Keys

Daniel Black was sitting at his desk after eagerly fetching a letter from the mailbox that seemed to be important. The biggest event of the year was quickly approaching, so he was hoping he would get asked to be a part of it. Surely the letter he was scanning with his eyes word by word had been sent to him by the concert's producer. They wanted him in the program. However, there was one specific requirement mentioned in the letter— he would have to create a new piece to play at the event. Daniel was sure he would have no problem creating something new. But after a month of doing nothing but sitting at his piano, he started to think otherwise.
  
   He was exhausted but he needed to keep trying; after all, the concert was the next day. He sighed loudly and rested his hands on his lap as he relaxed his back and closed his eyes. There it was! The perfect song, the perfect melody, and all the notes he needed to put together to bring to life the most beautiful musical piece ever to exist.
  
   "Finally," he said out loud as his hands flew to his piano and his eyes opened.

   His expression of accomplishment suddenly changed into one of confusion when he discovered that all the keys of his piano were gone. He thought he was dreaming and who would blame him when he had barely gotten any sleep in the last few weeks. He abruptly stood up to make sure it was not his mind playing tricks on him, but almost fell down when he stepped on something that made him lose his balance. Daniel knew then he was very much awake. He stepped back, not caring that he had caused his piano bench to tip over; in fact, he did not even notice as he was too shocked by the sight before him.

   All his piano keys were scattered on the floor around him. Now he was not sure whether he was awake or not. He crouched down to pick one up but it quickly flew by itself into the air and remained floating by Daniel's knee.

   "You're just tired, Daniel. Don't let your mind play tricks on you," he scolded himself and proceeded to crouch down to pick up another key, but the same thing happened.

   Now there were two piano keys in the air, one next to Daniel's knee and the other one a few inches farther away and at the height of his hip. He sighed rather loudly and careful not to step too hard Daniel pressed down on the first key with his foot. Not only was the key real but it also remained in the air, and created a sweet sound. As the note made its way around the room a third key did the same thing as the first two. Daniel pressed on the first key again and the sound filled his ears once more. Instead of going back to staring at the keys to figure out the reason why they were floating, he climbed up and placed his other foot above the second key, waiting only a moment before he pressed on it. A different sound was heard and he noticed something strange; those two notes as a pair sounded oddly familiar.

   A fourth key jumped into the air as Daniel stepped on the third one and the rest of the keys arranged themselves into a staircase as he climbed up one key at a time. As he walked faster and faster up the forming staircase, a melody played. Of course! His song! The song he had created just moments ago seemed to be playing itself. He ran faster to wherever the small parts of his piano were taking him, but how much longer would they last in the air? The song was coming to its end and Daniel was high up in the air not knowing where he was going, but he kept running and following the keys, desperate to know where his song was taking him.

   The song eventually ended and Daniel had to jump down from the last key before they all collapsed on the floor. It was pitch-black around him when he landed and suddenly a pair of hands pushed him forward and he tripped. He tried to stand up but his knee was on top of his tuxedo tail...why was he in a tux? A light suddenly shone on him and he looked up to see a cheering crowd, eager to hear him play. He stood up and sat at the piano that was on stage with him. Without a second thought Daniel Black began playing his song. He was putting together all the notes he needed, bringing to life the most beautiful musical piece ever to exist, the perfect song, the perfect melody.