Music in the Endzone (Wally Clark)

Breaking Routine

Wally wandered around the music room as I played a soft melody on the piano. He had a habit of exploring the room, always curious about the various instruments and items scattered about. Today, his attention was drawn to an old CD player sitting on a dusty shelf.

"Hey, Evelyn," he called out, his voice breaking the gentle flow of the music. "What's this?"

I glanced over, my fingers still moving over the keys. "That's a CD player. Haven't seen one of those, have you?"

He chuckled, opening the lid to reveal a CD inside. "Not in person, but in the movies. Let's see what you've got in here." He carefully took out the CD and read the label. "Beauty and the Beast soundtrack?"

I smiled, a wave of nostalgia washing over me. "Yeah, I saw the movie a few years before I died. It became one of my favorite Disney movies."

Wally looked intrigued. "Really? What do you like about it?"

I paused, thinking back to the first time I watched it. "The story, the music, the characters... everything about it just resonated with me. The high school even put on the musical one year. To prepare the cast, the teacher played the movie and the soundtrack. I managed to get both before they disappeared."

Wally nodded, placing the CD back into the player. "That's pretty cool. Do you have a favorite song from the soundtrack?"

I smiled, my fingers transitioning into the opening notes of "Beauty and the Beast." "This one. It's such a beautiful song."

He listened quietly, a soft smile on his face. "I can see why you like it. It's got a timeless quality to it."

I got up from the piano bench and walked over to the music file cabinets, searching through the folders until I found the sheet music for "Beauty and the Beast." I brought it back to the piano and placed it on the stand.

"Found it," I said, smiling at Wally.

He watched with curiosity as I began to play the opening notes. As the familiar melody filled the room, I started to sing softly, my voice blending with the music. Wally moved closer, sitting beside me on the bench, his eyes fixed on the sheet music.

As I continued to play and sing, Wally began to hum along, getting a feel for the tune. Gradually, he joined in, his voice harmonizing with mine. We sang together, our voices weaving a beautiful tapestry of sound. It felt like a magical moment, one that transcended the boundaries of our ghostly existence.

When the song ended, we sat in silence for a moment, the last notes lingering in the air. I turned to look at Wally, and our eyes met, sharing a connection that felt deeper than friendship. My heart fluttered, confused by the emotions stirring within me—feelings I hadn't experienced in years, even before my death.

Wally cleared his throat and looked away, breaking the spell. "You have a beautiful voice, Evelyn," he said softly.

"Thank you," I replied, my cheeks flushing slightly. "You weren't so bad yourself."

He smiled, but there was a hint of something unspoken in his eyes. He stood up, taking a step back. "Well, I should probably get going. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow," I said, still trying to process the strange new emotions swirling inside me.

With a final smile, Wally turned and left the music room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sat back down at the piano, my fingers hovering over the keys, but I couldn't bring myself to play. The day's events had left me feeling a new way, and I wasn't sure how to handle it.

One afternoon, Wally came into the music room with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Hey, Evelyn, I've got an idea," he said, leaning against the opposite edge of the piano.