Forte Fortissimo

Just as color is the beauty of light, music is the beauty of sound. For most people, it’s just a hobby that you can sit and relax to or stand and dance to. It’s nothing more than a hobby. For others, like Jacqueline, it’s everything. Every hour of every day for her is consumed with strings, stands, and sheet music. She would play the viola with the same intent as a student taking an ACT. This wasn’t just a hobby for her. It was an obsession.

One Sunday morning, she woke up with a start. She looked out the window and watched as rain dripped down the glass, barely visible with the grey light in the background coming from the cloudy skies. Jacqueline scrunched up her eyes and tried to look around her dark room. As her eyes began to adjust to the dark, different items began to unveil themselves. Among these items were music stands, boxes of parts, such as strings and finishing, and totes of paper covered with musical notes. Jacqueline rubbed her eyes. She threw her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. She patted her pajama pants, printed with eighth notes, and then followed up with stretching her arms into a T. She yawned and scratched her head. “What-" She yawned again. "What woke me up?” she asked to herself.

Jacqueline looked under her bed and looked around for her cat, thinking it could have been him who woke her up. She didn’t see anything so she walked to the closet. Every step taken was maneuvered over clothing and stacks of paper. When she reached the closet, she checked inside. Nothing was in there either.

 Just then, a large bang was heard in the hall outside her room. Jacqueline jumped at the sound. She looked up at the doorway, staring into the darkness, worried something might jump out at her. Then a realization came. It was probably just her cat again. She tiptoed over to the hall, avoiding the clutter and mess.

Jacqueline reached her door and peeked her head out. Looking each way, the conclusion was made that there was nothing out there. Her cat wasn’t around, and there wasn’t a mess anywhere. She quietly left her room and walked down the hall. She made extra sure to be quiet. She didn’t want to wake her mother at all. Mrs. Palimus was very strict. She was the one that had Jacqueline playing the viola so often that she became addicted to it. Every day, Jacqueline had to make sure that all the dishes were done, to make sure the garbage was taken out, to wash the bathroom, kitchen, and dining room. She had all this to do, as well as get straight A’s on her report card and keep up on her viola practice. Mrs. Palimus was very strict, indeed, but Jacqueline still loved her unconditionally and with a whole heart.

Another bang spooked Jaqueline. This one came from the kitchen. She quickly, but quietly, skipped her way to the kitchen. When she looked in the room, she stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the spectacle before her with an open gape. Every single one of the cabinets and drawers were opened, along with the fridge door and pantry door. There wasn’t any possible way anybody could have done this. She would have heard somebody open all the doors. She would have at least heard them walking around. And why would anybody want to do all of this? What was the point?

Before Jacqueline could do or say anything else, another bang was heard coming from a door at the end of the hall. She snapped her head over to it, breathing heavily with a drop of sweat starting to drip from her forehead. All of this was really starting to scare her. The door led to the basement, a place Jacqueline really didn’t want to go to at a time like this. She just wanted to go back to bed and get some sleep. Maybe she could forget about everything and dream about her crush, Andy Warren, or performing in the regional Young Artist Competition of Music, or something to get these fearful event out of her head.

Jacqueline was about to turn around when she heard a familiar sound. It was a viola. It played softly, but loud enough for her to hear it. She looked in the direction of the sound and slowly walked towards it. She breathed faintly, but heavily, and chills began to form down her spine. She reached the door and grabbed the handle. She turned it ever so slowly, the cold metal pressing against her soft skin.