The Trial of Aryuna - Chapter 2

Chapter two: Mind fiddling

As Elena walked into the music room, she was met with the sound of many instruments playing at once. The teacher wasn’t there yet so everyone thought it was fun to make as much noise as possible. Elena walked through the classroom, her eyes fell on her table at once. She strode to her table and saw her friend, Kate, sitting ion her seat already. In her hands was a rectangular box which Elena recognised as her flute case. She frowned, why did she have her flute?

“Where’s your violin?” Kate asked Elena, as she dumped her bag upon her chair. Elena froze, wondering why she would need it.

“It’s in the cupboard…why?” she muttered, thinking whether Mrs Godfrey had asked for their instruments last lesson. Kate gave Elena an exasperated stare.

“Just go and get it, before Mrs Godfrey bites your head off.” Kate said, impatiently. Elena, stumped by this, made her way towards the music instrument cupboard. In was a small, cramped room which was full of many shelves. She reached up on the violin shelf and rummaged around. She then pulled her case down. It was black and looked a bit battered. Elena had taken the liberty of covering every inches of it with stickers. She gave her case a smile, it had survived her use for over nine years. She went back into the classroom again and saw that Mrs Godfrey had arrived. Elena hurried to her seat, knowing that her teacher would snap at her.

“Sit down everyone,” she said in a very curt and neat voice. Elena sat in her seat, plonking her violin on the table. Kate eyed the case and then beamed at her. Once everyone was sat down, Mrs Godfrey began to talk again.

“Last lesson, I set you all homework. You were to take a piece from me and practise it on any instrument. You were meant to learn it for this lesson, as you know, where you are all meant to perform it in front of the class.” she said, then she gestured to the board where there was a table drawn up. “I want you to draw this table in your books. On each category, I wish you to mark each person’s performance on their delivery, expression, dynamics and likeability.” Elena groaned, everyone else was going to use keyboards. They were easy to use, but they became boring to listen to. She reached for her bag, unearthing a small green book. Kate held a similar book and she put it in front of her. Elena glanced at Kate, then opened up her exercise book.

She quickly drew out the table then lent back in her chair, bored already. Kate plonked her flute case on the table, and then patted it reassuringly. She then pulled out a sheet of music from her bag. Elena saw that it was covered in notes, instantly triggering a shudder of panic. She checked her bag rapidly and gasped when she saw that she had forgotten her music. Elena calmed herself down;it can’t be that bad, she thought. She looked at her violin case; she was a grade seven in the fiddle. She was hardly under-qualified which then brought a ray of hope. I could make something up, she thought slyly. She looked up at Mrs Godfrey; would she notice? Elena knew that she could make a song up or, even better, she could play a different piece from her head.

While she thought of a plan, the rest of the class played their piece one at a time. Elena found it rather boring. Most people, as she first thought, were playing on keyboards. Yet some were playing on guitar or on the clarinet, those were people who were actually talented. Before it was Elena’s turn, she decided on which piece to play. It was the one piece that she knew she could play perfectly. The piece she thought of had been her dad’s favourite piece of music. After he died, she wanted to learn it as a memorial. She had practiced for years in order to get it perfect. Now Elena could play it as perfectly as he once could, but also she could play it whenever she felt like it. It would be that piece, the one she felt most strongly towards.

Kate was called up to play her piece by Mrs Godfrey. Elena smiled at her as she placed her music upon the stand waiting for her. Kate was an ace on the flute, she had been playing for a long time. At once, sweet music danced from Kate’s flute. Each note was played with a skilled brilliance that a keyboard could never produce. The expression behind it was alluring, each note was strung from Kate’s heart. Elena realised that anyone who could put emotion behind their performing was a true musician. It was easier, however, in a stringed instrument. There are more ways to make the music more dynamic. A bow, however, is harder to use than breath.

As Elena listened, she unfastened her violin case and opened it. The scent of wood wafted outwards. Her violin was made from rosewood, dark bronze with golden grain. It was once her fathers, he gave it to her when she began playing. After his death Elena kept it in a perfect condition in sake of his memory. Elena pulled it out its velvet mould, grasping the neck in her hands. At once, she felt a tingling sensation rocket through her body. Her left hand was itching to race down the finger board and her right hand was aching to clutch her bow.

She detached the bow from its straps in the case. She tightened the hairs, then pulled the block of resin from the small compartment in the case. She ran it up and down the hairs, ensuring that they’ll grip perfectly. Once her act was done, she placed her bow gently beside her violin. She then focused back on Kate who was finishing her piece with a wonderful climax. Elena found herself smiling, she was glad that someone with real talent could show the class how it was done properly.

