Deadly Tunes

Jade retired back to his room. He put his phone on charge. Now, he was alone in his mansion of thought. He started writing but would usually return to his old storyline. He wanted to try something different than a story with a dark meaning or comical ending. However, he could not process it. At last, he gave up. He saw the clock, it was 11′o clock. He went up to the roof and saw Danny going back to his house. Danny looked at him and he nodded. Danny departed. Jade then sat on the old wooden bed...it was cracked but it served the purpose. He was lost in his thoughts when he heard someone’s steps through the staircase. He looked over to see a man in his mid-sixties, old as he can be. He stood near the railing and lit a cigarette. He then asked by waving one to Jade. Jade walked close to him and took one. They puffed and stared at the front yard blankly.

“You must be the guard?” asked Jade. The old man nodded slowly. He could look at his hopeless dim eyes. The old man asked why was he there. ” I am searching for inspiration for my new book.”

“I have few stories to entertain you, Jade. Care to hear it?”

It wasn’t new for Jade to hear people suggesting ideas. Sometimes they were amazing and sometimes downright stupid. He smiled and said, “Amuse me with your folk tales”.

The old man looked at the young man. For some reason, he seemed too restless yet quiet. He started his tale.

Not so long ago, a farmer resided in a nearby village. He had a son that he loved dearly. His son, Silas, was a dedicated child and used to look for opportunities to earn in order to ease his father. He wasn’t as strong as his father in physique had quite the delicate features but was great at playing a flute. His tunes were raw but sounded soothing. He used to entertain people on the Street in a nearby town and would return back to his house. It wasn’t much of an earning but was enough to have a meal twice a day.

One fine evening when his father returned, he saw an unacquainted face near his hut. He was talking to Silas. Then, they saw his father, and both of them smiled. He went near Silas and whispered slowly enquiring about this man. Silas told his father that he is an entertainer and performs in different cities with few people like Silas. He heard him on the street and offered him to play with his group at a local event in town. Then, he took his father aside and told him the amount he would be paid after the show. His father was glad that Silas’s talent can finally be recognized. Entertainer also assured Silas that he would refine his playing with some training and then introduce him to the audience.

Silas couldn’t sleep at night and ended up making plans with his father. His father though tired, was happy to see Silas delighted. Few days passed as the event day finally approached. Silas was a dedicated student and his instructor was impressed. Finally, the day for him to play in front of the audience arrived. He was shivering, not with nervousness, but with excitement. The show ended but the claps didn’t. People loved the show, but more importantly, Silas. They wish to meet him in private and wanted to play for him.

“Looks like every street star story ever.” Jade smiled while mocking his effort of storytelling. ” I wouldn’t start it if it was limited to that.” The old man said grimly. “Continue,” Jade said in a calm voice.

Fame is different for everyone. For some, it can be an inspiration and for some a source of ego. There were five boys in the group, including Silas. Two of them didn’t bother and were focused on the show and went home. The remaining three surely had other plans.

Silas didn’t deserve that. What happened to him was not something that should happen to a young boy in his teens. Silas was fond of his flute. He received it when he was six. His mother went somewhere and he was devastated in efforts to look for her. His father then bought a flute and taught him to play. He made efforts to engage his son in something different. Ever since then, they were inseparable. It was odd for a young child to get attached to the mere instrument. But for Silas, it was more than that. His father never questioned Silas and made sure no one would bother him as well. This was sadly what the boys knew. He used to be mocked by them. They taunted him. But he never complained. He was so diligent with his work that he never had time to entertain their words.

One fine day when he was supposed to go for group practice, his instructor was sick. He gave boys a day off. Silas walked back towards his house before someone grabbed his hair. He looked backed to find Eli and his minions smiling mischievously. Suddenly, one of them grabbed his hand while the other one snatched his bag. They started running and tossing the bag towards each other like a ball. Silas followed them hastily to get back his bag, more importantly, his flute.

Boys sensed his feeling. They immediately tossed his bag and then he saw his flute in one of their hand. He begged them to stop but it seemed that they were amused by his misery. One of them chuckled when the other tossed his flute towards Eli’s hand. Then, Eli ran away from Silas in the direction towards the lake. Silas sensed his idea and he ran with his life. He didn’t care if his slippers fell off or he would hurt himself. He didn’t want to lose it. It was a familiar feeling. It triggered his past memories when people against his will separated him from his unconscious mother. His heart wept when he was surrounded by similar circumstances.

