The Story You Don't Know

26 May 2016, Thursday

I made the most amazing discover today. Isabelle and I were just exploring the backstage area of the school hall when we uncovered a musty old piano, tucked away into a corner.

I remember how my heart fluttered as the white cloth that shrouded it slid to the ground with a tug of my fingers, revealing a worn wooden piano. Play me, it seemed to plead as I gingerly ran my fingers over its keys, feeling the rough ridges where the finish had come off, the unevenness of the keys from the passing of time and neglect.

"Why are you tearing up?" Isabelle asked me. "Are you okay?"

How could I tell her? I didn't know how to phrase my thoughts and feelings then. I just found it heartbreaking; no piano should ever deserve to be neglected, left to decay in this state.

I didn't think she would understand, didn't think anyone would understand the way I feel about pianos. Every piano is different. Their touch, sound, the way they respond to my touch, it's almost as if every piano has its own personality, its own soul.

And the state of this piano made my heart feel like it was being wrung in my c.h.e.s.t.

I found a rag, and much to Isabelle's incredulity, started wiping it down. It's still out of tune, I realized. I wonder if I can convince the principal to get someone to tune it.

I want to give this piano the love and care it hasn't seen in a long time. I want to make it sing again.

It is the little bit of magic that I stumbled upon today, secreted away in a nook waiting to be found. And this small discovery made my day.

I will be back, I promised him as I carefully closed the lid and turned to leave for class.

-

Clothes were strewn all over the room, drawers and the wardrobe wide open. It was as if a tornado had hit and left its trail of chaos and destruction. I'm that tornado, Isabelle thought wryly as she picked out a t-shirt and threw another into the reject pile.

She folded it and carefully packed it into a duffle bag along with the rest of her belongings for camp.

Tshirts, pants, socks, spare clothes, u.n.d.e.r.g.a.r.m.e.n.ts, cap, toiletries and skincare; she checked off everything in her mind as she scanned the contents of her bag.

"Oh, and one last thing," she thought aloud, reached for the drawer of her vainity.

Isabelle paused as she caught her unfamiliar reflection in the mirror. Flaming red hair that fell in wild unruly curls, a younger face, a higher nose, wider eyes. She reached up to brush her face with her fingers absent-mindedly. How long had she been here, how long had she been like this?

She wouldn't have to keep it up for much longer, if all went well. Speaking of which-

She carefully untangled a small leather pouch from the web of delicate necklaces and jewellery, slid its content into the palm of her hand.

She picked up the dark crystal and held it up to the light, admiring the way it seemed to greedily soak up most of the light that fell onto it. It was quite big, she noticed for the first time - almost half the size of her thumb.

"I hope you do your job," she said to the gem as she slipped it back into its pouch and tucked it away into a safe corner of her bag.

Aurielia, I hope it's you. I've missed you.