As Fancy Takes It

A Story by Abby

A man and his violin.

A soft melody floated on the air, carried through the thinning walls of the apartment. In the distance a neighbour’s shouting blended intricately with the music. The rattling of keys signaled the arrival of a young man, in his early twenties, dragging a well-worn suitcase behind him as he entered the small living space. It scrapped against the floorboard, leaving delicate scratches across the already pealing wood. He pushed it to the side and sat carefully on the unmade bed, staring at the ceiling. It was dark, even though the sun had nearly risen to its zenith and was blazing down fiercely on the city below.
A slight breeze ruffled the curtains. The man went to the window and pulled them aside, peering down at the scene beneath him. Cars wove their way through the streets, pushing through the endless stream of traffic that wound itself to the horizon and out of sight. Light filtered through the glass, outlining the soft specks of dust that hovered gracefully in the air. He embraced the warmth and comfort that it brought.
Turning away he noticed that his room looked like it had been left unattended for months. Papers littered the floor, books were left upturned on the bed and the man’s music was strewn across a desk. It now swayed slowly in the wind.
He went back to the bed and picked up his suitcase, opening it with little care for its well-being. There was nothing inside but clothes and another black case, lying buried beneath the mess. He pulled the clothes and threw them haphazardly across the bed, then picked up the case with great care and brought to his desk, where he leaned it delicately against a chair.
A sheet of music loosened itself from the pile and flew lazily above his head. In an instant his hand reached out and snatched it, pulling it back from flight. The words O Fortuna were printed across the top. The man studied it for a moment, then propped it against the wall and sat down, pulling the case into his lap.
Inside was an old violin, worn and ragged from countless years of use. Its image mirrored that of the pictures on his walls, of famous composers from times long forgotten to the most revered musicians of today. Not an inch of space was overlooked. Each image revealed a new idea, a new way to see into the world surrounding this young man.
He brought the violin to his neck and rested the bow gently on the strings. Taking a deep breath, he pulled it across, drawing out the first note for as long as the bow would allow. For a moment there was a brief pause, before the man began to play. The notes weaved through the dry air, forming pleasant, rhythmical patterns that drifted out to the halls beyond, continuing long after the sun set low behind the horizon.

© 2009 Abby

Author's Note

"O Fortuna" is from Carmina Burana, popularized by Carl Orff.
A trememdously moving piece of music.

This was originally written for a writer's craft class.