The Witch’s Sonata

You must be careful, Melody. Melody paused her writing as the words were whispered in her ears. You can't lose yourself in the stories.  

Melody took a deep breath, looking out the corners of her eye to see if anyone noticed anything; they didn't. Everyone else was either bored on the cell phone Melody wished she had (her mom said no phone until she was twelve. "This town is too small. And we pick you up from everywhere.”) or taking notes as her music teacher talked about the different types of classical pieces. Melody didn't question why the words came the way they did. Magic rarely had a logical explanation.  

It started a few years ago when she got her violin, along with a mystic tutor and a few mysterious features that Melody was still exploring. She liked to think that nothing could surprise her anymore and that she was prepared for anything, but she kept the words in mind as her music teacher placed them in groups to practice their upcoming fall performance.  

Melody took an advanced orchestra class at a private middle school, even though she was only in 5th grade. The class was an hour and a half. Twenty minutes were spent on the technical lessons, then section practice for twenty minutes before independent study for another twenty minutes. The rest of the time was spent on class-wide practice.  

Melody turned her chair around as a circle of violin players formed around her. They all chatted as new music—a 20-minute sonata—was passed out, grabbing music stands from around the room. Soon the class was a cacophony of sounds as the violins, cellos, and percussion started to clash with student chatter. Melody was tuning her violin in her lap when she noticed a glimmer of light from the corner of her eye. She looked up and paused when noticed it was coming from the sheet music. She picked it up and squinted, rubbing her hands over the paper. There were golden notes on it but there weren’t any notes she’d ever seen. First, they were above the staff, mirroring the notes below them. Secondly, they looked…broken? 

"What's wrong, Mel?" Melody jumped before turning to Briana, who was sitting next to her. Melody's eyes flitted to Briana's sheet music. She had the gold notes too, but Briana loved sparkly stuff and Melody didn't hear her squeal or point them out like she usually would.  

"Can I see yours?" Melody asked, pointing to Brianna's music. Briana shrugged before handing it over. Melody looked at them closely. They were exactly the same. Why would both sheets have those weird markings? And why did it seem like she was the only one who could see them? 

"Something wrong?" Briana asked. Melody forced a smile before shaking her head. 

"Just looked weird for a second, but it's fine," she lied. She tried to act normal as they started to practice but the gold kept catching her eye and she ended up playing the wrong notes. By the eighth mistakes, she was sure the second chair player, Josie, was going to break her bow. 

"What is your problem?" Josie yelled. Melody shrunk back. 

"I have to check my strings. You lead," Melody said, gathering her music and moving to one of the practice rooms. Josie huffed, glaring as Melody left. Melody knew why. Josie never understood how Melody, who was three years younger than her, was first chair. Melody could practically feel Josie counting the number of mistakes she made in practice, but it didn't matter. When it came to performances, Melody always outshined her and always kept her spot.  

It wasn't easy playing a magic violin, but it was rewarding. 

Nobody looked twice at Melody as she went into the practice room. They were always available, and Melody was a regular visitor. Other than an eager beginner asking her for help or a jealous violin player trying to throw her off by disturbing her before a performance, she was left alone. Because of this, she felt safe enough to pulled out her sheet music again. She ran her fingers over the weird notes and heard snippets of sound as she did. It was a weird mix of voices and music, similar to her class, but what stuck out to Melody was a laugh. It was warm and resonating, almost musical. 

Melody moved her hand away quickly. Her eyes snapped to the window when she heard a tapping sound coming from it. A snowy owl sat on the ledge staring directly at Melody, the stars that hid in its eyes not as obvious in daylight. Melody watched as the owl hooted before flying off. She knew what that meant.  

She was meeting V tonight. 

***** 

Melody met V years ago when she snuck out of her house one winter night when she stumbled upon an impossible sight: a violin player growing a tree out of the icy lake near her house. Melody would later meet V and would become her apprentice when gifted with the cherry red violin she now carried with her every day. While Melody knew that her violin was magical as well, she had yet to truly use it and started doubting it did anything beyond creating the violin's exceptional sound. But, as Thenos—the owl that tapped on her classroom window and guided her to V all those years ago—flew in her room that night, she had a feeling that would change very soon. 

Melody stood up and made sure her bedroom door was locked before she grabbed her coat and snuck out the window. She ran down the well-worn path towards the lake before heading deeper into the forest. Thenos led her further and further to the point where she felt worried. Was this owl Thenos? Was he leading her into a trap? But the worries left as soon as the forest cleared to reveal a small, familiar cottage.  

Melody walked inside and, sure enough, there was a fire already roaring in the pit that sat in the middle of the room, fighting off the autumn chill that hung in the air. V was sitting in a rocking chair by the window, her hair thrown over her shoulder. V looked up and nodded to acknowledge her presence. Melody smiled before going to the seat next to her mentor. V didn't talk, had never talked for as long as Melody had known her. Melody didn't know why other than the fact that it had something to do with V's magic. Either way, they made it work and Melody was getting better at reading V's expressions every time they met. 

"There's something wrong with my eyes," Melody told V. V tilted her head curiously. Melody pulled out her sheet music from her coat pocket and gave it to V. V opened it gingerly, her eyes sweeping quickly over the page. "See the gold notes?" V nodded, and Melody felt a bit relieved. So, she wasn't going crazy. "Nobody else can see them and I don't know what they mean."  

V stood up, still reading the music. Melody watched as her mentor grabbed her violin and moved so that she was standing opposite of her, the fire pit between them. Melody could only see glimpses of her mentor's face through the fire, the light hitting V's face dramatically as she tucked her violin under her chin.  

The song V played was sharp and eerie to Melody's ears but mesmerizing as per usual. Melody watched as the flame danced to V's song. They shifted and rose, folding into each other until they were forming a shape of a person. As V's song reached its crescendo, the form solidified, and Melody had to cover her eyes from the sudden brightness. The figure stepped out of the fire, the burning light giving way to tan skin, gray eyes, and an impish smile. It was a man, who wore an odd mix between a robe and a suit, and was tall, much taller than V. He bowed to Melody. 

"Greetings, little one," he spoke. Melody's jaw dropped. The man chuckled at her shock. 

"H…how?" Melody looked at V who was calmly walking to the man's side. He nodded to V as well.  

"You sound as stunning as ever," he commented Melody's mentor. Melody looked at them curiously, but V simply smiled at the man before motioning towards Melody. The man turned, and Melody noticed that he was slightly transparent.  

"You're...a ghost,” Melody said as more of a question than a statement, trying to understand what was happening. The man's smile grew. 

“You are quite observant," he responded. "And correct, little one. It has been quite a while since I've been a participant in the physical world." He bowed to her again. "My name is Ea. God of wisdom and water, although the title has since been lost to another. I believe they call him Allah. Or perhaps Poseidon. " Melody tilted her head in confusion and V looked at him in disapproval. "Seems that I am off topic." 

"You're a god?"  

"My name is that of a god inspired by my unique abilities. The immortality and magic get very complicated from there," Ea explained although Melody still found it very confusing. "I see you are still perplexed, yes?" Melody nodded. "Then let me tell you why I am here." He sat down in front of Melody, crossing his legs.  

"I am here because you need answers to questions that your mentor, due to her vow of silence, cannot deliver,” Ea explained. “You speak to her of golden notes, do you not?" 

"I…do…" Melody said with uncertainty as V handed him Melody's music. His eyes scanned the pages excitedly. "Its music I got from class. I don't think it's magic…" Melody trailed off at the possibility. What if her music teacher, Mrs. Barnes, was a magic musician too? 

"You are correct once more," Ea told her. Melody's eyes widened and Ea chuckled. "About the music, not your teacher." He could read minds, she thought but Ea was speaking again before she could ask. "I'm sure there are a thousand copies of this music but only a few gifted people will be able to see the skeletal notes." 

"Skeletal notes?" 

"Do you know what a skeleton key is, Melody?" 

"Yeah, they're keys that can open all the doors in a house," Melody answered. 

"Exactly," Ea said. "Skeletal notes do the same thing, in a sense. They unlock the rest of the music and, along with it, the memories." 

"Music has memories?" 

"Every piece of art has an untold story, unspoken words that shape everything about it. Every letter, every line, every note…they all have something to say." Ea's eyes seemed to dance as he handed Melody back her music. "I will show how to play these notes." Ea stood and offered a hand to Melody. 

"Um…I didn't bring my violin," she told him, remembering the instrument rested in the corner of her room. Ea looked over his shoulder to V. 

"I suppose it would be inappropriate to share," he said to her. V nodded sagely, making Ea sigh as he turned to Melody. "Very well. We shall only have the demonstration today. Lessons will have to come later." He took Melody's music and handed it back to V. "Your mentor will play the memory and I will guide you through it. Before we begin, I must warn you, Melody." Ea leaned forward and the fire seemed to heighten Ea's glow, reminding Melody that he was a ghost. "You must not get caught up in the memory. It is not real and, therefore, we cannot affect it. Promise me you will remember this." 

