The Melody of Pip Winter

17:The Four Seasons

Lead burned the page that mesmerised Pip. Swirls of grey and blemishes of lighter shades set the paper on fire. Shadows peered behind the boy he held in his shaking hands. Pip was intoxicated by the lines of whimsicality and spills of ink. There was nothing in this world or any world that could ever conquer the strokes of beauty that clutched onto the dead tree.Emotions were stirred by a led pencil in the hand of a wizard, Leo. The same hands that held him the day before had created a masterpiece. Pip tucked the page into a notebook full of strange melodies.

A part of him wanted to wait for the led to pour through his skin and dance through his whole body. Pip knows that part was more than a little insane.

When Pip bounced down the stairs an odd amount of energy his mother was watching with a cup of tea in hand. The women's eyes were wide and marked with distress. He smiled and that seemed to loosen her face a bit.

"Pip I've been thinking about this silly list and maybe it's best if you see someone anyway." Claudia placed the cup down softly and wrapped her cardigan around her slowly

Pip gulped down the tense root system in his throat and delved further into the kitchen. He leaned against the bench and watched her.

"I do still think it would be good for you to finish this list but regardless I think you need to express all that," she gestured to him.

"You know." She whispered.

Vines tangled his body into a stiff mannequin. Lava ran through his throat and forbid him from speaking. Claudia attempted a sympathetic smile. Pip wished to be the son she deserved, the son who hadn't taken her love away.

"I know you're hurting, and I know there are some things you just can't say out loud." His mother spoke almost failing with the words.

Something shot through Pip briefly before he covered the lava in barrels of water.

"Mum, I think we should go to the art exhibit round the corner."

It wasn't an answer but it was the words they both needed because they were light.

***

Darkness fled from beneath Claudia's eyes when they entered the disheveled building. Pip herded her through mazes of paint and colour. Different universes stared at them from their canvas prisons. Pip could feel Leo's firm grip on the pencil as it carved splendour into his heart.

His mother greeted a large painting. It was an explosion of different shades of blue and spurts of fiery red. Pip had felt the same cluster of strokes before, the memory of the feeling tickled his belly.

Walls enclosed them from the cruel world but the gifted hands showed them how truly beautiful its storms really were. There was a strange shot of optimism powering each canvas, even the artworks that portrayed such tragedy.

"I think this was a great idea Pip." His mum smiled cheerily.

As they trailed past each canvas Pip couldn't help but see Leo in every stroke. He ignored this and followed his mum around every exciting corner.

Once they had explored every corner of the building they wandered out into the streets. Claudia seemed relieved of the previous days distress. Pip played his part and smiled and replied with playful remarks.

"I think this Leo is a good influence on you." The women said.

Something light choked Pip up. There wasn't a reply he had learnt for such a situation. He knew how he had been blessed with Leo, he liked to think of it as good karma, but he didn't know what he had done to deserve the beaming boy. They trotted through the streets, a delicate tang blossoming in the air.

"Also guess what!?" Claudia bursted suddenly.

Pip raised a brow.

"I convinced Dylan to allow you back to the bakery despite the incident." She smiled wildly.

Dylan was his mother's boss and the incident in discussion was one which involved his own stupidity and curiosity and a grater. He was only fifteen and was ready to experience the world of kitchen utensils. His clumsy younger self should of been more aware of the unspoken beef between him and anything even slightly dangerous. To be fair he was vegetarian so he hoped not to have beef against anything, much too optimistic he was.

"If that's something you would like." Claudia spoke.

As they walked towards their home they conversed of the topic of his position at the bakery. When they arrived at the front door his mother spun the key through the lock and they both trudged inside. Pip gave her a nod and raced up the stairs.

There was no particular reason for his sudden burst of athleticism but he took it. He found the page and stuck it above his keyboard. A tune tickled his ears as he stared the drawing. There was no colour just the poignant beauty of a broken boy. There was no name in his head for him but some things couldn't be confined by the meaning of real words. Like Leo.

Pip sat before the instrument. He didn't touch the keys he just watched, just observed. His brain played the notes for him. As his brain rode an assortment of varying waves his phone chimed.

Pip grabbed the mobile and tapped his password into the screen. He found a message from Leo.

Ready for number seven?