“Thank you Kate. That was very wonderful.” Mrs Godfrey said, smiling gently. Kate smiled as the class applauded and pulled her music from the stand then went over to her seat. Elena patted her on the back.

“Nice one, Kate,” She said, and then she noticed that she was next.

“Elena, would you please?” Miss Godfrey said, gesturing to the front. Elena was surprised by the excitement that was floading inside her. She seemed to her no space for nerves. She hadn’t played in a while because her violin had been locked up in the school cupboard. She smiled at her violin, every time she touched it, she always felt the same desire to play it. It was the joy of making music. At once she stood up, taking her violin and bow with her. Mrs Godfrey was frowning at her, noticing her lack of music.

“Where is your music, Elena?” she demanded at once. Elena waited until she had reached the stand before answering.

“Oh, I learnt it off by heart,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips. Mrs Godfrey was wearing a slightly impressed look, but then masked it with a doubtful look.

“Very well, just do your best.” She said without her snap. Elena nodded and turned back to the class. She raised her violin to her chin then rested her bow against the strings. She took in a deep breath. Here we go, she thought, thinking of the song. Her fingers slipped to their home before she pulled the bow across the strings. At once, her arms were tingling with pleasure. She quickly preformed a couple of scales as a practice, pausing to adjust her strings back in tune. Mrs Godfrey was smiling as she understood; she knew, of course, that Elena hadn’t learnt it off by heart. She was simply going to play the best she could. That was exactly what she did.

Her skilled vibrato made each note sing sweetly. Only, the song was a very emotional piece. There was a story being played, where each note was a letter and each bar was a word. It was a long piece, Elena knew that. It started off quite joyful, but began to get very peaceful. It was normally a piece played by an orchestra, but here Elena was playing on her own.

Before she knew it, she was playing without a thought, her eyes were closed. The music was flowing through her, warming and chilling at the same time. She knew that if her father were here, his eyes would be closed too. As Elena played, she remembered his words; ‘You will only know a song when you feel it inside you’. When he used to play the song, he would become the song. He and the violin were joined by the music, which trilled inside his very bones. Elena could feel the music tug at her heart. It was such a beautiful piece, yet it reminded her of a loss which the song seemed to speak of. As she skated the bow across the strings, she realised that the loss of her father could be defined by the sorrowful tune. Goosebumps erupted all over as she thought of the emotion behind her playing, a sadness deep inside her which was spilling down the strings. She could hear her own morose in the vibrations that radiated out of the violin. Eventually, she finished it off with one long note. Her bow jumped off the strings and there was silence that sand in the aftermath. Elena could still hear vibrating hum of the strings.

The class were staring at her in amazement, even Mrs Godfrey. Elena noticed, in embarrassment, that some were a little tearful and red eyed. Mrs Godfrey, she noticed, was wearing a soft understanding in her eyes.

“Elena,” She said, a little surprised, “I don’t remember handing you Nimrod to learn.” Mrs Godfrey didn’t sound stern. Instead she appeared impressed. Elena smiled faintly, and then looked away.

“It means a lot to me,” Elena muttered, holding her violin firmly. “My father taught it too me.” As she turned to go back into her seat, then, everyone began to clap. Elena felt her smile leave her face at once, did she show too much of how she felt? She looked around at everyone in the class room, clapping her. A memory glowed in her mind, she was nine and she had just played her first solo piece in the school. She remembered seeing her dad standing up and applauding, tears streaking down his face. Ignore it, she thought instantly as she felt emotion tighten in her chest. She collapsed in her seat and lay her violin down before her. She looked across to Kate, who was staring at her with a kind smile.

“That was excellent,” she said, softly. Kate had played Nimrod before with Elena, but that was in an orchestra. “You seem different when you play Nimrod, as if you were inside the song itself. Does that sound weird?” Elena smiled, and then put her violin in the case. Kate had no idea how much sense it made to her. Once everything was away, she looked at Kate sincerely.

“It makes sense to me,” she replied, and then they both smiled at each other. It was a smile that showed Elena that Kate knew why the song was important. Elena was smiling because she was glad that Kate understood. She pulled off her blazer and as she did, her mobile phone fell out her pocket. She reached down to get it, but Kate was there first. She picked up the phone, glancing over to Mrs Godfrey avidly, and then passed it back to Elena.

“Here, clumsy.” Kate said as Elena took the phone. She pocketed it, and then focused back on the lesson. She sighed as she felt the gripping of boredom. This is going to be a long day, she thought.

