Dear ?,

I just thought I'd send this message in a bottle to see if someone would pick it up, I've seen it done in stories and movies but I never believed it so I decided to see if it would work. I need to get something off of my chest.

My name is Alex Harper, I'm 15 and I am colour-blind. Not your usual Red-Green colour-blind - no - I can't see any colours at all, my life is in black and white. This happened because my Mum got into a car accident when she was pregnant with me, and it killed my father. I've grown up having people constantly harass me about it, asking questions like, "Alex, what colour is this?" and "Everyone can see colour can't they? You're faking!" its not been great. The doctors take me constantly to be checked up and run tests on me to see if they can help me see colour again, but this life is normal to me. The kids at school call me "FREAK!" and laugh when I get asked a question about colour. I have no friends, at all, except Mum but I don't want her to worry, that's why I've written this letter. I'm thinking of ending it - all of it. I want it all to stop, immediately. I'm going to finish it. 

I just wanted to let someone know before it happens so that someone at least will remember me. I will wait for a response before I do it - I'll leave 2 months - I think I can endure that long for my dream. And I think that you could fulfil it. I want to know what colour is. Explain colour to me - everyone else I asks says no, and I'm on the point of giving up. My address is attached, so please send the letter there.

Please reply soon,

Sincerely,

Alex

Dear Alex,

Hey, my name is Rosalie Johnson and I'm 15 too! I can't believe I found this bottle with your message in it - god, I hope I'm not too late! I'd like to accept your challenge, I don't think you're a freak, you have a gift, you're special! I really want to find out about how you see the world - an s in the mean time I can tell you about how I see it - with colour.

When I think about colour, I think about how the world wsnts me to see it, I see the beauty of the contrasts of life and the diversity in shape and character and object or person has. Life obviously wants you to look at it a different way - appreciate its beauty in a way other people can't. Colour is, fundamentally, just light, but it can mean so much more. For example, people use colours to express emotions and I think this a good way to think of it.

I'm guessing you've felt sad a thing some point? Imagine that that oppressive, sickening feeling in your stomach was floating in front of you - we'll call that blue. Now imagine you're the angriest you've ever been - and you want to punch and destroy everything's in your wake. Imagine that manifested in front of you - we'll call that red. Now think of the feeling of the warm sun on your skin - on the beach maybe - with your Mum. That warmth has a name as well - yellow. Now if you imagine all of those in front of you at once, you can break little parts off and form other - less intense emotions. Like say if you felt both sad and angry, that's blue and red - we call that purple.

Please keep in touch, I hope that helps.

Lovely to meet you,

Rosalie

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