Fantasia

XVII

Brett was walking two steps in front of Eddy as they made their way through the big hallway, their shoes hitting the floor, sending loud clacking sounds echoing from the walls. Eddy couldn't stop turning his head left and right and although there wasn't too much to see yet, it was so much more interesting than that hill he'd spent the last six months on.
"Wow", Eddy exclaimed when they passed a giant painting of some old looking dude from anno whenever, "Who's that?"
Brett stepped back a bit. "This guy?" He pointed his bow towards the painting. "You don't know?"
"He kinda looks familiar..."
"That's Bach. Johann Sebastian Bach."
Eddy's eyes widened. "Oh, of course!"
Brett grinned. "See? If you really played the violin, I figured you'd know."
"And that guy?" Eddy asked and leaped forward to the next canvas about five meters down the hall.
"Paganini."
"Ahhh, devil's violinist. Of course."
"Yeah, hate and love his works."
"Figures. You played his caprices", Eddy remarked.
"Oh, which ones?"
"Well, which ones do you know how to play?", Eddy wanted to know, curious if Brett's "amnesia" also involved his violin playing. It couldn't be too bad if Brett knew how to produce tones that sweet.

Brett furrowed his brows and seemed to deliberate on an answer. Then, he placed his violin on his shoulder and played the first bars of the 24th caprice. He got to the third variation and then quickly changed to the fast notes of the 16th.
"24 and 16?", Eddy stated, impressed by himself that he still knew the pieces well enough to assign them to the right numbers, though not as impressed as he was by Brett's intonation and clean playing.
Brett stopped, his eyes shining. "There is another one." He closed his eyes again and drew his bow over the strings. Eddy was pretty sure it was the opening of the 20th.
"Twenty!", Brett declared when he stopped, confirming Eddy's hunch.
"Wow... so you do remember the pieces you've played?"
Brett blinked. "I guess so... I couldn't have told you just like that though."
"So you just know because you were able to play them now?"
"I guess...?"
"Wow..."

How fascinating. Was that some kind of muscle memory thing Brett was able to pull off in this state of dreaming? Stuff, where his subconscius kicked in without his brain telling his body actively what to do?
"What was that piece you played before we've met?"
Brett had his instrument still propped up on his shoulder, so instead of answering, he played the beginning notes of the sweet tune Eddy had recreated just hours ago. "This?"
Eddy nodded furiously.
Brett shrugged. "I don't know. It's just a piece that keeps replaying itself in my head. But I don't know when or why I've learnt it."
"Doesn't sound like something periodic, like classical or romantic...", Eddy stated.
"Yeah... I think it's more modern."

They looked at each other, until Brett suddenly blurted out, "This piece. It's important!"
Eddy lifted his eyebrows. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. Can't really tell you why. But it feels important."
"It's certainly beautiful. And it brought me back here."
Now it was Brett's eyebrows' turn to shoot up. "It did? How?"
"Remember how I told you I played a bit before I came back? Like before I went to bed?"
"Yes?"
"I played this piece."
"Wha... for reals?"
"Yes."
"How? Do you have the score then?"
Eddy tapped his ears despite probably looking a bit too smug with an additonal grin plastered on his face. "I have perfect pitch."
"Oh", Brett made in understanding.

They continued their journey.
"So, how big is this place?", Eddy asked when they reached some broad stairs leading upwards.
"Quite big. There are like several floors. I only ever stayed in the building though."
Eddy threw a glance at the back of Brett's head, covered by soft, jet black hair. "Why?"
"Can't find an exit."
Shocked, Eddy stopped in his tracks. "What?"
Brett turned around when he noticed Eddy not moving anymore.
"As I told you, it's pretty boring here." He started to climb the stairs, the hand not holding his violin and bow on the handrails.
"But...", Eddy began, not sure if he should bring this up, "are you not... how can you not..."
"Become insane?" Brett's smile was somewhat sad, but he shrugged like he just didn't get his favourite bubble tea flavour. "Playing the violin helps. That's why I carry it around all the time. I don't want to put it somewhere and not find it anymore"
"Have you never tried to, you know, get out from here?"
"Oh, I did. In the beginning at least."

They reached the upper floor and Eddy recognized the bridgelike construction they had been on the first time around. There was something scattered on the ground a bit further away, but before Eddy could take a closer look, Brett turned around and took a seat on the highest step of the white staircase.
"I ran around like a headless chicken, believe me. I called and yelled till my throat was sore. But there's nothing. Just a bunch of musical stuff and my instrument."
Eddy slumped down next to Brett. "Jesus..."
"After a while, I gave up. But I noticed something. I don't get tired, I'm never hungry, never thirsty. There's also nothing to eat or drink, so that's a win for me, I guess. I'm simply existing here."
Eddy couldn't help but stare at him. "How do you do this?"
Brett shrugged again. "I would go crazy without my violin. And I can't really tell how much time is passing. It's all the same, there's no day or night, no clock, obviously. It's just the progress I make while practicing that tells me, that time's actually passing."
"And you never wonder why you're here?"
"Of course I do. I did. But what's the point when there's nothing I can do? I don't even know if...", Brett's voice cracked. He looked down at his knees, his hands clenched to fists so hard his knuckles turned white. Eddy waited. There was another thing he recalled about Brett: If he wanted to share something, he did eventually. And if he wasn't up for it, he wouldn't, no matter how hard someone pressed.

This time, Brett didn't seem to be able to. Either way, Eddy was pretty sure he knew how to finish that sentence. He swallowed hard. Was it really possible...
Brett inhaled deeply. "I was pretty happy when you showed up. Surprised at first. Sorry, if I've been a bit rough."
"Nah, it's fine. I'm sorry if I've been a bit too straight forward", Eddy rasped, still not over the previous thought.
Brett shook his head. "You weren't. If we really know each other in real life, and also, if we don't, it's fine."
Those big eyes looking at Eddy behind thick glasses were full of warmth and so, so friendly it almost knocked Eddy over. "I'm super glad you came back."
Eddy cleared his throat, before he managed a raspy "Me too."

"So!", Brett exclaimed, slapped his free hand on his knee and turned his head. "You're probably wondering what's with all the books on the floor over there?"