The Death Kiss (Nanowrimo)#wattys2017

Chapter 5: Timberline city

My hands were clenched around the door knob of the music room, when I heard Adrian's voice inside.

"He must have started the class 5 minutes earlier." Marie commented from few feet away.

"Hey Marie." I smiled.

When I opened the door, Adrian was about to place the flute hole near his lips. The class was packed with students. My eyes scanned the whole room, and stopped on many familiar faces including Sabrina.

"Bitches!" Marie whispered.

The only reason these girls have joined the class was Adrian Jones. None of them knew anything about music. But then I thought of me and Marie, we were no different.

"Good morning Adrian." I said.

"Lily and Marie."

He pointed us to sit down on the chairs in the 3rd row, which were the only empty ones left so far. I had never seen music class so packed before.

He brushed his lips against the flute, and a sweet melody filled the air. It was the sweetest tune I had ever heard in my life. I felt as if the tune was stroking the pleasure center of my brain softly. He kept playing, and nobody said a single word.

I looked around. The tune was literally having the "Pied Piper of Hamelin" Effect on each of us.

He stopped suddenly, and everyone popped back to reality.

"So, how was it?" He asked.

His eyes met mine, and I looked away.

The girls fell short of words to praise how good he was.

He continued, "You see, Music and soul are deeply connected to each other. There are many switches in us that could be triggered by good music."

He paused for a minute and took a look of every face in the class.

"Music affects moods and emotions. What if I say I can control your thoughts by just playing a tune?"

The class shook their heads.

"Not possible." I muttered.

"It is possible."He smiled at me.

Adrian was so charming, that it was impossible for me to take my eyes off him.

I bit my lips, and started looking down at my lap.

"Music expresses the things we long to say and show to others. For example, watch me."

He touched his lips to the flute again, and played another tune.

It sounded so soft, that it made me think of flowers and butterflies. It made me think of beautiful summers, and sunny gardens.

"So?" He prompted.

The class giggled.

"Miss Saltzman, will you stand up and tell us what it made you think about?"

Sabrina stood up at once.

"Well, I visualized a garden full of flowers."

"I am sure, all of you thought of something like that. Because I wanted you all to visualize it."

Everyone nodded. I could hear the whispers of girls, commenting how much adorable Adrian really was.

Adrian sat on the chair, and then spoke.

"Let's try this one more time. I'll play another tune."

This time, he played the tune I heard in my childhood. The very same tune that I heard before anyone died.

I felt my mouth getting dried. I looked around at every face in the class. If anyone of them died, it won't be a big deal for me. But Marie was the only person I really cared about.

He stopped playing and looked up.

"So, Miss Christensen will you mind telling us about your feelings?"

I stood up, my mind was so confused. I looked at him blankly.

"What it made you think about?" He asked again.

I raised my eyebrow.

"Death."

Everyone looked at me like I had killed someone.

"It made me think of death. Where have you learnt this tune?"

Adrian looked at me and smiled.

"I learnt it long ago, Lily. My mother used to play it when I was a baby."

He motioned me to sit down.

Adrian spoke," I'm going to teach you music, starting from the very basic concepts. But first of all, I need to know what music actually means to you."

At hearing this, I exchanged looks with Marie.

Music meant nothing to us. We didn't know a word about it. It didn't mean we weren't interested in listening music, but we never thought of it beyond that level.

He continued," Take a piece of paper, and write two lines about the reason you want to learn music and submit it tomorrow. Then I'll sort you into four groups, accordingly."

Marie whispered," He's way too serious about Music. We are caught up in a wrong place."

I nudged her to keep quiet.

Adrian played few other tunes, and then dismissed the class.

Everyone stood up to leave, when he said.

"Lily, I need to talk to you."

I stayed behind watching all of them leaving.

Adrian sat on his chair again, and asked.

"Why do you hate that tune so much?"

"I don't know... I just don't like hearing this tune. Where have you learnt it?"

"Heard of Great Plague 1665-1666?"

I asked, " What about it?"

"There was a small town quite away from the main population of the city of Timberline. It was the place from where the Plague actually originated from. Though there's no mention of these places in history.But that's exactly from where everything started from. The first people to get the disease were 5 children of a family. Then the disease started spreading from there. The mayor of the city of Timberline came to know about the spreading disease. He appointed few people and sent them to the village to kill the diseased ones.

One of them was Jonas Wagon. He was famous for hypnotizing the people by playing music. His voice was so beautiful that people used to forget all their problems, and pains.

He played this tune to hypnotize the people while others killed the diseased ones left behind in the tents. About 100 people were killed back then."

I kept listening to him.

He paused for a while, but then continued.

"That's why it was also known as the death tune too."

"What happened to Jonas Wagon?" I asked anxiously.

"Some say he died, but some say he fled away. He was so guilty of the murders of so many people that he left the city himself. You must be wondering from where I learnt this tune?"

I nodded, "Exactly."

"I found the music notes he had written. I learnt to play this myself."

"That's brilliant, Adrian."

He stood up, and placed his hands in his pocket.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Christensen."

That was my cue to leave the class, but I wanted him to keep talking to me. I loved hearing to him.

But I had to leave.

"See you tomorrow, Adrian."

I left the class unwillingly.