"I'll remember," Melody promised, trying not to be creeped out at how his words echoed the whispers from earlier in the day. Was that him too? Ea held out his palm to her and Melody pressed her palm against his or tried as best as she could. There was only the smallest bit of resistance that stopped Melody from pushing through Ea's hand entirely. Ea nodded to V, and she started to play.  

The first notes were low, lower than anything Melody was used to playing on the violin. There was something suspenseful about the song V played, something that made Melody want to look over her shoulder but with curiosity rather than fear. After a while, Melody heard people talking along with music, a full orchestra providing the soundtrack to it. Then, the same harmonious laugh that Melody heard the first time was cutting through everything else. Melody closed her eyes as it drew her in… 

Melody's eyes fluttered open, and she realized she was no longer in V's cabin. She scrambled to her feet, frantically trying to figure out where she was when she spotted Ea. He smiled mischievously before holding his hand up to his lips and pointing behind Melody. She turned to see a child sitting on the floor sewing.  

The small girl looked no older than six or seven. She had dark brown hair stopped at her shoulders in a curly mane and her gaze was intense as her hands moved over the cloth. Melody saw baskets of thread surrounding the girl, each a different color with its own needle. The color the girl was currently using was purple. Melody walked over to her and sat down. 

"Hi," Melody greeted. "What's your name?" The girl said nothing. Melody was taken aback by this. That’s mean, Melody thought with a frown. 

"Hello," she repeated, waving her hand in front of the girl’s face. "Anyone there—" She stopped short when she realized her hand was just as transparent as Ea's had been earlier. Melody jumped up and tried not to panic. She couldn't be dead, right? V would never put her in danger; she always saved Melody. Why would she stop now? Melody's panic came to a halt when the girl looked up.  

Melody was stunned by the color of the girl's eyes. They were a piercing amber, reminding Melody of a tiger. Though the girl was young, her eyes were ageless in a way that suggested they had seen everything and nothing at all. Then, she realized that the girl wasn't focusing on her. Instead, it went to the needle she held. The girl untied the thread from the needle and stared at it intently. Something told Melody to reach out to the girl, so she placed her hand on the girl's shoulder.  

Visions started filling her head. Green hills, a stream branching from a river, the gravel of an old road, and then…what was that? The picture was ripped away from Melody as a solid smack resounded throughout the room. Melody jumped back out of instinct. The girl yelped and cradled her hand. Only then did Melody see a woman was standing over them, her face contorted in anger.  

"Get back to work!" the woman screeched before moving to another part of the room to continue ranting to the little girl. The girl re-threaded the needle, seeming to tune the woman out. Melody felt a strange numbness overtake her but not before she saw the oddly determined look on the child's face.  

Melody blinked slowly as the image of V's fire pit came back. She shook her head, willing it to clear as V and Ea's faces came back into focus. V placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, silently asking if Melody was okay. Melody nodded quickly, turning to see Ea's excited face too close to hers. She stumbled back, making Ea laugh. 

"What did you see?" he asked.  

"I…don't know," Melody said. "There was this little girl, and she was sewing. Then, she stared at the thread, and I saw all these visions of places. Like rivers and roads. I don't know how." 

"I'll give you a hint," Ea smirked. "How do most people describe things they can't explain?" Melody contemplated his question before it dawned on her. 

"She was doing magic?"  

"Impressively so for such a young girl," Ea commented.  

"So, she's real?" Melody asked. Ea shrugged noncommittally. "She couldn't be. Everything looked different than it did here and there was this woman who knew she was doing magic. Or it seemed like she did." 

"Well, you've seen very little of the world, Melody," Ea pointed out. "It's hard to rule out the possibility. But I think that's enough for tonight." 

"Was that the whole piece?" Melody asked. It felt like an oddly short piece. 

"Oh, not at all," Ea said. "That was only the first six measures. There's much more to see but to do that, you'll have to learn how to play the notes so, first, you learn. Then, you get the story and, after that, well..." Ea exchanged an indecipherable look with V, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there." 

"But I don't understand—" 

"You will in time," Ea assured her. "But you have school tomorrow. Mustn't keep you from your other studies." Ea bowed. "Until next time, little Melody."  

Ea stood and waved his hands in a flourish, vanishing in mere moments. Melody looked around for him, but he seemed to be gone. Melody looked up at V, opening her mouth to ask questions but V put a hand to her lip before pointing behind Melody. Melody looked over her shoulder and saw Thenos waiting by the entrance to take her home. Melody sighed but rushed over to the owl none the less. As she left, V plucked a simple tune for her exit. She knew that if she turned around, the cottage would be gone. 

***** 

The next week, Melody was back in the practice room. Though she knew she should definitely be working with the whole class on the piece, the gold notes still distracted her from being able to play the piece correctly (which caused Josie to develop a twitch over the last few days). So, she figured the only way the notes would disappear would be if she figured out how to play them.  

However, the problem remained that Ea, nor V showed her how to, leaving Melody to figure it out on her own. She tried recalling the way the piece sounded when V played it, but nothing sounded right. She huffed as she started over (again) from the beginning. She threw back her shoulders and tried to push away her frustration as she positioned her bow on the strings. She was about to play— 

"You might want to raise your elbow higher."  

Melody almost jumped off her stool. She spun around and squinted, catching as shimmer just by the window. 

"Ea?" she asked. The sunlight made the ghost practically invisible as he sat on the window sill but she could just make out his mischievous smile. 

"You need to hold your elbow higher," he reiterated. "Or lower. The notes work if you mirror them—but only if they're perfectly opposite." Melody looked frantically at the door before approaching Ea. 

"You can't be here," she whispered. "Everyone will freak out if they see you." 

"Actually, they'll think you're crazy because it looks like you're talking to yourself," he corrected. 

"What..." she trailed off. He smirked at her as he moved from his perch to a stool in the corner of the room. 

"You're the only one that can see me, my little melody," Ea told her. "Think of me as—what do people call them now? Ah! —an imaginary friend." 

"But...people can see V."  

"V is different. She is still of this world and can become as visible or invisible as she pleases. Me, on the other hand, I have long lost anything that can ground me in the tangible sphere. Not that I mind. I have much more fun now." 

"Why are you here? " Melody asked. 

"To teach you of course," Ea stated like an obvious fact. "It seemed like a convenient time since you were practicing anyway. Now, sit. We have much to work on." Melody slowly made her way back to her seat, warily looking at the door. "You should relax your shoulders." Melody took a deep breath and tried. She still felt stiff with nerves as she lifted her bow. 

"Wait," Ea interrupted right before she started playing. "Is your mind clear? There's no point of playing if it's not." 

"Yeah," Melody answered. She wasn't thinking of anything in particular. She just wanted to start already. She counted off in her head before moving the bow. A shriek filled the room and Melody let out a small, agonizing cry. 

"Told you," Ea said simply. She pouted in his direction before resting her forehead against the music stand. 

"Not helping," she mumbled before sitting up again. "I don't get it." 

"You didn't position your elbow like I told you and your mind wasn't focused," Ea said.  

"It feels weird and it's not the proper way to hold a bow!" Melody protested. 

"It's not the traditional way to hold a bow but, if you want to play this piece, you need to think outside the box in your head," Ea explained. "Like I said last night, the conventional rules don't work here and if you're not going to truly try, then there's no point in agonizing over it like you're doing." Melody scowled (it looked closer to a pout) before repositioning her arm. She moved to start playing. 

"Wait." She glared at Ea, who chuckled at her expression. "I see you're impatient." 

"I'm just ready to start," she said through gritted teeth. 

"And that temperament will get you nowhere," Ea told her, crossing his arms. "You can't barrel through this, like your other work." He looked at her pointedly, making her feel guilty for a moment but Melody just huffed. 

"That's how I work!" she exclaimed before looking at the door. Luckily, there were no peeking eyes. She made sure to lower voice as she turned back to Ea. "It helps me get the gist of the piece. Plus, it helps me practice sight reading." 

"Which would be fine, if you had a normal violin," Ea said, walking over and reaching out to touch the strings. They seemed to hum under his fingertips. "Your thoughtlessness can wear on its magic. Playing with a clear head but no intention is just as bad as playing for the wrong reason." He looked up from the violin to her. "Do you care to learn this, or do you want the notes to go away?"  

Melody opened her mouth to speak but realized she didn't know the answer to that question. Sure, she was initially excited to learn the song but now that it was starting to interfere with her music class, it was more confusing than fun. Yet, she didn’t want to give up either. What if this was her only chance to learn? Did she want to lose it forever? Ea smiled at her indecision. 

"It's okay to be honest with yourself, Melody. It's the first step to being honest with others," he reassured her. She mulled over his word before nodding slowly.  

"I wanna learn," she decided. Ea's eyes seemed to sparkle for a quick moment before he went to Melody's side. 

"Perfect," he said, before flipping through the music sheets. "But, first, we must make sure the material is unfamiliar. That way we will know if you are playing it correctly instead of projecting a memory. Now hold your elbow higher," Melody readjusted her arm. "And slide your fingers done some…stop right there." 

