Chapter Seven- Cicile

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It was the end of another dreaded work day. Finally. I was closing up shop and cleaning. Times like these are nice to have for yourself when you're just as introverted as I am.

The moody New York sun was falling asleep under it's blanket we call the horizon, painting the sky in beautiful shades and tints of pink, red, orange, and yellow to celebrate the presentation of an even more beautiful gift- The Night.

With many key turns and box placing, it was time for me to leave. I was just exiting the store when I heard the same strange sound I heard almost a week before. The splitting wood sound.

I turned around and stared into the empty store with only Woodwinds, Brass and Strings hanging on the walls. Nothing seemed to be disturbed, but the same noise sounded yet again, this time even louder.

I slowly started walking further into the store towards the noise. As I crept further, the noise sounded for the third time, even louder than the time before that.

I saw nothing and turned to walk back out of the store, the split was stronger than before and lasted a lot longer than it had any other time. I turned around this time, thinking I'd be in for a surprise.

And, boy, I was. Various Cellos and Basses were splitting right before my very eyes, but the huge chunks of wood didn't just fall to the ground to stay there, oh no. They formed into a demonic monster made of broken strings and oak, with green glowing eyes and a spine made of the bridge from what once was a Bass or a Cello.

I screamed at the sight of them heading towards me, trying the pierce me with the jagged wood edges they called fingers. I ran into the storage shack and slammed the door, thinking it would do any good. Sadly, I was mistaken. Soon enough, a very sharp, jagged piece of glazed wood pierced the birchwood door, leaving a gash in the door. Then another. Then another, until I was left with a very holey door.

One of the smart Cellos knew what was up. It split the door with an effortless jerk, reaching in and trying to grab me.

Screaming, I ran further back into the storage room and hid behind a large stack of boxes in the very back. The Splintered Wood Posse all joined the smart Cello in a slow, seemingly ineffective search to find me. I could heard their wood creek with every step they took. They were very slow for a bunch of light-weight, wooden string instrument monsters.

I sat shaking behind a pile of boxes, trying to breathe as quietly as I could, and I was suffering from air deprivation. I needed to get out of there, quick.

As I was coming up with a plan, the boxes above my head suddenly tumbled over, papers spilling everywhere. My worst nightmare was coming true. I was face-to-face with a Bass Monster.

I screamed in panic. What more was there for me to do than scream and hope someone would hear me?

The Bass Monster leaned over me, reaching a spiny finger towards me. I shut my eyes really tight. This was the end of Cicile Shultz.

Suddenly, a somewhat familiar voice rang out. "Hey!" it yelled. The Bass Monster turned to face it. "Yeah, you, the Bass Monster!"

The Bass began to walk towards the voice. As it slowly made the journey away from me, I stood up and I was taken by complete surprise the find the Conductor standing in the doorway, pointing a Conductor's Baton at the String Monsters!

"Conductor!" I yelled in relief.

"Nice to see you again, my dear." he replied. "Now, all of you, each and every one of you, had better crawl back into the saw pit you call your home, or I'll unleash my secret weapon!"

The String Monsters gave the Conductor a frightened look. "That's right. Remember this thing?" he said, waving the baton around. "The thing that turned you all into Cellos and Basses in the first place?"

The Monsters whimpered. "Now all there's left to do is return to where you were standing, so, go!"

The String Monsters reluctantly and slowly filed out of the storage closet and back to where the original Cellos and Basses had stood. I followed them out of there to watch them split themselves apart just to put themselves back together in the shape of what they once were perfectly. Once they were all put together again, we stood in silence for a minute.

Once I realized for the second time that the Conductor was standing there, I glanced over at him, breathing heavily, and still taking in what had just happened.

"What the heck were those?!?" I screamed.

"Wood Splits." he calmly replied. "Cello and Bass monsters."

"How, what--"

I stopped in my train wreck of thought.

"Whatever happened to those kids in the dystopian society?" I asked after a few moments.

"This was more important." the Conductor replied. "Now, come with me, back to your apartment, I need to speak with your grandmother."

"Wait, why?"

"I want you to assist me with somethings."

"Like what?"

"Traveling time."

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