The Forests of Silence

Taken - Beethoven Moonlight Sonata

Thick leaves swayed in the breeze, making the forest look alive, a vast sea of green.

Gale gazed at the forests of silence in her carriage. The coach was taking her further away from her home and to where she really belonged.

As soon as the summer break ended, Gale ran back to Meldovern. The familiar school buildings reminded her that she was a musician at heart, not a businessman. Now, she could finally concentrate on practicing again. 

Although...

Gale clutched her violin bag tightly. In the front of the bag, she could feel the last documents she brought from Candra -  the catalogs of Anthony's pharmaceutical company.

Gale knew she was shooting blindly in the dark. The connection between how her father's health declined abruptly after Anthony became his new business partner and the company's sleeping pill in his father's office was too vague to assume anything. However, Gale couldn't erase the strange suspicion creeping over her and she decided to check the catalogs to examine the ingredients of the medicine more carefully.

Gale has just arrived at her room when she heard a crowd screaming outside. Confused, Gale ran to the balcony and looked outside.

Newton was walking in the school quad and to the dormitory. Groups of students - mostly girls - were giggling and accumulating around him, asking for his autographs.

Huh.

Gale scoffed as Newton shyly signed his signature on one of the girl's violin bag.

Apparently, Newton has become a superstar in Meldovern after his successful solo tours...while Gale was helplessly stuck at her family business without getting barely enough time for practice during the summer. Gale couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Newton's musical success.

Maybe if she practices enough from now on, she might be able to surprise Newton during their Candra concert hall performance.

Gale smiled at the idea as she took out his violin to practice, glad to be back in school. 

***

"...Nothing," Gale murmured, flipping through Anthony's pharmaceutical company catalogs. The company sold pills for heartburn, schizophrenia, and other vastly different disorders but the catalogs contained nothing regarding the sleeping pill. 

Gale turned the strange medicine bottle slowly in her head, thinking. The carriage she was riding was nearing Candra now. 

Today was the big day for Gale, playing in the Candra concert hall along with Newton. Her brother was supposed to come as a guest, seeing her perform. 

Gale put the medicine bottle and the catalog back in the front pocket of her violin bag. This was only a suspicion but she might as well causally tell John about this after the concert. 

Gale had her best dress on, her hair neat and tidy. She took a deep breath and walked up the stairs to the Candra concert hall. She has visited here a few times with her family and she always dreamed of playing here one day. She couldn't believe it was finally coming true. 

Gale went backstage where she was designated to prepare before the performance. She took out her violin and began to tune the instrument carefully when a voice called him from behind.

"Ms. Smaragdos."

Gale looked back to face the voice when someone grabbed her from the back roughly, knocking her down. She felt a strong blow to her head and a big hand wrapping her mouth to muffle her cries. 

Dizzy from the blow, Gale looked up weakly to the ceiling, her world turning. 

"Pardon me."

Gale heard a snicker. Then the world turned black as she sensed another strong blow to the back of her neck.