"But that's not a note." Ea gave Melody a knowing look and Melody sighed before doing what he instructed. 

"Now, hold that position until your mind is clear. Then play." Ea retreated to the corner of the room, out of Melody's sight.  

She looked down at the notes, fighting back all the thoughts that urged her to correct her position. Instead, she focused on her breathing, like V often encourage when they practiced together. The regular notes started to blur as she focused on the skeletal notes. A little tug from her gut told her move and she started to play. The first note came out with perfect clarity, just as low as she remembered but this time it felt like the sound resonated through her bones. She wondered if the whole piece would feel like that, but that was the last note she heard before gold filled her vision. 

She blinked rapidly as her sight cleared. She gasped; she was far from her practice room at school. Instead, she was seated on a stool in a vaguely familiar living room. She looked around until her eyes landed on a small child sleeping on a mat. She almost jumped when she realized it was the little girl from before, but the girl wasn't moving. In fact, the whole room felt…still. Too still.  

Melody stood up and looked down at her hands. Where was her violin? Was she still playing? She noticed her violin leaned against the stool and grabbed it. Gold notes instantly floated in front of her. Melody jumped back, letting out a yelp, hearing a laugh echo right above her head. She scowled before looking around. 

"Ea, you're supposed to be teaching me this stuff!" she yelled. 

"And you're doing well, my little Melody. You already found your instrument," Ea said. Melody could practically see his smirk in his words. The room started to shift as she became annoyed with him.  

"Careful," Ea warned. "You still need to concentrate on the task at hand. Play the notes and the scene will play out." 

"I-I don't know them." 

"But your instrument does. Trust it. It will guide you to truth…" Ea's voice faded, leaving Melody to panic as her eyes scanned the broken notes. Just play what you know…even if it's only one note, she thought begrudgingly before putting her violin under her chin.  

The noise resonated through her bones again, the vibrations making her fingers shift lower to the next note without her realizing it. She felt another tug from her gut and moved the bow, the song started to come together. The room seemed to breathe for a moment.  

"Huh," Melody said before continuing. 

It was slower, less precise than V's rendition, but the vision played out. Every note drew her closer to the girl until Melody stood right beside her sleeping form. Melody became bold enough, trying not to stare at her translucent hand, to reach out and touch the girl's face. She was immediately drawn into the girl's mind, just like before.  

This time, it was a dream, and no violin went with her. Melody watched the nameless girl jump through a fuzzy, pastel world. The girl constantly changed her shape as she moved around while Melody trailed behind her helplessly, not even able to feel her fingers, though music continued to play somehow. Then the landscape changed to something more tangible.  

Music danced in between the raindrops that suddenly fell. There was a house of dark tones and windows. A weeping willow tree sat atop a hill nearby. Melody watched the girl run inside to a woman she didn’t see before. The woman didn't speak as she scooped the small girl up in her arms. Melody knew from their resemblance that it had to be the girl’s mother. 

She watched them move around the house and play in what Melody assumed was the living room, the floor covered with big, fluffy pillows. The mother constantly pulled her child into her lap, letting her daughter play with her fingers. The only thing Melody found weird about the interaction were the rose-tint sunglasses the mother wore. It was rainy, gray, and she was inside. Why would she wear them? A chill ran down her spine as a harmonious laugh escaped the mother's lips— 

Melody crashed back into reality when the door swung open and hit the wall, breaking all her concentration. Her head spun for a moment before she saw an annoyed Josie in the doorway. 

"Hello! Did you not hear Mrs. Barnes calling us for class practice?" Josie snapped.  

"Ugh, no. I-I was playing," Melody said as she started to gather her things. Josie looked at her in disgust. 

"No, you weren't. You were starting at the music like an idiot," Josie said.  

"I…found a new technique," Melody said. "I memorize the music without playing it first. You know, imagine it in my head. It works." Josie looked at her like she had two heads before rolling her eyes.  

"Could just stop being weird and hurry up? Mrs. Barnes doesn't want to start without you." Josie slammed the door closed after her, making Melody flinch before glaring at Ea, who was watching from the corner. He shrugged uselessly. 

"Perhaps, this is something to practice at home," he suggested. 

***** 

She did practice at home. 

Now that Melody knew the skeletal notes created no sound outside her head, she could practice every night when her parents went to bed. She improved very quickly, much to V and Ea's satisfaction. In just a month, she could play the first half of the piece at full speed and three-quarters of the piece at a quarter speed. She wasn't skilled enough to play the end yet, but Melody wasn't bothered because every bit of progress she made on the skeletal notes improved her ability to play the regular song, which caused more than a few awed (and jealous) looks in practice. 

Even more, Melody figured out the better she played the piece, the more information she had about the story. The girl's name was Nasrin, but her nickname was "Ace." She was six. She had been living at the house Melody first found her in for six months. Nasrin worked for the family who owned the house. Ironically, the proper title for them was Strangers. Nasrin was a magic user, but her Strangers discouraged her from using it. She had learned a lot of basic spells and some advanced ones from her mom, Ilan.  

"This is quite interesting," Ea said one day, floating through the main room of V's cottage as V tuned her violin. Melody read over the sheet music by the fire pit, running her fingers over the notes. Snippets of conversations floated into her ears along with Ilan's laughter. It was becoming Melody's favorite sound. She closed her eyes, letting herself see one of Nasrin’s dreams.  

They were repetitive but soothing in contrast to Nasrin's daily routine, which was mundane at best and tense at worst. Melody didn't often see Nasrin's Strangers, but they had a…presence. It hung over Nasrin every day and caused the girl to go to sleep frowning. Another thing Melody noticed was that they never looked into Nasrin's amber eyes. Sometimes, they even insulted them. Melody couldn't understand why. Maybe they were jealous since theirs were normal, but Melody had a feeling there was more to the story. Maybe if she played the measures again, she would find out more. 

She opened her eyes and flinched when she saw how close Ea was to her, making her fall back. He chuckled before sitting down in front of her. 

"Seems like someone is getting into the story," Ea commented. "How far along are you, little Melody?" 

"I'm not that little," Melody grumbled as she sat up. "The last thing I saw was Nasrin sewing and a memory of her mom talking to someone. I don't know who it was, but I don't think the guy was Nasrin's dad." 

"Interesting," Ea said. "Show me." Melody picked up her violin and the sheet music, flipping a couple of pages back. She figured she could jump straight into the flashback instead of the usual dramatic entrance into Nasrin's mind. Melody fit her violin under her chin before plucking at the strings quickly to check if they're tuned. She let her eyes roam over the notes before closing them and playing. 

The flashback started immediately. 

***** 

"You need to stop this, Ilan." A man—Vincent, the music supplied—said. He was Ilan's best friend by default as he was her only friend. Ilan flipped through the spell book on the table, pages filled with spells very few were powerful enough to conjure. Her eyes were no longer hidden by shades, but her irises still held a rosy tint. Melody didn't know how but she had a feeling that the vivid pink hue of Ilan's eyes was evidence of her power and clearly genetic, holding the same intensity as her daughter's.  

"The Council is already on edge with all these spells," Vincent continued. "Extending your spell book is not helping the situation."  

"The situation is that I already had these spells. I'm just writing them down for a certain someone." Ilan tilted her head towards the living room where her daughter bumbled around with a few of her toys. Ilan smiled softly as she watched her daughter jump from one pillow to another.  

"That certain someone is exactly why you should stop this madness," Vincent warned. "Ilan, if you're trying to prove that you're strong, we know that already. They understand that you're the reason why things are peaceful now and that you are well loved—"  

"And I'm a threat because of that."  

"No, they see you as a threat because you keep stepping out of line," Vincent insisted, low so the small child nearby couldn't hear them. "You know they were always wary of you because of the power you have. What you can do…it's a miracle you have such a good heart but if you didn't? Tell me you understand why they're so skeptical."  

"I understand perfectly," Ilan said, moving around the kitchen without a worry as she prepared dinner in between writing in her spell book. "The Council fears power they can't control but that's just it. I'm not theirs to control. They'll praise the hell out of me for a spell only to turn and condemn me for the same act because it wasn't used under their influence. Unlike you, I do not serve them, nor do I intend to let them believe so. I am my own woman, and they need to know that."  

"You're making a mistake," Vincent told her. 

"You said the same thing when I had her." Ilan pointed towards her daughter again.  

"I meant it then and I mean it now," he said, ignoring Ilan's glare. "Ilan, please. I know—I know you're not going to listen to me now. But think about your daughter. Think about the consequences this will have on her."  

"She is my strength. Not my weakness," Ilan said.  

"And you are her protector so long as you are around to do so," her friend retorted. Ilan narrowed her eyes.  

"You mean to threaten me?" she asked in a low, dangerous tone.  

"I mean to warn you before you find yourself in an early grave," Vincent corrected. "Please, stop this, Ilan. Be your own woman but stop this defiance while the Council is still willing to forgive you."   

