Short Story: When the Melody Talks by StarShine

When the Melody Talks

StarShine

The sound of the 47 strings plucked is so beautiful from one of the classical musical instruments. This instrument is also known as the musical instrument of the angel, it is called harp. Chanting tones that can make people understand the soft meaning of life echoed in a large room, Gradium Hall.

The entire audience's eyes focused on a 16 year old girl who was wore a white dress and flower crown on her head with brown mane limply it makes her more prettier. Though, the white heels was beautifully display on her smooth legs.

She closed her eyes, and her head moved slowly left and right, as if she was communicated with the tones that she made. While her pretty fingers looked very friendly touched the 47 strings that stood firmly in front of her.

The solo played lasting for several minutes, and until the last strum sounded, the audience's immediately stood up and gave the girl great appreciation. The sound of applause echoed throughout the room showed if they are happy because of that performance.

Viona Gracia, looking at the audience's with a sincere smile and then bowed her body 90 degrees as a sign of respect for these audience's who gave her support. Her eyes turned to stare at the white ceiling above. She smiled weakly and involuntarily tears roll down in her smooth cheeks.

“Why are you not come?”

…….

The voice of children sounded loud from a large white house. Starting from the sound of crying to fight with each other. Viona seemed so busy taking care all of them. First, she gave in peace of a quarrel between a five-year-old girl and a boy. And second, she began to comfort a three-year-old girl who was cried. She did that things while the pink apron attached outside of her school uniform.

Viona forgot about her cooked on the black stove. A boy who was played with a toy car realized it happened. The boy immediately called Viona, then she ran to the kitchen. She turned off the stove and took a deep breath.

“How stupid I am.”

“Viona, you haven't gone to school yet?” the voiced of a woman startled Viona who was still silent.

“Oh! Merline is awake. All right, can I go now?” asked Viona and she took off the apron.

Merline, who is takes care of her for many years just nodded her head and smiled. Viona kissed Merline's back hand as she usually does when she wants to go to school. The children who were busy for playing, immediately left their activities and came to Viona. She pat their heads one by one with a smile, and the children gave her a hug. She said goodbye to them and her legs began to step out of the big house that is called an orphanage.

It doesn't take for a long time to get to her school, because the school isn't far from the orphanage. As usual, Viona steps into the classroom and sat in her chair. She removed the backpack on her back and took out a book from inside. Before the teacher came in, she's ready to study. By the way, this is her last year in high school.

The sound of black shoes that has heels about three centimeters high began to be heard, and all the student returned to their seats. A woman entered the class while carried some books in her hand. Not only that, this time there is a something new to see. A guy while carried his bag walked behind the teacher and held a cane as a guide. His eyes looked blank when he faced the 20 students inside.

Student whispered about that guy. The teacher interrupted them so they can shut up their mouth. Before introduced himself, the guy leaned his cane into the blackboard and tried to get something out of his bag. A book with a dark blue cover in his hand. He began to turn the page and sentences appeared there.

“My name is Alfred Michelle. I moved from Sydney. And as you can see, my condition is not good. Even though I am blind and not able to speak, but I can still hear well. I hope with my situation like this we can be good friend.”

All of student didn't believe about that. Michelle knew and just smiled. Before he lost his sight, he knew for sure that he would receive a pity response from everyone who saw his condition. But Michelle doesn't care about that. For him, a lack is not a bad thing for someone to stay alive on this earth.

The teacher began to lead Michelle to his seat. He sat next to someone named Albert. The chair that he occupied right in front of Viona. Now class is started and the teacher told the students to take out their books. But Viona couldn't focus about the subject and her eyes looked at the guy, and for some reason, tears came out of her eyes.

…..

The bell ringing as a sign that class is over. The students immediately packed their things so they can go home quickly. Now there are only two students left in the class. Viona who was sat behind Michelle just kept silent and watched the guy's movements. She saw Michelle is tidied his things very carefully. Suddenly, a black pen fell to the floor until it roll and hit the toe of Viona's shoe. Michelle who was noticed of that tried to bend down so he can pick up the pen. But when he wanted to grab it, Viona's hand held it.

“Let me take it,” Viona said with slightly trembling lips.

Viona got up from her seat and crouched beside the guy. Her little hand griped the pen tightly. Viona's eyes couldn't stop stared at Michelle's face. She couldn't believe what had happened to him.

“Can I ask you something?”

Michelle who heard the girl's voice immediately turned around. From the voice, he knew that the person who was asked crouching down beside him. When Michelle wanted to take his blue book to write a few sentences there, Viona's hand immediately held it and Michelle little bit surprise about that.