Eli was adamant to throw off his flute. It somehow felt like it would sway away from his resentment. Now he didn’t hate Silas, but his obsession with his flute. As soon as he reached the near river, he waved his hand but was shocked to see Silas holding his hand. They both wrestled, for a different reason and with a different intention. Eli didn’t realize when or how, Silas fell down the river, with his flute. Eli immediately walked down to help him but to his horror he realized, Silas was so still. He didn’t understand at first but then he saw a trail of blood floating with the stream. He, then, saw a huge rock underneath his head. Eli stood still in silence as he watched his expressionless face. A moment ago he wanted to assault Silas but now he couldn’t face him. Silas was still yet looked so dangerous.

The remaining boys reached the river bank and they both ran out of their breath. They looked at the bizarre face of Eli and then they saw Silas. After a few minutes, both of them realized the situation. They quickly held Eli’s hand and ran away from the river. All of them went home and didn’t come out until the next evening when Eli’s instructor stood outside their house with a weeping man in his mid-thirties. He enquired whether Silas had visited them a day before. Eli shook his head, too afraid to speak. Tears rolled over to Silas’s father as he was desperate to know his son’s whereabouts.

The old man looked towards Jade. Jade who was mocking his efforts a few minutes ago now seems to be invested in the story. Before Jade could ask anything,” Be patient Jade. It gets way more interesting.” Jade relaxed and looked patiently. He ran out of his cigarette but now he didn’t need any.

Two days after the instructor went over to Eli’s house, Silas was found. His body was injured and tore into few pieces. Some local animals may have attacked him while he was near the river practicing. This was the theory framed by few locals to explain his death. His father did not say anything. What was the point? How would it matter? People consoled him but he just smiled. He now stayed alone. Slowly people also ignored him. No one enjoys the company of a lonely man.

After few months, he disappeared. No one knew where he went; no one cared.

A couple of months later, a new boy was introduced to the group and they started practicing for their next performance. Eli and others, now, were not as close as they used to be. They hardly looked each other in the eyes. A few days later, they were supposed to perform. A local minister was supposed to be Chief Guest. They trained hard to be just as effective as it was with Silas. But they could not. It seems like Silas took away the melody with his soul.

Finally, the event day arrived.

The boys dressed well and started playing. Within few minutes, Eli could notice the crowd’s disappointment. But he didn’t care. He played his best. But suddenly, the flute stopped. He gazed at a new boy who was petrified. He didn’t speak or look at others. He just stared at the audience. He just sat there while others continued to play in order to keep up with the show. Eli suddenly was overwhelmed by the feeling that something was near him. He didn’t understand but then a melody echoed in his ear. It was familiar but so terrifying. It was what Silas used to whistle but it used to sound so sweet. Now, it felt like a grip on his neck, so cold and haunting. He looked at others, they were playing fine, and then he saw himself. He was shaking. Forget the instrument, he was shaking. Slowly he gathered the courage to pick up the tune and match with others, but he was too terrified to care about the rhythms. As he glanced, he could see the same feeling on everyone’s face.

The audience was patient but as soon as they realized the performance wasn’t up to the mark and mostly out of tune, people started leaving. The show got over before they intended to. Instructor asked Eli and others about the same but they could not answer. While three of them were returning home, one of them broke the silence and whispered “Silas’s...“, but before he could complete Eli waved his hand to keep quiet. Eli nodded and it was clear. They were cursed. Eli, somehow after the show, was too scared to look at his instrument. He decided to join his father’s business. However, at night, Eli suddenly realized he wasn’t alone.... whistling continued. He cried and sobbed but they continued. As he closed his eyes, he saw that day on the loop... especially Silas’s expressionless face.

The next day his father shook his shoulder to wake him up, but he didn’t.

Jade heard everything very carefully. He was overwhelmed. But suddenly, he realized something. He asked the old man, ” That’s quite an interesting story, where did you hear it?“.

“My son told me. He is a very dedicated child, you see. He never hides anything from me.”

The old man chuckled and pointed near the bed where Jade was sitting before. He saw a handsome young man in his teens.

"Silas, say hello to Jade,” said the old man with a creepy smile.