"I've done no wrong. If the Council wants to grumble, let them." Ilan threw her shoulders back as she continued to write her spells. "They need me more than I've ever needed them." Vincent sighed forlornly. 

"I know you're strong, Ilan. I can only warn you."   

Vincent leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Ilan closed her eyes for a moment, a vision of cloaked figures coming to her mind alongside the day her daughter was born, the last time he did the same act of affection. Ilan opened her eyes, watching him wearily when she saw the fatigue in his eyes right before he left.  

And the dread.   

***** 

Melody blinked back to the present and saw Ea staring at her curiously. He had his same impish smile, but something seemed…off.  

"I don't remember you being able to jump into flashbacks so easily," he said.  

"I couldn't hear the adults talking last time either," Melody revealed before smiling. "I’m getting better." 

"Very quickly, I might add," Ea observed. Melody looked at Ea confused when his expression didn't change. If anything, his smile strained. His eyes flickered to something behind her. "Go and tell your mentor what you saw." She looked over her shoulder to V. 

"I saw Nasrin's mom talking to her friend. He was warning her about some council not liking that she was a witch. Then, her friend showed her a vision that looked like some weird Salem Witch Trial or something. It was ridiculous," Melody explained. 

"Says the girl that plays an enchanted violin and gets tutoring sessions from an ancient god," Ea said in amusement before his smirk fell. "You’re developing at quite a fast rate, little one."  

"Isn't that a good thing?"  

"Possibly, but these things tend to backlash if done too quickly," Ea told her. "Perhaps, it would be best to take a break from your studies." 

"B-but the concert is coming up!" Melody exclaimed. "I need to play these notes, so they can go and away." 

"I understand that; however, you need to slow down," Ea warned her. "I don't want to insult your intelligence but a story like this can become pretty intense if you let it. You're young, therefore more impressionable. If it latches onto you, it can become problematic." 

"I'm fine, Ea!" Melody protested. She stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see V giving her a stern look. No more arguing and no more practicing. Melody sighed before standing up.  

"Fine," she agreed reluctantly. Ea's shoulders relaxed, and he whistled quickly. Thenos, who was resting in the corner, took flight immediately and landed on Melody's shoulder. Melody stroked the feathers, admiring the softness for a moment. 

"Head home, my little Melody. Rest your mind from this story," Ea urged. Melody nodded but didn't look at either of her mentors as she left the house.  

She climbed back into her room, gently placing the violin in its case along with the bow. Melody tried to understand why her mentors were so worried. It couldn't be that bad, could it? It was like reading a fairytale. She read those all the time and felt fine. What was so wrong with this story? 

The questions made her toss and turn all night, leaving her exhausted by the time her mom woke her up in the morning. Her dad greeted her at the table as he got her cereal. She grunted a reply before starting to eat, the questions still plaguing her mind as she looked at the chair beside her. There, Melody saw a shadowy version of Nasrin sewing as usually, the girl's amber eyes meeting Melody's. Melody focused on her food. 

How could she tell V and Ea that their advice came too late? That Melody already felt the story lingering everywhere. Nasrin followed her to school. Ilan's laugh filled silences. Vincent's worried look was reflected in her orchestra teacher's eyes as they practiced for their performance. What would they do if they knew it was too late? 

***** 

Melody tried her best to focus on her own life. She didn't want to go against Ea's advice. She knew he was trying to protect her, but she couldn't stop thinking about it. It felt like the longer she went without practicing, the more her mind insisted on remembering the story. Still, she tried. She forced her eyes to the normal notes as she played and practiced. Unfortunately, Melody's violin wouldn't ignore her errant thoughts. It was in sync with her every mood so when she was scattered, so was the violin's sound quality.  

Melody stopped playing instantly when her violin screeched out another awful note. She put her face in her hands in embarrassment and frustration, knowing the whole class was probably looking her way by how the room steadily fell silent.  

"Melody," Mrs. Barnes call from the front. Melody stared at the floor as she stood up, her classmates murmuring behind her back. Melody swallowed nervously as she went to the teacher's music stand. 

"Yes?" Melody asked hesitantly. 

"What is wrong, dear?" Mrs. Barnes asked, low enough so no one else would hear them. "You’ve been extremely distracted these last few days. Is it nerves?" Melody's mouth went dry when she spotted something out the corner of her eye. She gasped quietly when she recognized what it was. "Melody?" 

"Yes," Melody lied quickly. "I…I've never had a solo this long before and it's hard for me to memorize it. Maybe I need to practice in one of the rooms some more." 

"Maybe that's the problem," her teacher said. "You've been practicing by yourself almost every time we've practiced this piece. You're not in sync with your section, much less everybody else. Perhaps you should stay with the group." 

"I know," Melody said, trying not to fidget under her teacher’s concerned gaze. "I just…this one is harder for me. Please, let me use the practice room for a little longer." Mrs. Barnes tapped her fingers against her stand, each click making Melody more nervous. 

"Okay," she relented. "But this is the last week. Next week, it's group practices only. Josie has been complaining about your position"—again, Melody thought bitterly— "and if you keep messing up like this…I may have to consider her suggestion of trying out for first chair. Do you understand?" 

"Yes," Melody immediately agreed. She gathered her violin and sheet music before heading to the practice room, ignoring Josie's pointed glare as she left.  

She slammed the door behind her and took a deep breath. She placed her sheet music on the stand, resenting the glittering notes. She tried to calm herself down, but she couldn't, not when she saw Ilan and Vincent arguing silently behind Mrs. Barnes. She leaned back, her fingers running over the skeletal notes, the voices filling her head. Melody bit her lip as the notes drew her in. Maybe I should play it once, she thought, just to get it out of my system.  

She sat up straight as she positioned her violin under her chin. The tension around her eyes lifted as she finally looked at the gold notes. She flipped to the second half, picking up on the measure she last studied. 

She was back in the Strangers' house with Nasrin in the middle her daily chores. The girl was sweeping, the sound of her growling stomach filling the room occasionally. Melody looked around, but the room was cold and empty, devoid of food as far as she could see. Nasrin whimpered a little and dropped her broom in favor of clutching her stomach. Melody wished she could do something but didn't have any food either. Even if she did, she doubted Nasrin could eat it, so she was forced watched as Nasrin crawled along the floor.   

When Nasrin reached the kitchen, the little girl seemed to gather something in her hands. Melody inched closer and realized that she was gathering crumbs. She wondered why as Nasrin closed her eyes and started mumbling. Melody crouched next to her, hearing her whisper a strange rhyme. It sounded oddly familiar before Melody realized she heard something similar in one of Nasrin's dreams, a rare one of Ilan's teaching a spell.  

Melody watched in awe as the crumbs in Nasrin's hands transformed into a loaf of bread. Nasrin grinned before taking a huge bite out of the food. Melody smiled at Nasrin's glee, but it fell quickly when she heard footsteps nearby. Nasrin didn't notice the Strangers entering the room behind her. Melody gasped and felt her nerves jump. If the Stranger saw Nasrin eating, it wouldn't be good. Melody felt her stomach twist as the Stranger got closer and closer, feeling helpless. Then, an idea popped into Melody's head. If she played the notes of Nasrin's spell in reverse, the food could disappear, right? She didn't have time to contemplate as she ignored the sour tug in her stomach and played Nasrin's spell backward.  

Nasrin looked at her hands in confusion as the food disappeared. The Stranger lady came into the room but instead of yelling like Melody thought she would, she looked around in surprise. Melody saw why as she followed the lady’s gaze. The room was warped. The Stranger's lip curled into a snarl. 

"Girl!" she yelled. Melody jumped at the scream as she was pulled back into the present world.  

The switch was so sudden, Melody fell off her stool. She blinked slowly, trying to focus on one point on the ceiling so her head could stop spinning. She sat up with a groan. What pulled her out of the story? She turned her head and immediately got her answer in the form of a pensive Ea. 

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?" he asked. 

"I was…trying something new," Melody answered feebly 

"No, you were doing exactly what I told you not to do. The one concrete rule! No interfering in the story!" Ea shouted 

"She needed help! She was about to get in trouble,” Melody objected. “I couldn’t let it happen!” 

"You were moments away from distorting the story,” Ea informed her. “Distorted stories are hard to fix, harder than you have the skill for." 

"Really?" Melody scoffed. "I gain more control over my powers every day." 

"Is that so?" Ea questioned. "Then let's go back and review, shall we? Before I saved you from creating any permanent damage, the house seemed off, did it not? Now, which one do you think would have gotten our precious Ace in more trouble, eating a loaf of bread or damaging the house in an obvious use of magic?" Melody stubbornly stayed quiet. "Exactly. You were reckless, Melody. You didn't think it through and were about to change the composition, make more mistakes than there already were. It's already going to be hard enough for you." 

"What does that mean?" Melody asked sharply. Ea took a deep breath but stayed silent at the question. "I don't know what you want from me! I thought you were just teaching me how to play the song. What else is there?" Ea crossed his arms and walked the perimeter of the room without speaking. Melody groaned, throwing her hands up. "Why are you mad? You're supposed to do whatever you want with music." 

