I took my turn to cause some loud noises. My mother’s heavy and clearly audible footsteps were followed by a sudden unlocking and rushing into my room. When all her furious and raging actions were done and performed, I could clearly observe her bewildered and stunned facial expression. From her view, all the opened and spilled tin buckets were overturned. My friends were finally introduced to my mother. As she tried to speak out, I raised my hand, and maybe for the first time, I achieved dragging my mother’s attention. Ruber, Luteus, Flavus, Viridis, Caeruleus, and Purpureus greeted my mother from everywhere. Just like Viridis’ grasses being fed by fruitful beams, the colorful integration that covered my naked body was raining on the hardwood ground of my room. The colors covered me as if they were trying to defend me in unity. But, instead of an uproar, there was cooperation this time. Luteus’ words were like an oracle, and the mentioned time of confrontation had to happen.

 

 I squeezed my hands ungently and immersed my fingers deep enough to feel my nails cutting my palms. Various colors of paint were dripping from all over me. My sobbing and anger were accompanied by my blue and red-painted shimmering cheeks. “Look at all the coherent heaps of colors, mother! How is this falsehood? Can a view embracing a pure beauty like this be ignored? How can art and reality be considered separate?

Meanwhile, all they provide is ease the brutal pain in my heart. If this isn’t as accurate as science, I doubt nothing is. This is your son, mother. Observe and memorize carefully. This mosaic landscape of a rainbow that you caused is the reality. My reality.”.

 

 Slowly but unexpectedly, the walls of my room started to crack. My mother’s frightened eyes felt her time on her throne was almost over. Yet she had no allies of bright colors for her catharsis of such emotions. The room, just like the painted sky in the exhibition, was falling apart piece by piece like a jigsaw puzzle. Ultimately, as she walked towards to grab me, the floor collapsed and threw us to separate directions. The fall of ma’s queendom welcomed a beginning of a new era that day. The oblivion and rediscovery of the cosmos.

 

(Image generated with the assistance of OpenAI's ChatGPT, 2025.)

-THE END-

HAKAN CAN TOPALOĞLU (HAKOBELL)