“Don’t worry, I understand sign language.”

He glad to hear the answer from Viona, Michelle began to form his fingers into a sentence that has meaning.

“Sure, just ask if you want.”

Before starting the next question, Viona closed her eyes for a moment then she got up from her position. Now Viona's body stood up straight and faced Michelle.

" If I may ask, when did you become blind? " said Viona while played her fingers. She bite her lower lip for fear that question is sensitive.

But unlike what Viona had imagined, Michelle smiled. She didn’t expect about that until Michelle continue his words with sign language.

“I had this accident a year ago, when I wanted to see a very beautiful harp performance of a girl that I like. And in this small town, I want to see her again.”

…..

A month has passed, and the days also changing. Since Viona heard Michelle's words at that time, she really didn't want to say hello to Michelle. She also asked their teacher to move her seat. So now Viona is sitting in the back corner and watched Michelle in silence. She propped her face up and her fingers tap on the table.

Without Viona knowing, Michelle is also looking for her figure. In a sense, Michelle felt like he had just been shunned, even though he didn't really know who was the girl that talked to him at that time. Michelle wanted to ask Albert, but he didn't even know what the girl looks like, because he is blind so that's complicated for him.

In fact, Viona was a girl that he looking for in this small town.

The bell is ringing as a sign that break time started. The students left the class and go to the cafetaria to take their lunch which is already available there. Albert and his other friends led Michelle to come to the cafeteria. They held the guy's shoulder and made some jokes with him.

Viona smiled at the sight. She was very grateful that Michelle could be accepted well at this school. As Viona knew Michelle easy to make friends because of his good attitude, even though his condition is not perfect, Viona reminded of the words that Michelle gave a few years ago.

If someone loves you as you are, no matter what the circumstances, tell yourself that you deserve to live and be accepted by the universe.

A sentence conveyed through sign language is the reason why Viona still exists in this earth. Viona's legs now step onto the roof of the school. She didn't want to go to the cafeteria for lunch and prefer to close her eyes in this place. The wind brushed her face as and made her brown hair fluttered beautifully. She smiled wryly and thought about what Michelle had said at that time. Her heart was hurt and the tears came out of her eyes again.

“Although there are still people who love me, but do I deserve to live after making the one I love lose his sense of sight?”

Viona pounded her tight chest. Her legs felt weak right now and she decided to sit and cried. How can the universe be so rude and unfair? The universe reunited her with someone that she loved, but Michelle got accident it was because of her mistake. If at that time Viona wasn't forced Michelle to see her show, surely until now Michelle could able to see.

“I hate my life. I hate the universe which is playing with me. I hate this world.”

…..

A few years ago.

A seven years old boy was playing harp that had 47 strings. The boy sat on the white bench provided in the big yard of his house. He plucked the strings softly and produced a very beautiful melody.

The melodies invited the figure of a girl who was the same age as him. The girl looked like she wanted to enter her house, but her steps stopped and she was took attention on a boy who was playing the instrument. With sparkling eyes, she entered the boy's yard without hesitation.

“Wow! That is very good, can I play it too?” said the girl with a sweet smile.

The boy paused with his playing, and now his eyes focused on this chubby girl. He got up from his seat and asked the girl to wait for a moment. Five minutes later, the boy came back out of the house with a dark blue cover book in his hand. He started to write a few sentences there and showed it to the little girl.

“Sure, you can play it. And sorry, I can't speak.”

The little girl was stunned when she read the sentence there. She wanted to cry out of pity, but Merline's never taught her to cry in front of other people.

“I understand. But how do you teach me…Sir?” asked the girl while blinking her eyes.

“You just have to hear, and see. Besides, my name is Michelle” write the boy on his book.

“Alright young master Michelle. Please teach Viona!”

The little girl was excited when she saw the boy in front of her start playing that thing. Her eye was sparkling and a red color appeared on his chubby cheeks. Spontaneously, the girl's tiny head began to move left and right, a sign that she really enjoyed the melody. Michelle smiled with satisfaction when he saw Viona's cute behavior.

From there, Viona always visits the classic mansion to meet Michelle. They didn't realize they had been playing together for three years. Viona can even play it herself with notes recorded by Michelle. At that time, Viona just found out that Michelle is the son of a famous musician who often records notes to be played in groups or commonly known as an Orchestra.