"This is not your story," Ea interjected. "This is not your score, and you are no composer." The words stung but Melody endured them. It wasn't the first time someone doubted her, but it was the first time it came from someone she trusted. "Your arrogance is concerning." 

"I'm not arrogant." Melody lifted her chin defiantly. "I'm the best. And not just because of the violin. Not even you can change that, though you did try." 

"Only for your own good, which I am obligated to look after even now. At this point, it would be better to rip those music sheets into shreds until you are truly ready," Ea told her, looking at her music. Melody grabbed them and clutched protectively to her chest. 

"But you can't," Melody said. "This was given to me by a tangible person and you're a ghost. You can't do anything. And even if you did, I could just get another copy. They all have the notes." She sneered at him. "Go back to V. I can finish this on my own." The bell rang above them. They stared each other down as the faintest of sounds of chairs moving and disjointed melodies filtered into the room. The class was over for the day. 

"Let's hope your confidence is as durable as you imply, little Melody," Ea said, slowly vanishing in front of her. 

Melody gritted her teeth. It was fine. She could finish this story without Ea or V's help. And once she finished the story, everything would be back to normal. There was nothing to worry about. 

***** 

Melody never accounted for life getting in the way of her plans. What she thought would be two days of practice turned into a weekend visit to her aunt’s house and, just when she thought school would be an escape, Mrs. Barnes forced her into group practice. Even though her head was relatively clear, her tone was still off. That was the last straw for Josie who, when sectional practice ended, got up and went to the teacher. Melody held back a sigh and focused on making sure her violin was in tune. 

She knew what this would mean. 

"Melody," Mrs. Barnes called. Melody stood up and went to the front, where Josie was wearing a smug look on her face.  

"Okay, class, quiet down," Mrs. Barnes instructed before looking at Melody. "Josie wants to challenge you for first chair and I've agreed to let her do so. It will be simple. Each of you will play twenty measures of my choice from the lead song. Okay?" 

"Okay," Josie said condescendingly. 

"Okay," Melody agreed, her mouth in a grim line. Mrs. Barnes motioned for them to sit. Melody didn't look at Josie as she placed her sheet music on the stand. 

"We'll start from measure 174 and end at 194." Melody swallowed nervously. She only practiced that part a couple of times. "I'll cue you in." Melody forced herself to focus on her teacher. She couldn't afford to be distracted. Her teacher softly counted under her breath and Melody waited until her baton came down on eight. 

Melody eased into the first note as best she could. The sound held steady for the next couple of measures, but the skeletal notes glittered brightly, and Melody started to waiver. The tempo was still slow but if she didn't correct herself before the song sped up, she would lose her spot for sure. She accidentally slipped and played one of the skeletal measures.  

"Come on, Ace," Ilan called to her daughter. "Like this, remember?" 

Melody jumped at the memory but forced herself to keep going. She played the regular notes until the glint got too much. Forget it, she thought. She switched to the skeletal notes and the difference was drastic. The music teacher was taken aback by the sudden turn and Josie stumbled over the next two measures while the class watched in awe. Melody noticed none of this. She was too busy being pulled in by the visions until she played almost blindly. 

***** 

Melody knew she was in Nasrin’s memories the moment the scene started. She was in Ilan’s living room, watching the young mom whispered in Nasrin’s ear while they were sitting on the floor, showing her another spell. Nasrin giggled as she tried to follow her mother's words. It should have been a happy scene, but the atmosphere was tense. Melody didn't have to wait long to see why. Something shifted outside the window, causing Ilan to look up immediately. A dark, robed figure moved quickly across the street and Ilan’s face fell. Nasrin looked up at her mom, confused at the sudden shift in mood. Ilan smiled at her weakly. 

"Time for bed, Ace," she told her daughter, picking her up off the floor. She carried Nasrin to her room, tickling her tummy softly and grabbing the spell book casually. They made it to Nasrin's bedroom and Ilan shut the door, the mask of calm she had immediately falling. She set Nasrin on her feet before the shifting the bed so that the bottom of the headboard was exposed, holding the spell book against it. 

"Mommy?" Nasrin called but Ilan ignored her for the moment as she murmured a spell, the book sinking into the wood. Melody gasped but no one heard her, though she was sure Nasrin's head turned slightly. Ilan moved the bed back in place before lifted Nasrin up to tuck her into bed. 

"Mommy, what's wrong?"  

"Nothing, Ace," Ilan said quickly. "It's just…there are some people who want to talk to mommy outside. I need you to stay inside, okay?" 

"Are they bad?" Nasrin asked. 

"Maybe," Ilan answered, surprisingly honest. "I need you to stay here no matter what. Okay, Ace?" 

"O-okay," Nasrin agreed. Ilan hugged her tightly. She murmured something against Nasrin's forehead before kissing it softly.  

"I love you, Nasrin," Ilan told her. "Remember that, okay? Remember everything, no matter what. It'll help you." 

"Mommy," Nasrin whimpered. Ilan smiled sadly at her before hugging her one more time. She hesitantly let go of her daughter before standing up. She closed the door behind her, letting out a deep breath before looking out the window. More figures were gathering. Ilan cursed under her breath before slipping to the kitchen and opening a window. She climbed out carefully but froze when she heard a door open. Small steps pattered across the floor.  

"Mommy!" Nasrin yelled. Ilan winced, ducking out of the house quickly. Melody watched her run off just as Nasrin entered the kitchen. The shadow-like figures followed and so did Nasrin out the front door.  Melody felt her stomach knot up, her legs shaking in fear. 

"No," Melody said, having a bad feeling about how this was going to end. She raced out the house behind them.  

Ilan ran through the forest path from her house to the city and Nasrin trailed behind her using a speed spell while the shadowy figures dipped in and out of sight between them. Melody rushed after them, trying to think of a way to help. She couldn't feel her violin, but she could do something, right? She could make up a spell, alter a chord to change the path Ilan was taking. There was time to fix this, right? 

Melody closed her eyes, pulling at the invisible strings under her fingers. She tried to play the song backward, but her bow scraped against the strings, making Melody jump at the harshness. What? She tried to play the song again with a chord change instead but the violin still screeched, stubborn in its refusal. The sound of Melody’s panicked heartbeat filled her ears. The violin was refusing to listen to her. She couldn’t stop the story. Nothing was going to work— 

The thought was cut short when Melody heard a loud bang followed by a scream just in front of her. She saw Ilan fall back and noticed she was bleeding from her side. Melody rushed over to her, passing Nasrin who was wisely hidden behind a tree. 

A small semi-circle of people in cloaks came out the shadows and surrounded Ilan. They watched with passive faces as they watched the witch bleed out. Melody was confused. Why weren’t they helping her? Ilan’s friend Vincent broke away from the semi-circle and knelt by her side. Melody let out a breath of relief. If anyone would heal Ilan, Vincent would. 

Ilan let out a shallow groan, her eyes scanning the crowd frantically before landing on her friend. He looked at her wound in horror, his hand hovering over it. Just as Melody and Ilan were sure he would reach out and help, he gripped Ilan's hand instead. Melody felt herself grow cold at the sight of Ilan’s eyes widening at the betrayal. Vincent shook his head at her and Ilan let her head fall back against the ground. She tried to catch her breath before speaking. 

"My daughter…Ace, she-she might see this. We…I…speed spell. She can't see—this," Ilan panted pass the pain. Vincent looked at her sadly.  

"Maybe it's best if she saw the consequences." Ilan shook her head weakly, tearing gathering in her eyes.  

"No, no…" she moaned, trying to move but her friend forced her to be still, his hand holding her down.  

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I tried so hard to warn you."  

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. Flashes of memories filled Ilan and Melody's head. Council meetings by fire, grumbling amongst the witches, preparation for tonight, and it all ended with a flash of him kissing her forehead all those nights ago. Vincent knew Ilan would die a long time ago. It had already been decided.  

Ilan gritted her teeth as blood start to fill her throat. She coughed it up uselessly, holding her friend's hand tightly. Her breaths became shallow, and Melody got fewer glimpses of her vivid pink irises until her eyes fluttered closed for good. Melody heard footsteps and saw Nasrin rushing towards the scene.  

Nasrin's eyes went wide when she spotted her mom. Melody looked around in horror at what was happening in front of her, tears pricking her eyes. Ilan's grip became slack, falling to the ground with a dull thud. The image shrank, reverting into the first vision Melody ever saw, Nasrin sitting with the thread in-between her fingers. Then, that too was gone.  

The vision lifted, and Melody found herself by the lake near her house, back in her own reality. She sunk to her knees, lip trembling at the hopelessness she felt. A hand touched her shoulder and she looked up. V was standing over her with sad, knowing eyes. Melody felt like she could barely breathe as tears fell to the ground beneath her.  

"She…V, she didn't make it…" Melody choked on her tears. V wrapped her arms around Melody but said nothing. Melody guessed, at that point, there was nothing to really say. 

