Mercy [Buzzfeed Unsolved]

7. Reflections

Wherever Ryan was, the atmosphere felt both too big and too small. It was like he wasn't supposed to be there, or as if he was floating through some sort of psychedelic dream.

He was definitely in some sort of bedroom. It all seemed quite well-lived in, despite seeming to only host one inhabitant. Some untraceable sense of fondness rose to Ryan's throat as he paced around. The floor wasn't too messy, but he could tell the inhabitant did not have anyone to impress either.

Boy oh boy did Ryan wish his senses were sharper. They were somehow dulled, making everything seem dreary and boring despite being in such a new environment. Some sort of sixth sense in him was vibrating, eager to discuss why the scene had an odd feeling of familiarity to it. Ryan didn't know why. After all, that sense was also feeble.

Just before he could make his way over to the dresser to admire the photos and knicknacks this person had collected, soft piano notes unexpectedly rang throughout the entire house, filling the air with a gentle sort of jazz that Ryan took an immediate liking to. Awestruck, he made his way over to the bedroom door and out to the hallway.

Ryan tried his best to be quiet as he went, but found to his surprise that no matter what he did, he probably couldn't make a noise if he tried. The wood floor paneling should have at least creaked, but Ryan was even quieter than a mouse. Not that he would complain; he wouldn't want the inhabitant of the small flat to stop playing.

At the very end of the hallway, guarding the front door, sat a slim grey cat. Its glowing eyes were as wide as saucers, unmoving yet judging every move Ryan made. Startled, he checked over his shoulder to see if there was anything in the hallway behind him, before he realized that the cat was staring at him. Slowly turning back to it, he unblinkingly gazed back. Neither of them blinked, simply just wondering the purpose of each other's presence as the strange but pleasant combinations of piano notes danced around them.

He barely noticed when the piano stopped, the notes trickling down the keyboard like raindrops until it hit a final low note. The cat hadn't moved either. Ryan only moved his head suddenly when he heard a familiar voice from a room or two over.

"Monk, huh," the voice mused. It was somewhat gravelly, so the voice cleared their throat once before continuing. "I was always surprised that you knew that one out of any of mine."

Ryan glanced back once, just to check if the cat was still there. Perhaps the cat itself was some sort of mirage, or perhaps it had just slinked away while he wasn't looking. Turning back around, he started walking slightly quicker than before, trying to follow the source of the voice.

"Oh, you know which one was your favourite?" the voice suddenly inquired to themselves, "It was that one Gershwin, wasn't it? You always did love that song, Ryan: So Am I."

Ryan was so close to rounding a corner to have the face of the pianist revealed, but stopped dead in his tracks when the first chord rolled out. It was like he had hit a wall, and had to slide down with his back to the door frame edge. The second chord was just a twist of the knife, making his heart expand and feel like it would burst with the absolute beauty of its sound. Just as his butt reached the ground, the song began to progress to a slightly faster but equally as stunning section. It was as if his brain had slowed down the song, just to appreciate every tone and its magnificence.

There was a lot Ryan needed to dissect from what he had heard previous, yet his head could only be entirely filled with the song. His entire being was enveloped in the song, vibrating full of positive and warm energy. The sound traveled through the wooden floor panels from what sounded like a muffled grand in the room beside him, contributing to this fuzzy feeling of his.