* * *

Emily always waited for Elena by the bike sheds at the end of school. They walked home together as they lived one street apart. It was quite a warm day, the sun was out but there was a cool breeze. It was mid march so it was early spring. It was a brilliant day to walk home on, one where it would be pleasant rather than a cold and dreary day. Emily smiled as she visualised her and Elena walking in a storm, walking against the wind and rain. She looked up, it defiantly was a fine day. Emily glanced down at her wrist where her pink watch was strapped. She had been waiting for at least five minutes. Scowling, she looked around and her eyes caught a familiar face. When he saw her looking, he smiled and waved. Emily walked over to him.

“Hey Dan,” she said to him, smiling. He was crouched on the ground, shoving a folder in his bag. When he straightened up, he brushed his fringe out the way. Emily always found him strangely attractive but there was an aura of strangeness that she couldn’t explain. He had black hair, which Emily liked on boys, but he had vividly blue eyes that contrasted against his dark eyebrows. He swung his bag over his shoulder, looking around.

“Hey Emily,” he said brightly, his eyes moved back to her. “Don’t you normally meet Elena here?” he asked her. Emily realised that was probably why he was looking around. She felt a little indignant; he was talking about Elena already. It was common knowledge that Dan Spark fancied Elena Borquen, but he didn’t know that everyone else knew. Even Elena knew this and they still remained really good friends.

“Yes, she’s late.” She pointed out obviously, sounding a bit waspish. Dan nodded slightly, then right on cue, Elena hurried from the school. She was looked flustered as she headed towards them. She smiled slightly at Emily but she didn’t know Dan was standing there. He had turned away to find his bike.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said, sounding grim then saw Dan. “Oh, hello Dan, I didn’t know you rode home.” He wheeled around and beamed at Elena.

“Hi Elena, had a good day?” he asked while he pulled his bike from a stand near them. Elena waited for him to come back before answering.

“Not too bad for a Monday…” she trailed off as Dan was fiddling with his bike. Emily decided to chip in.

“So, why the lateness,” she asked her cousin, who looked around at Emily. “Or do I not want to know?” That earned a laugh from Elena.

“I was kept back because of that stupid talent contest.” She said, exasperated. “Mr Richards seemed to think it would be a good idea if I had a shot but I told him that I wasn’t interested.” She said, and then sighed.

“Really? He spoke to me too,” Dan said, joining them again. “He seemed to feel as if I was a good magician.” At those words, something strange happened. Elena’s eyes widened in shock.

“Oh…well that’s odd of him.” she gasped, “He…er…said that I was a good violinist and that I should play.” She spoke normally after a while. Dan stared at Elena…with a phased out look. Emily watched him, frowning. If he had been looking at her like that she would have told him to get a grip on himself. But then she saw that Elena was looking the same. Only then Elena smiled and so did Dan. But they remained staring at each other. Emily felt a little left out, wondering why they were gawping at each other. It felt as if they could communicate by their eyes. Emily focused on Elena, wondering whether she’d gain knowledge from this by trying to see what would happen.

At once, Emily felt Elena’s voice resound in her head. It struck her out of the blue, making her step back. The shock of hearing someone’s voice in her own head surprised her immensely. Elena broke eye contact with Dan and stared at Emily, surprised.

“I swear I just felt Emily’s presence.” Elena’s voice said, though it felt more like a thought. Emily was sure but she was certain that she didn’t register her voice through her ears.

“That’s because it was her presence…wait she’s still here. Break off.” Dan’s voice was speaking in her head too. How strange. Elena and Dan were both staring at her, Emily felt confused.

“Wait, were you guys in my head or did I imagine it?” Emily asked them, earning a faint smile from Elena. She glanced at Dan, and then laughed in a rather shaky manner.

“Don’t go mad on me, Emily, I didn’t leave you here alone for that long.” she said, and then she looked over to Dan. “See you later, Dan.” Emily looked over to the boy who was smiling at her.

“Sure, bye Emily.” He said, walking towards the exit.

“Bye,” Emily said, still frowning with confusion. Did she imagine hearing them in her head? It was a weird thing to imagine. Maybe it was the stress of school. But then, it felt just like a different person talking, only inside her head. Elena was acting as if nothing happened,or maybe nothing did happen, Emily reminded herself.

“Are you ready?” Elena asked her, pulling her from her thoughts. Emily smiled at her cousin; maybe she should just forget the mind thing.

“Of course I am,” she said, then they set off out the gate towards the pavement.