***** 

V played quietly in the corner while Melody sat in front of the fire pit. She found no true comfort in her mentor's songs, but they were better than silence. She stared into the hypnotizing flames. Maybe if I stare long enough, I'll forget all of this, Melody thought. But she couldn’t, and she doubted she ever would. Melody heard the music get louder and looked up as V stood over her, eyes asking if she were okay. Melody shook her head, returning her eyes to the flame. They twisted and turned before bursting up, making Melody jump back. Ea stepped out of the fire pit with a small chuckle.   

"I've still got it," he said. Melody looked at him unamused and his smile dimmed. "I see you've made it towards the end of the story."  

"Yeah…"  

"I'm sorry you had to witness that."  

"Why didn't you tell me how it ended?" Melody asked, feeling deceived. "Why did you let me play that song?!"  

"I nor your mentor had no hand in that magic. They say the first song teaches the hardest lesson. The song chose you for a reason," Ea said gently as he sat down in front of her. "And I think that reason was to understand there are things, even in the most creative of fields, that you cannot change."  

"But…I could have saved her, right?" Melody asked desperately. "I could've done something." Ea slowly shook his head. 

"Sadly, no. Ilan was long gone before the first note. There was nothing you could do," he informed her. Melody felt another wave of tears coming on but stubbornly pushed it back, looking at the ground dejectedly. She didn't know if there were words to describe what she felt. 

"This sucks," she settled for.  

"Not the most eloquent of sayings but I do agree with you," Ea said, leaning back on his hands. "Now, however, we've reached the brighter side of our task: completing it."   

"…what?"   

"This song, just like many others in the world, is incomplete. It needs the right composer and storyteller to truly finish it. It is the calling of you and your abilities," Ea explained to her. "It is not an easy task nor for the faint of heart. It's something your mentor has done for many years. It has become her purpose or at least one of many." 

"But...it's over," Melody said, ignoring how painful it was to admit that. "Nasrin was looking for her mom, but her mom is dead, and she knows it. She's just in denial."  

"Are you that she's looking for her mother? I believe her mom would teach her to be a little cleverer than that?"  

"Yes, it is," Melody insisted. "She dreams of her mother all of the time."  

"Think a little deeper, Melody," Ea instructed gently as he sat in front of her. "What did the little girl do all the time? What kind of magic?"  

"She used the thread to find the origins—" Melody jumped at the screeching note V let ring through the room. Melody looked at her in confusion before grimacing. Her answer was wrong. It was V's most annoying (and begrudgingly best) method for her to figure out where she went wrong. Melody sighed before searching her thoughts for the right answer. 

"She used the thread to…" she trailed off hopelessly before shrugging. "I don't know. To locate something—" Melody let out a cry of frustration as another screeching note cut her off. She looked over her shoulder, glaring at V. "That hurts my ears!" 

"You're focusing on the wrong thing," Ea told her. Melody groaned and looked between the two adults for a hint. V plucked a quick chord progression and words popped up in the flames. How do you change an A to an A flat? Melody shrugged.   

"Change your finger positions." V quirked her eyebrow. Details, her expression demanded. Melody sighed. "You move your finger up." V narrowed her eyes. More details. Melody rolled her eyes. "You move your finger higher on the strings and slide the bow over it with a steady hand to produce the sound." V lifted her chin defiantly. Melody still wasn't being detailed enough. Melody gritted her teeth. "You make sure the bow is touching the strings—"  

V was suddenly in front of her, imploring Melody to think of what she just said. Melody though over her unfinished sentence. What could V possibly be looking for? Then it clicked.  

"Touch…" Melody trailed off, her brain making sense of her mentor's gestures. "She wasn't using the thread for a location but rather tracking the fingertips that touched it…touch magic." Melody met Ea's eager expression. "The girl uses touch magic."  

"The correct term is sensory magic but that's exactly right," Ea said with a triumphant smile, looking at V in pride. "So, what does that mean in the whole story?" Melody looked at the flames, pondered quietly.  

Nasrin was always searching the threads for something but for what, if not her mother? Melody thought of the dream sequences. They were hazy messes but there were three things that were consistently present: the house, Ilan, and the rain. Nasrin always wanted to dance in the rain, but Ilan would call her inside. Funny enough, Ilan never stepped foot outside, always wearing those rosy sunglasses. It was all very odd. But Melody remembered the warm feeling she always got from the dream, the feeling of home...  

"The house!" Melody exclaimed suddenly. "That's what she was looking for! The house her mom left her. Her mom used sensory magic, so she probably gave the image of the house to her daughter before she died. It's where she hid her spell book and the place Nasrin feels safe. That has to be it!" Ea looked at Melody impressed before clapping slowly.  

"You have quite the clever student," he complimented V. She simply smiled at Melody. Ea turned to Melody, his expression suddenly serious.   

"Now, you must listen to me this time," Ea said. Melody gave him her undivided attention. "You can help lead the girl home by using your violin to reach out to her. By doing so, she’ll be able to hear your music and you can create a safe path for her to leave. However, to do this you must finish the song and it must be correct."  

"How will I know if it's correct?" Melody asked. 

"Unfortunately, that is something I cannot help you with," he said with another sad smile. "You must find the answer within yourself." His words drifted as he slowly started to fade into smoke. The fire started to die along with Melody’s hope.  

Melody felt a sharp tap on her side. It was Thenos. He gestured out the door with his wing and Melody knew it was time to leave. She stood up with her shoulders feeling heavy. She didn't look at V as she left, opting to stay silent on the journey. Still, V's telltale lullaby followed her home, promising a calming sleep that night. It was one of the few mercies V could grant her and Melody was grateful for it. 

***** 

Melody sat at the kitchen table, waiting for her parents to get home. Her fingers traced the tiles absentmindedly, still processing what she would have to do. Compose the ending to a song? She had no idea how to do that. Play a magic violin, they say, she thought bitterly, it'll be so much fun, they say. She placed her head on the table, her heart squeezing painfully as she remembered Ilan's last moments. She sat back up when she heard the door open. 

"I just don't know, John," she heard her mom say, rushing into the house with the phone to her ear. "How could they lose her? Where could she even be? I asked all the stores by the school if they saw her, and everyone said they didn't even see a kid without a parent today. I don't think she would go into the woods…" Her mom looked up and jumped when she spotted Melody. A look of relief fell on her face before switching to anger. Melody expected that. 

"I found her," Melody's mom said to her dad. "She's at home…yeah, we'll see you soon. Bye." She hung up and threw her purse and phone onto the couch before stomping towards the kitchen. "Melody, have you lost your mind?! Running away from orchestra practice? Why would you do that? Why wouldn't you call me or your dad? We were worried sick! How could you be so careless…" her mom trailed off as she stared long and hard at Melody. "Melody, what's wrong?"  

"I…" Melody swallowed, tasting salt on her lip when she licked them. "I'm sorry, mom." Melody's mom rushed to her side as she broke down. She rubbed Melody's back, hot tears staining her shirt and Melody sank into that comfort, even if she felt a little guilty that her mom was still here and Nasrin's was not. 

"Hey, it's okay. It's gonna be alright, kiddo," her mom comforted. "Talk to me. What's going on with you?" Melody sat up when her tears slowed, her mom wiping away the last of them. She took a deep breath before speaking. 

"I…I tried, mom," Melody said. "I tried to change it but that was wrong, and I practiced like crazy, but nothing worked. I-I wasn't ready. I ruined everything. Now I have to fix it, but I don't know how. I don't know how to do this. I wanted to be ready b-but—" 

"Melody, calm down and breathe," her mom instructed, brushing her hair back from her face. Melody took her advice, hiccupping through her tears before her breathing evened out. Her mom pulled her into a tight embrace. "Oh, honey, I was so worried about this happening with your class. I know you have a lot on your plate but you're stressing yourself out too much. Melody, you are very talented for your age but you're only ten years old. You don't have to be perfect. I won't be upset if you aren't. Your dad won't be either." She pulled back and looked Melody in the eyes.  

"You're not a superhero and that's okay,” her mom continued, “All we want is for you to always do your best. It's not your job to be perfect. As long as you try, you’ll be ready in your own time. Do you understand?" Melody nodded before hugging her mom again. She knew her mom was talking about the wrong thing, but the advice was still reassuring. She guessed she just needed to hear it wasn't her fault.  

Her mom comforted her until her dad came home. She told Melody to take a nap in her room, but Melody could hear snippets of her parents discussing whether she should quit orchestra or not. 

"I've never seen her like this," her mom said frantically. "How did we miss this? I mean, I know she was practicing a lot, but I thought it was because she wanted to, not because she felt pressured. I don't want her to keep playing if it's going to give her anxiety like this." 

"But taking her out of the class may be too drastic," her dad reasoned. "Let me talk to her and see how she's feeling. Maybe we should only take her out of the class for a few days to clear her head. I'll go see Mrs. Barnes tomorrow to see what she says. Let's go from there, okay?" Melody slumped against the wall.  

The day just kept getting better and better.  

