Colours of Life: Search for the Truth

“But if Travis was dead by a natural cause,” Doris whispered in Serena's embrace, her chilly voice piercing through the silent air, “then there was a fool who dared to humiliate him and his family by putting the body at such an undignified state.”

They were in the female toilet, knees on the floor, as Serena consoled Doris of her boyfriend’s death. This was the odd place in which Travis’s body was laid stark naked. Serena had reassured her that he was gone because it was his time - that he was a glitch in the colour system. When one died, all colours left him, but Travis was an exception. Doris had knew he was different than the others. When one time his finger bled because of the improper way he used a knife, the colour around it didn’t fade. It remained pale brown.

Serena didn’t reply to her words, so Doris continued with a hiss. “I will find out who that person is, Serena. Travis is the love of my life, the best of friend. To think that someone dared to do this to him... It’s unforgivable.”

She could hear Serena’s sigh, and Serena released her from the embrace, and looked her straight in the eyes. “Are you sure about this, Doris? Do you think it’s worth the risk of exposing yourself to the one who caused the humiliation ?” She paused. “Do you think it’s safe?”

Doris looked at her, her eyes wide in disbelief. Was the purple-haired serious? Of course it was worth the risk! This would be the least Doris could do to Travis family - to Travis himself. He didn’t deserve to be treated like this. To know that someone dared to put him under a negative light is incomprehensible.

And she didn’t care if finding out the schemer would bare her from possible danger. She had been thinking about his killer for two days after her death until Serena convinced her just now that no one murdered Travis, that he died naturally. The idea of someone dying ‘naturally’ was foreign to her; the common death would be caused by untreatable wounds or overload of rejected colours. Still, it was better to believe of natural death instead of one intended by someone.

“It seems to me you have disregard your senses completely,” Serena said calmly. “If that’s what you want to do, then so be it.” She turned to the door and was about to move before Doris caught her leg. She looked back at Doris with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m going to need your help,” Doris said.

She had been hellbent that Serena was the one who murdered Travis, but now that Serena showed genuine bafflement of who Travis was, and delivered a plausible cause for his death, she intended to trust her. If she was going to investigate this matter, she needed someone competent who could help her - someone she could trust. Serena seemed to fit that role right now, although it might be just that Doris was desperate to think of a better helper.

“I’m not going to help you,” Serena replied. “You do realize I’ve been put under interrogation for hours? I’m tired of being in this matter. I would like to have my normal life back, thank you very much.”

Doris instinctively knew pleas and cries would not persuade Serena. She decided to use logic. “The one behinds this knows you, Serena. This person can’t just coincidentally fake Travis’s diary by writing about you, and put the body at a time and place that you can enter. It’s too much of a coincident.”

“I thought you were sure Travis written the part about he liking me and I didn’t noticing him.”

Doris shook her head. “No. No, I wasn’t sure. I just thought having someone to blame would make getting through this thing easier, but I know it wouldn’t. The part about you isn’t written by Travis. I know his handwriting. It has never been neat. You can see it for yourself. There’s a clear difference in the penmanships between the forged part with the rest.”

There was a smile on Serena’s face. “And what if I’m the one who put it there? I might as well frame myself to avoid being accused.”

Doris glared at her. Why should Serena make this matter difficult? “That’s impossible. You told me you barely know him. Both of you are in different classes, since you’re a year older than he, and his friends or I would notice you took his diary if you did.”

“You’re not as naive as you seem. Hmm.” Serena tilted her head, considering something. Finally, she nodded. “I’ll help you, if only to see the extend of your willingness in the name of love.”

Doris sighed in relief. It was good to know she wouldn’t be doing this alone. It wasn’t like she didn’t trust the police, but now that she knew there was nothing wrong with Travis’s death, she was worried they focused on the wrong case. Murder wasn’t involved in this; the crime of humiliating a dead body did. She wondered if they even knew this? That Travis couldn’t possibly enter a girl toilet, stripped naked, and died? The thought of it alone was ridiculous.

Releasing her hold of Serena’s leg, Doris stood and brushed her skirt for any dirt. Thank God for the dry floor, or else, people would see a dark spot at the front of her skirt, and would snicker over what it meant. Not that she cared much, nowadays. People had been labeling her as an emotional freak for grieving over Travis’s death. They’re not the one who found out their loved ones dead, aren’t they? she thought scathingly.

“Give me your cellphone,” Serena said, holding out her hand.

Doris frowned. “Why?”

The purple-haired girl sighed. “You have to understand the humiliator would not expect us to help each other. We’re supposed to be archenemies by now, the way he framed me and made you hate me. Our communication has to be out of public’s view, that means using phone, Internet, etc. Even if we have to meet, the place has to be private.”

The explanation sounded logical. “Alright,” Doris said, giving Serena her smart phone, “but we’re going to use Whatsapp since it’s free.”

“Perfect.” Serena tapped the screen, saving her number. She gave it back to Doris, and fished out hers from her pocket. Looking at it, she nodded. “I’ve gotten your message.”

“Where do we start?” Doris asked.

“You’re closer with Travis that I am, so you’d be the one to find suspects. Observe his friends, see which one is affected from this incident, and talk to him. Travis sounds like a nice guy, so it’s likely that many of his friends are more than sad about his death. His family - one of them can be suspect. Maybe he has a sibling that envies him the most? Watch them.”

Doris listened intently, nodding. It was absurd that one of Travis’s friends humiliated him, but it wasn’t possible - after all, they were the ones who would be able to reach for his notebook. Doris wasn’t sure about his family - Travis did have a brother two years younger than he named Eric, but Eric seemed to treat Travis as his best friend. Perhaps even had admiration on him. But then again, he too could take the notebook.