All the Colors of the Dark

by Chris Whitaker

“People talk about one life…one chance. But I reckon a single life is made up of a dozen or more roles and responsibilities. I can count the versions of myself like friend and foe. Mistakes are the detours that remind you of the true way, Saint. To love and be loved is more than can ever be expected, more than enough for a thousand ordinary lifetimes.”

“But I sit here, and I don’t feel anything but fear. I don’t hear anything but silence.” “The bad are the few, but often they shout louder than the many. Don’t mistake silence for weakness.”

“Sometimes people reserve so much of themselves. It’s like saving a fine wine for an occasion that never materializes.”

“So just drink it then. On a Tuesday when the sun is shining, or when a storm cloud hovers, just drink it,” he spoke, thinking of Sammy.