She looked up when she heard tapping on her window. Thenos blinked curiously at her before pecking the window once more. She walked across the room and let him in. He swooped in and curled up on her shoulder, a beckon of warmth. Melody petted his head, a faint smile tugging at her lips.  

Melody could say a lot of things about her situation, but she could never say she was alone. 

***** 

"I will have to see how she does in class today," Mrs. Barnes said the following week to Melody's father. Melody stood next to him uneasily, keeping her gaze on her violin case. It was embarrassing coming back after her forced vacation but to have her dad come with her to class was like salt on her wounded ego.  

The after she ran away from class, her father came into her room to remind her she was still in trouble for running off, taking away her violin so she could focus on her other schoolwork and limited her TV time to an hour after school. It was a relief for Melody for the most part. It gave her mind a rest from music for the first time in years. Her only company was Thenos, who perched himself on Melody's shoulder when she decided to read in her quiet time. She felt better, having time to process everything but stepping back in the class made her face flush at how she left. 

"Like I said before, Melody is fine with every other piece," Mrs. Barnes continued. "It's just this one that trips her up. Perhaps, it's simply something that she needs to overcome. What do you think, Melody?" Melody looked up nervously and her teacher gave her a pinched smile. "How are you feeling today?" 

"Fine," Melody answered, her hands still fidgeting over her case. "Can I go to my seat now?" Mrs. Barnes opened her mouth— 

"Sure, Mel!" A voice cut through the conversation, causing the two adults and Melody to turn. Josie smiled triumphantly from her usual seat, the one reserved for first chair. "Your seat is right here."  

Josie pointed to the empty seat next to her and Melody felt her shame rise from the sight of it. Of course, she had remembered later that losing her spot would be one of the real-world consequences of running out, but it didn’t make it any easier seeing it come true. Josie gave her a sickly-sweet smile while saying, "unless, you want to challenge me for first chair?" 

"That's enough, Josie," Mrs. Barnes warned. Josie was still smiling triumphantly as she sat higher. 

"I was only checking, Mrs. Barnes," Josie said condescendingly. "I mean, I'm sure Melody has had plenty of time to practice on her own. The other day was a simple fluke, right?" Melody gritted her teeth. 

"Right," Melody said before turning to her teacher. "I want to challenge her again." Her dad looked at her in shock. 

"Melody, take it easy. You just got back and haven't practice in a while. Make you should try for the next performance," her dad suggested. 

"Yeah, Mel," Josie continued. "Maybe next performance you won't choke." Melody's jaw dropped. She always knew Josie was petty but bold was new. With her out of the top spot, Josie must have been relishing in the newfound power. She heard her dad shift behind her. 

"One bad day doesn't take away her two years of first chair," her dad said far calmer than Melody knew he felt. "Nor does one incomplete challenge take away the two years you were behind her."  Josie's face fell and a few of the students started snickering before Mrs. Barnes settled them down. Melody looked up at her dad in shock, who returned it with his own look of concern.  

"If you're sure you want to do this…" Melody nodded instantly. She may not be able to beat Josie in words yet, but she could always beat her in music. She was still sure of that.  

"Okay," her dad relented. "Good luck, kiddo." Melody rushed to her seat, setting up her music and tuning her instrument, while Josie watched sourly. 

"Okay, class," Mrs. Barnes called warily. "We're doing another challenge. You two know the rules already so let's start at measure 156 and go to 180." Melody and Josie flipped to the correct pages before sitting up and placing their violins under their chin. "Are you both ready?"  

"Yes," Josie and Melody answered in sync.  

"On my count then," Mrs. Barnes said. "1, 2, 3, and…" 

Melody started playing the notes as best as she could. She didn't completely forget them, but she kept second guessing herself while trying to ignore the glitter of the skeletal notes. She bit her lip at the music's slow tempo and forced herself to pay attention. She stumbled for a measure but fought through it. She focused on the way the song progressed and realized that she actually liked the song.  

She had been so busy studying the memories of the piece that she never let herself enjoy it. She just rushed through it, curious about the end. Now, it felt like she was hearing it for the first time, and she forgot about the competition, letting the glitter fade away for the moment as she played what she knew was the soundtrack to one of Nasrin's dreams. She just focused on the music, smiling at every jump in octave and feeling her adrenaline pump when the song sped up.  

Melody kept playing to the end of the page and moved to flip it but stopped when she realized everyone was staring at her. Her bow fumbled out of her hand at her abrupt stop. The crowd looked at her with a mixture of shock, confusion, and awe. Except for Josie, who looked like she was about to break her bow in anger as Mrs. Barnes stepped forward. 

"It seems clear to me who's first chair and that's the last I want to hear about it before our performance." She turned to Melody and smiled. "Welcome back, Melody." Melody's eyes widened before turning to her dad. He watched her proudly before giving her a thumbs-up and for the first time in a while, it was easy to smile. 

***** 

Months passed, and fall froze to winter before melting into spring.  

The day Melody ran out the classroom was rarely spoken of other than the occasional joke when one of the students would miss practice for a few days and someone would say, "they'll be a prodigy when they come back." Melody kept first chair position and had done wonderfully at the next set of concerts, so much so that she was offered admissions into all the local performing arts schools. The prodigy was back, and everyone (sans Josie) was happy about it. Melody was happy for the most part too if only she didn't have unfinished business with her fall concert piece. 

The sonata alternated between resting on her desk and being stuffed into her music folder while the music composition notebook she got for Christmas stayed by her side at all times. During the last few months, V had been teaching Melody how to compose a song with assistance from ghosts of classical musicians (Beethoven was the worst). It turned out to be far more complicated than stringing together notes that sounded good. She learned about chords, clefs, harmonies, and how to construct a solo for string instruments and piano. She also learned how to infuse magic into the notes, something she had wanted study since she first met V. It left Melody exhausted at the end of the day and, more often than not, frustrated. 

No matter how many ways Melody combined the notes, changed the chords, or switched the sharps for flats, nothing fit the story, which meant having to retract the magic she put into her work and making her more tired with each failure. It didn't matter how often she looked back through the story for a clue or begged Ea and V for one uselessly, everything she wrote remained broken and Melody remained clueless.  

The only thing Melody had deduced was that she needed a warmer sound. Something deeper and rounder than the crisp tune of a violin, something that signaled change. Melody contemplated the dilemma for the millionth time in her favorite practice room.  

She tapped her pencil on her sheet music while watching Nasrin's ghost rest in the corner of the room. Similar to Ilan's laugh, the image of Nasrin stubbornly stayed by Melody's side even after she learned the sonata. The girl was quiet and easily ignored but also a constant reminder of Melody's task and her constant failure every day. No, not a failure, Melody reminded herself, just…frustration that it’s not done today and probably won’t be tomorrow and the day after that. Melody slumped over her music stand. At least Nasrin seemed at peace as she rested on an upright bass in the corner of the room.  

It was a loaner instrument but due to a lack of bass players this semester, they stored it in the practice room for the time being. The wood was a nice, homey brown and reminded Melody a lot of the house in Nasrin’s dream.  

Curious and wanting a break, Melody went over to the neglected instrument. Nasrin slept undisturbed as she plucked at the strings. Melody had always like the sound of bass, despite being able to rarely enjoy hearing it live. Melody would’ve tried it herself if not for the size. 

She made sure the bass was steady against the wall before running her bow carefully along the strings, closing her eyes at the rich sound. She played random notes before focusing on Nasrin, who had shifted to sleeping on the floor. After a while, a tune began to form. Melody hummed before playing a chord that she put together on the spot. It was rusty but there was a spark of something there so, she played it again.  

She repeated it a few more times before the lightbulb in her mind turned on. She rushed to her composition notebook and wrote down notes hastily, marking where she wanted progressions and tempo changes, the song practically forming itself. She slowed to a stop after the first few pages, her hand cramping up. She flipped back through it and groaned at the first measure. She didn't mark the clef, but she knew it was all in bass and not treble like she would need it to be to play it on violin. She could try to translate it for violin, but it wouldn't have the effect she wanted or needed. Melody tapped her pencil in irritation as she tried to figure out the problem before another realization hit her.  

Who said she couldn't play it on her violin? If she could conjure ghosts and pry memories from sheet music, what made playing a different instrument impossible? Melody picked up her violin and closed her eyes, clearing her mind until all her thoughts were focused. She moved her bow over the D and A string and the sound of a bass flooded from her violin, almost too rich with the power Melody gave it. She moved her bow away from the strings but felt a buzz of excitement under her skin. Thank you, weird rule-breaking magic, Melody thought as she got to work. 

***** 

Melody and V stood across from each other in V's home, a fire burning in between them. Melody gripped her instrument tight, swallowing nervously, before nodding at V to begin. V tucked her violin under her chin and started to play. Melody fought against closing her eyes as they were transported into Nasrin's story.  

Melody clenched her violin tight as she watched Nasrin weave clothes and search for her mother in the threads, visiting the girl's dreams and memories when the day ended. The song stretched over seven nights for Nasrin, the seventh day including the memory of Ilan's death. Melody heard the last notes of the song start to play and her fear spiked.  

