The Forests of Silence

Farewell - Sakamoto Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Gale heard a scream. She couldn't tell if it was her screaming or Newton screaming or if the scream was from inside her head. 

Everything was a blur as she saw Newton fell, clutching his hand, and gasping in pain. Red spilling from his hand and to the floor. The sound of chain shaking as she tried to get near Newton but failed. Anthony taking the ring out of the butchered finger and opening the iron safe. The gold spilling to the floor and Anthony shoving them into a bag. 

There were whistles blowing out the door. Gale screamed louder. 

Help us. Please, help him. 

The guards charged inside the house as Anthony ran to the backdoor with his men. 

Newton laid on the floor, heaving heavily. His mind turned blank when he saw the bloody trail from where his thumb has been. 

This can't be true. 

Newton gazed bleakly at Gale, screaming and crying from the other side of the room. 

Don't cry, Gale. Don't cry. 

"Are you Ms. Smaragdos?" One of the guards approached Gale and untied her from the chains. Without replying, Gale immediately ran to Newton. 

"Newton..!" Gale cried, hugging him. 

The pain in his hand was too real to be a dream. Newton groaned as he tried to sit up. 

The crashing realization fell upon Newton as he touched Gale's bruised cheek with his four fingers.

He won't be able to play the violin anymore. 

This was not a dream. Everything has been taken away from him. As he stared at his blunted hand, Newton wanted nothing more than to run back to the darkness, just like how he ran away ten years ago. 

He was once again, a useless rat in the street, without his music.

***

A cold wind has started to blow in Meldovern. 

Professor Claude sighed as Gale sat limply on the chair. 

"Gale, are you feeling better this week?" 

Gale shook her head, her eyes hollow. 

Gale remembered what happened after the incident. 

Anthony has been arrested in Port Kaiim. 

Gale and Newton were taken to the hospital. 

When she woke up, Newton was gone. 

He was not in Shobaim. He was not at Odal beach. He didn't return to Meldovern.

Newton was simply gone, without a word. 

It was as if the time they spent together was just a mere dream, an illusion. 

"Gale, I know it was hard for you...but you need to pull yourself together," Professor Claude softly consoled her. 

Gale has been refusing to play the violin since then, which was few months ago. 

"Are you not going to play anything for me today as well?" 

Gale shook her head, no. Just the thought of holding the violin was painful. She would have gladly given up her spot in Meldovern but her brother thought the fresh air in Meldovern would be better for her to recover from the trauma. 

Her brother had no idea that everything in Meldovern reminded Gale of Newton. 

How they bonded in the forests of silence, how they kissed in front of the dormitory, the library where they practiced, the room where they made love...