The sun struggled to peek through the dense clouds, casting a pale light over the city. A young girl named Jade, sat among a group of children, listening to Kimberly's fervent whispers about the city's dark history and the prophecy of the cursed child.
"My mom told me it's already the sixth generation of the white old man," Kimberly said, her voice trembling with fear. "The baby that will get the curse is already born, and we need to help our parents find it. If we don't, it'll kill us all when it grows up."
The other kids exchanged nervous glances, their faces pale with fear. But Jade's expression remained impassive, her eyes gazing off into the distance. She didn't believe the story; it sounded like a myth created to keep kids like her in line.
"But how can we find the baby?" a kid with a pink headband asked, her voice almost inaudible.
Kimberly hesitated. "I don't know. No one knows where the baby is. It might not be a baby anymore; it could be around our age. Maybe we've already met and played with it."
Jade's skepticism turned to annoyance. She stood up, uninterested in the conversation, and walked away from the group. Her feet carried her to her favorite spot under the peach tree where she could escape the world's troubles.
As she leaned against the tree trunk, closing her eyes, an image of her mom flashed in her mind. Her mom's tragic fate was a harsh reminder of the city's cruel nature. Jade's dad had always warned her to be cautious, to never trust others fully. The memory made her sigh and she let the gentle breeze wash over her.
Suddenly, a soft voice interrupted her reverie. "Excuse me, I don't know who you are, but can you pick a peach for me?"
Jade opened her eyes to find a blindfolded boy standing before her, holding a walking stick. She raised an eyebrow, curious about the stranger.
"Are you talking to me?" she asked, glancing around to see if someone else was nearby.
The boy nodded, and Jade's gaze lingered on the blindfold. She climbed the tree, plucked a peach, and handed it to him.
"Thank you," he said, his smile faint.
As he turned to leave, Jade asked, "Are you blind?"
The boy's smile grew wider. "I guess you are the one who's blind because you still need to ask that."
Jade's forehead furrowed. "I just wanted to confirm. Everyone here lives based on the color of their eyes, but you're wearing a blindfold, so I got curious."
The boy's expression turned serious. "What is the color of your eyes?"
Jade hesitated, unsure why she felt uneasy about answering. "It's purple," she replied. "How about yours?"
The boy's response surprised her. "I was blind from birth. My parents always wear me this blindfold and never tell me the color of my eyes."
Jade's curiosity got the better of her. "Do you want me to tell you?" she suggested, stepping closer to remove the blindfold.
But the boy stopped her. "I don't want to know."
"Why not?" Jade asked, her mind racing with possibilities.
The boy's voice was firm. "I just don't want to know."
Jade's thoughts turned to the cursed baby story. "Are you perhaps...the cursed one?" she asked, her tone laced with amusement.
The boy's reaction was telling; he froze, his voice shaking when he denied it. Jade teased him further, enjoying the tension.
When she finally removed the blindfold, she was met with an unexpected sight: the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. Her breath caught, and her knees felt weak.
The boy's shy question broke the spell. "What's the color of my eyes?"
Jade's voice was barely above a whisper. "It's green...You have beautiful eyes."
The boy's smile was radiant. "Is it really beautiful?"
Jade nodded, smiling back. "Yes."
As she put the blindfold back on the boy's eyes, Jade felt an unusual sense of connection. "Can you walk home by yourself?" she asked.
The boy nodded. "My house is just near here."
"Then I'll see you again next time?" Jade asked, her voice softer than she intended.
The boy nodded and Jade watched him disappear into the distance. Only when he was gone did she realize she had forgotten to ask his name. "It's alright, we'll still see each other next time."
As she sat under the peach tree, a thought struck her: maybe this stranger with the rare green eyes could be a rare true friend in a city where trust was a luxury.