The Spark of Yellow Umbrella | Teen Ink

The Spark of Yellow Umbrella

March 1, 2010
By Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?


You were there.
Don’t you remember?
You were walking along that gray street, on that gray day. Gray raindrops pattering on the gray sidewalk. You were wearing your gray coat, looking straight ahead with an unassuming gray glare. Just another passerby, not really seeing, or searching. Just living in a routine of the dull, the mundane, and the absolute gray.
Until you saw the spark of yellow umbrella. A spark of life in the hands of a child. Her eyes of blue looking around in innocent awe. The child didn’t see the gray like you. Quite the opposite. Her eyes saw a world of endless color.
And she was enchanted by it.


She saw the green twinkle of the beggar’s eyes as she dropped a shiny copper penny in the faded maroon mug. The mug he had held from the day he lost everything.

She saw the silvery glint of the tear. The sob of a childless woman, as the young girl flashed a hopeful smile at her. Hope in the form of little white teeth.

She saw the harsh red of a freshly hit cheek, the terror as the brown package dropped onto charcoal-tinted pavement. She handed the boy the package. One less ugly black bruise.

A rainbow of happiness given, in such a gray world.
But indeed, the most enchanting of them all, was when she looked at you. She saw your gray. The gray of the lost. She knew how to find you.

And with a knowing look, the spark of yellow umbrella bobbed into traffic.


Your eyes widened as the girl stood there, eyes closed, as if waiting.









Waiting for you.
And then you know what needed to be done.
A purple rush of adrenaline, stifling the gray cry of fear. A dodge in front of a white Buick. Pain. Scarlet blood. All in one gray blink.
And you lay there on the charcoal-tinted pavement, as the driver bent over you, a sob rising. Onlookers gasped, earth slowing down until the stop. Pounding of your head keeping time to the melody of the end.

But the child’s eyes still shone, the spark of yellow umbrella unscathed. Making it all worthwhile.










Another breath…
Pounding slows.

And the melody of the end stopped, for there was no end, not yet.

And you blinked your grey eyes , softening into blue. As if seeing the world, for the first time.


The author's comments:
What colors do you see?

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This article has 20 comments.


Katipia BRONZE said...
on Sep. 24 2010 at 1:37 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

ohhh reading it back, it all makes since. the spaces make it so much more dramatic. :)

on Apr. 11 2010 at 8:10 pm
AquariusSunandMoon SILVER, Sublette, Illinois
8 articles 17 photos 69 comments
This is beautiful! I love it! Thanks for reminding all of us to see our lives in color :D

on Apr. 11 2010 at 3:11 am
Sarita15 BRONZE, San Jose, California
2 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anyone perfect must be lying / Anything easy has its costs / Anyone plain can be lovely / Anyone loved can be lost

Great job.  Even though it's prose, it feels like poetry in some parts.  That makes it a little hard to understand at times, but beautiful to read :)

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 25 2010 at 9:08 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

Thank you! Actually, this was my attempt at something that resembled prose. Maybe I overdid it?

As for being convoluted, that is a bit of a problem I have. Things that mix and overlap to me, are much more complicated when put into words, and then even more complicated when put into a story.

Anyway, I am glad to grasp your attention for a moment! Thank you!

on Mar. 25 2010 at 8:39 pm
LihuaEmily SILVER, North Kingstown, Rhode Island
7 articles 3 photos 196 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It is said that there&#039;s no such thing as a free lunch. But the universe is the ultimate free lunch.&quot; -Alan Guth

The prose was a little thick for me - pretty convoluted in some ways. But the story was fascinating enough that I enjoyed it very much.

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 20 2010 at 11:18 am
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

Thanks! ^.^

on Mar. 20 2010 at 8:24 am
Smileyky108 BRONZE, Venetia, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 20 comments
I loveee this! Great job!

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 17 2010 at 3:18 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

Thanks! And I know who you are. (:

Your support means a lot to me. (:

Panthy said...
on Mar. 17 2010 at 3:16 pm
This is SO awesome, Katipia! I love it! Who am I? Try to guess... but still, this should be published in a magazine. I LOVE it! Write more!

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 15 2010 at 4:41 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

you are welcome!!!

(: keep writing!

Heide*R. said...
on Mar. 15 2010 at 3:53 pm
You're welcome! I know what you mean, by the encouragement means a lot! And thanks for commenting on my stuff!

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 14 2010 at 2:17 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

I will try to think of more to the story. ^.^ for you. (:

Kayla127 said...
on Mar. 14 2010 at 2:02 pm
I love it! (By the way, it's Dreampath! ^-^ =D You know, from the writing contest?) Anyways, is there more to the story? You should write more!! =D

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 13 2010 at 9:01 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

Thanks! I love to incorporate themes into my work! The encouragement means a lot to me! (:

on Mar. 12 2010 at 11:28 am
This is good! I saw every color that you said without noticing it until I caught a glimpse of your comment, asking what colors we saw. Keep writing!

Fireshine said...
on Mar. 11 2010 at 7:14 pm
Thanks! Post on IslandClan if you wright another story,k?

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 10 2010 at 6:40 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

thank you shiney! (:

you are awesome!

~Fireshine~ said...
on Mar. 10 2010 at 4:36 pm
Great story,kit-kat! I love it!

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 9 2010 at 6:15 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

THANK YOU FOR RATING!!! ^.^

Katipia BRONZE said...
on Mar. 8 2010 at 10:27 pm
Katipia BRONZE, Amelia, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Have you ever stood on the edge,<br /> wondering if you were going to fall?<br /> Have you ever closed your eyes...<br /> and jumped off?

the editing...

i think i like what they did with the formatting. but i don't understand why the spaces are so wide. but oh well, i love to see my writing in "print" it makes me happy!!