Melody hated it, but she was terrified of doing this. If she was wrong, she could alter the song for good but if she waited, she may never get the courage to finish and go into a loop of overthinking everything. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready, but she believed the song was right so, she played. 

Nasrin looked up from her task of sewing another blanket when Melody's song started. She looked around, gingerly standing up when she noticed there was no one around. Melody stepped carefully towards the window as she played, coaxing Nasrin towards her. Nasrin followed, the breeze Melody conjured carrying the sound out the back door of the house. Melody moved with Nasrin, leading her away from the house and down by a stream that ran nearby. Melody was careful to keep the tempo as she led Nasrin over ridges and through the trees, aware the Strangers could be anywhere. Just when the tension threatened to break, Melody changed the tempo, cueing Nasrin to use her speed spell. She pulled Melody along the blurred landscape, and it reminded Melody of a rollercoaster ride with how her heart pounded. It was tempting to keep going but Melody reminded herself of the notes before she could get caught up and came to a sudden rest after a series of sharp notes.  

Melody stumbled as Nasrin stopped, catching herself at the last second before she dropped her bow. She looked around and realized they were on the outskirts of the city. She bit her lip before starting again, the song becoming mournful as they trodden down the almost invisible path through the tree line. Nasrin kept her eyes on the ground as Melody walked ahead of her. Ironically, the mood of the sound became lighter as thunder rang overhead and the sky became gray. That was a good sign; it always rained at Ilan's home. They walked along, Ilan's presence hanging over them as the rain fell. Melody wanted to shield them from it, but Nasrin seemed to relax in it, so Melody let her be. Finally, the trees parted and gave way to a hill where a willow tree sat. At the bottom hill, Nasrin's home waited for them. 

Nasrin's eyes lit up immediately, making Melody smile as she watched the girl ran to her home. Melody continued to play as Nasrin jumped up and down in the rain, the song swelling with a hopeful bittersweetness. Nasrin was beaming, her steps lighter than Melody had ever seen. It was a sight that made her thankful for her power, thankful that she could finish Nasrin's story.  

Melody let the last measure fade out as Nasrin ran inside and shut the door behind her. The weeping willow tree Melody stood under did little to shelter her, but she didn't feel the rain. It was, after all, just a story and she was just an observer. Melody felt a shift in the wind and turned to see a familiar phantom by her side looking down at her with pride.  

"She's finally home," Melody said. "How she's going to survive after this, I have no idea." Ea's chuckle tickled Melody's ears. 

"You don't need to worry about that," he reassured her. "These things have a way of working themselves out. Besides, you did your part." Melody looked curiously at V's temporary mouthpiece as he gave her teasing smile.  

Ea was the first ghost V ever conjured for Melody, but he wasn't the last. However, the other spirits were either jaded, quiet or very stern, hating to be interrupted in any way during their lessons. Maybe Ea would be more willing to answer some of the burning questions Melody had.  

"You mentioned that V is trying to fix all the other songs in the world and that I'm supposed to help do the same," Melody recalled. "How can we do that? There are millions of songs, and this isn't even my world. How am I supposed to help?"  

"I must admit I misspoke for dramatics sake. I needed to make sure you were paying attention." Ea stretched out lazily as if supported by some invisible hammock. "Now, I'll be more specific. It's not every song in the world. Most songs that are unfinished were never meant to be completed anyway so, in actuality, there are maybe a few thousand."  

"That's still a lot and it already took me months just to do this one. How am I supposed to repair the rest of the music in the world?" Melody asked.  

"Not all the music in the world but the music of your past," Ea clarified, sitting up as if suddenly excitedly by her question. His eyes seemed to glow, reminding Melody of Ilan and Nasrin's hypnotizing eyes, although Ea's leaned closer to hazel. "You are of the chosen. The waltz of your past has power beyond the average human and far more consequences if left unattended. Your job is to fix the mistakes of the past, to finish the stories that should have ended years ago."  

"But these stories aren't...real," Melody finished lamely. Ea gave her a playful grin.   

"You have quite a skewed view of reality, don't you?" Melody scrunched her eyebrows at the word.  

"Skewed?" she asked, testing the word on her tongue.   

"You'll discover it's meaning later, little one," Ea said. "Just know that, even if the story is unseen by 'your world,' doesn't mean it's less real. It is just as real as me, your mentor, and the music inside you." He stood and bowed to her before clapping. "You will make us all proud, our little virtuoso."  

"Virtu—what?" Melody asked but it was too late. Ea was bowing once again, disappearing before Melody could see the top of his head. The scenery decided to follow his lead, everything fading to white before Melody jolted awake. She scrambled to sit up and realized she was in her bed. She jumped when her door opened, her mom peeking in.  

"Oh, you're awake," her mom commented in surprise. "Pancakes are done, honey. Don't forget we're going to Aunt Rene's later, okay?"  

"Oh—okay, mom," Melody said as her mom closed her door, becoming aware of sunlight streaming in. Pancakes. It was Sunday. She stayed out all night! How did she get back? She saw something move from under her bed and Thenos flew out, landing on her desk. Melody sighed in relief. V must have brought her back, which meant everything was okay and nothing was a dream. She finished the story. 

 Melody moved to get out of bed and sheet music fell on the floor. Melody looked at it curiously before picking it up. Cadeau de la Rose Sorcière, the title read. Gift of the Rose Witch. Melody tilted her head as the sun danced over the now-silver notes and Melody closed her eyes as the sound of rain filled her head, relaxing her mind. Breakfast, she thought, breakfast and then practice and then going to Aunt Rene's…Melody tilted her head back to enjoy rain a little longer. 

***** 

V took her usual morning walk with her violin by her side and Thenos on her shoulder, who had taken a break from his new favorite person, Melody (she was at school). V understood; Melody was good company and it had been a while since Thenos had been around humans. He used to see them often when V lived in big cities or suburbs, but she grew out of the habit over the years. It rarely brought her the peace of mind she looked for, especially when most people realized she had no voice to contribute. V was fine with her solitude. She knew there were bigger and more interesting things outside the “normal” world.  

V felt Thenos' talons dig into her shoulder before he took off. She slowed to a stop, listening to the forest around her with narrowed eyes. It was too quiet. She cautiously stepped back and looked up when she heard the call from her owl. Thenos hovered over her head before flying off again. She followed him without hesitating, knowing he would never lead her into danger if he could help it.  

As she got to their destination, she realized why the forest was so quiet. She wasn't in danger; she had been summoned. V blinked for a moment before curtsying as a figure emerged from the trees.   

"Fiddler," greeted O’Nahle, one of the many forest gods. She stood up straight as she faced him, mindful not to look at his face. His skin reminded her of the trees of the Black Forest. Incredibly dark and strong. Wisps of smoke lingered around him, masking the tree branches that grew from his temples, ready to help him disappear at any moment. O’Nahle waved his hands and the smoke curled around her, urging her head up so she could look him in the eye. They were every shade of brown she could think of ranging from just shy of gold and a shade before black. His gaze was both warm and chilling as he observed her.  

"It appears you have gained an apprentice," he said. V put her violin under her chin and played Dance of the Sugar Plum Faeries. Images of Melody from the first time V saw her to their last practice appeared in the air between them. O’Nahle hummed along as he looked at the memories.  

"She's a curious one," he commented. "It would be best to keep her away from the tricksters for a while. She's too rambunctious at this age and the last thing we want is more distortions." V blinked slowly at him, her eyes dancing with words. O’Nahle sighed. "Almost forgot." He motioned towards her, and a wisp of air slid past her lips and down her throat, splitting in two before curling itself inside her lungs. V coughed, stumbling back a bit.  

"Now, what was it you were saying?" O’Nahle asked with a smirk.  

"I believe it was something along the lines of, ‘as if you need to remind me,'" V replied, her voice growing stronger with each word. O’Nahle nodded before motioning to the forest. The fiddler started to walk, and he matched her stride.  

"I don't understand this mute routine of yours," he confessed.   

"I made a vow, and I am keeping it," she answered.  

"I'm sure you would be more than forgiven if you were to break it. You're hindering your teaching, an even greater offense," O’Nahle told her.  

"I beg to differ," she replied. O’Nahle waited patiently for an explanation. "Melody is quick on her feet, which is good but, at times, her actions run ahead of her mind. She needs to learn to slow down and pay attention…when she learns that, she will truly prosper."  

"Very well," O’Nahle conceded. "But…" V slowed to a stop with him, indicating she's listening. "There will be times when she will test you and, considering how smart she is, you should be careful not to push her too far. Be cautious when introducing her to this world."   

"I'll keep it in mind." V curtsied one more. "I must go now."   

"I shall miss the conversation," he said before reaching out and tilting her head up again. "I wonder why you never look me in the eye unless forced."  

"The music coming from them," she answered. "It's far…too tempting."  

V stepped back and whistled. Smoke exited her lips, and she grew quiet once again. She turned and went back the way she came. O’Nahle watched her leave as the smoke floated back to him, a simple tune playing inside the thin cloud.