The woodland piano.

Chapter 8

The next day, the couple went out to hunt for food in an attempt to stop remembering the horror they faced the day before. After 2 birds, a squirrel and some berries, they returned to their home to cook their meal.

Abigail's hut remained untouched. They had no intention of removing it for no longer being used. They couldn't bring themselves to.

The two ate in silence, there wasn't much to talk about, and both were happy with the quiet.
Nearly finished with her meal, Adina finally spoke up, "Damien?"
"Yes, Adina?" Damien replied.
"What becomes of us?"
Damien didn't answer.
"And what of that piano?" She pondered aloud.
This caught his attention, "The piano... the same reason we get haunted by each mess... there must be a way to stop it, or we'll never get to live in peace here."
"You know, before Abigail found you, when we were on our own, she would try to research how the piano was working while I stayed by the huts to clean up weapons or cook up some food," She paused for a moment before continuing, "maybe she has some of her work in her hut."
Damien looked at her and replied, "I guess it's worth a look."

After finishing their meal, they both went to enter Abigail's hut, "After you, dear," Damien said to Adina, who let out a small giggle in response.

Abigail's hut was much neater than theirs. The bed (which was just an old mattress on top of some log tied tightly together) was by the window, and its makeshift blanket was folded neatly on it. She also had a makeshift desk and chair that had been made from carving out a few more chunks of wood and tying them tightly together with some vines. On it, were some faded papers, some with neat writings, others with diagrams. What caught Damien's attention, however, was the picture of the piano he had seen not too long ago. The one that had his and Adina's 1st initials engraved in the centre.

The sketch was drawn with such delicacy that it seemed so real. Around the picture were small notes: missing keys, the tree that sprouted from it, and the possibility of some type of dark magic. He turned the sheet over in case there were any other notes. There were. I have thought of a possible theory for the forest's phenomenon... was the first line.
"Hey Adina, think I found something," Damien said, getting his lover's attention.

Once Adina had joined him, they both continued to read the 'theory' Abigail had found: I have noticed a few times that when the melody of the forest plays, the keys of the piano all move in tune. However, if I try to play the piano, not a single sound is produced. Most of the wires inside the piano are snapped, so it makes sense for the keys to not make a sound unless given some help. That leads to the 1st theory that this phenomenon involves dark magic. Dark because each melody leads to me and the lovebirds-
"Even while dead she can tease..." Adina muttered, making Damien laugh.
-running for our lives due to the cursed piano summoning dangerous creatures each time.

I have also noticed some of the piano's pieces missing. Living in this area for longer than 7 years- "Wait, she's been here longer than we have?" Damien asked.
"It's true, I remember her telling me when we first met that this place became her home back when her parents were framed for treason and killed on the spot," Adina told him.
-I have been able to find a few keys randomly littered around. I never understood the reason for them until recently when the piano appeared out of nowhere. I have so far collected 5 of them and returned them to the piano, however, 2 are still missing. I hope my friends and I can find them soon as this leads to my 2nd theory: Placing the missing keys back into their rightful places on the piano may lead to fixing the curse. Of course, it could end up destroying us regardless of what we do to fix it.

There's something else though... the piano had 2 initials engraved on the side: A.D. It wasn't until I met Adina and showed her the piano that I realised a 3rd theory: This piano is linked to them in some way. Maybe it was just a gift like she said, but what if, taking the forest's phenomenon into account, there is something more? What if the piano is bonded to the 2 of them and only they could stop the phenomenon from taking out more innocent people?

Silence filled the room after Damien read out the last part of the 3rd theory. How could we possibly be bonded to a piano? he thought. It didn't make any sense. None of this phenomenon made any sense. But they would have to think about that later. The piano was harmonising again, though this time, it felt more... menacing... than before. It even ended a lot quicker than usual. Then came a growl...or was it a howl...? Nevertheless, there was one thing they knew for sure. It was time to run once more.