Michelle once told Viona that the reason he likes harp it because when he plucked that big string, his world seemed to change. The world that was once cruel, seemed to be a calm and peaceful world with white light around it. And that answer was the truth, Viona felt the world change when she started strumming the strings. She even couldn't hear anything bad because they are defeated by the beautiful strains of the tone.

Until one day, when they were playing in the large yard of the house, a large car carrying goods came followed by a luxurious black car behind it. A married couple got out of the car and when they saw it, Michelle immediately rushed into their arms. Viona, who is already 10 years old, smiled kindly for them. But they ignored Viona's smile and stared her with the angry face.

“How many times have I warned you never to come to see Michelle again!” said the woman who was known to be Michelle's mother.

The woman raised her voice so that Viona was shocked. Michelle was also very surprised when he heard his mother yell at Viona like that. He immediately ran to Viona and hugged her.

“Mom… you can't be like that” Michelle said using sign language to his mother.

But the woman didn't care. She pulled Michelle's arm so that the hug was released and made Viona fall to the ground. Viona could only shed tears.

“The speech impaired should not be with the homeless!” said Michelle’s mother.

One week after that incident, Michelle's family moved to Sydney, Australia. Before leaving, Michelle met Viona secretly. At that night, Michelle promised to always keep Viona informed by letter, and would give Viona a very beautiful gift for her eleventh birthday. They both intertwined their little fingers with each other, a sign that the promise was bound.

Under the moonlight, they hugged each other for a second. They shared their feelings for each other through that brief hug. Until like it or not, Michelle had to step foot into a new country and leave the small town. Leaving all the memories he had with Viona.

……

Viona stood in front of the class and waited for Michelle who still has business in there. Not long after, Michelle came out and Viona blocked his way. Michelle got a bit surprised when he felt his cane touched the toe of someone's shoe. Viona tried to control her breath because she was nervous. After that, she tried to make conversation with Michelle.

"Follow me.”

Only those two words came out of her mouth and she immediately held Michelle's hand. She guided Michelle so the guy could follow her properly. Hearing that familiar voiced, Michelle smiled but just kept silent and followed her.

The two pairs of feet continued to walk along the streets that Viona has known for years. Viona's hand still faithfully held Michelle's hand. It couldn't be deny that Viona felt so happy. But Viona didn't understand why Michelle is easily to follow stranger? He can be kidnapped easily!

They arrived at the big white house where Viona lived. Viona told Michelle to sit on the terrace of the house which quite large. Not long after, Viona came out with a fairly large musical instrument. She pushed the instrument up to Michelle.

Feeling something in front of him, Michelle tried to touch the object. When his fingers managed to touch one of the strings on the instrument, Michelle's face looked very surprised. He just kept silent and waited for an explanation from someone who brought him to this place.

“Thank you for my eleventh birthday present” Said Viona who sat next to the guy. She held Michelle's hand again.

Michelle didn't know how to react because he couldn't speak or see either. All he could do is faced Viona and held her hands that smaller than him. His hand turned to Viona's face and touched softly her cheeks. Unknowingly, tears dropped from Viona's eyelids and flew down in her smooth cheeks. Quickly, Michelle's thumb immediately wiped the tears away.

“Don't cry, because now I'm here.”

“Don't cry, because from now on I will always be with you.”

“But I made you can't see anymore! A homeless girl! At that time I was the one who kept sending letters asking you to come to see me play the harp. If I didn't force it, maybe now you can still see—”

Viona couldn’t talk anymore when his lips landed on her lips for a minute.

“Don't blame yourself for what happened to me.”

“It's not all your fault. The Universe wanted all of this to happen.”

“The universe wants to see if I'm not perfect, will someone I care about stop loving me or not.”

“But the fact is you can still accept me as I am.”

Viona immediately kissed Michelle for seconds then hugged him and cried on the guy's chest. Although she was a little bit annoyed with the universe that seemed played with her life, but there is something unexpected. Reuniting with someone who made her knew more about the meaning of life is the most beautiful gift God has given to her.

…..

Many people with various backgrounds sat on the benches in this large room. One special thing is many great musicians presented here. A beautiful 47 strings instrument stood in the middle of the stage. The musical instrument was the main focus like a visual with a beautiful tone that would be satisfied the audience's.

Viona Gracia, stepped into the center of the stage slowly. The red dress that she wore added an elegant impression along with white flower clips. Her eyes looked at the audience's and when she found the most important person in her life, she smiled.

The pretty fingers are back in action to produce a beautiful melody, conveying the whole meaning of a life through a speaking melody.

 

CR. STARSHINE

You can also find this story on Storial reading platform but in Indonesian Ver.