2The Girl and the Church Organ
From the mind of Samuel Harkness
The light streaming downwards from the church windows gave off a eerily pale glow as Samantha made her way down the old church aisle. Weeks ago when she first visited the site of the old abandoned church, the dark creeping feeling that the hallowed place emitted had chilled her to the bone. It was only when she saw the Organ taking pride of place in the center of the alter did she have the confidence to venture forth. As soon as she saw it she feel in love. It was big, grand and ominous. It took up the entire space at the back wall of the church. It was easy to see how it would inspire worship from the patrons who visited this church so many years ago. Her parents had told her stories about the times when this church was a thriving local spot were people would come from all over the county to meet, dine, laugh and dance. Never, it was said, had a church been a more joyous and festive place.
Samantha had always had a fascination for music. One that was equal to the amazing God-given talent that she showed with any form of musical instrument. However, despite her noticeable skills, her family was too poor to afford so much as a flute for her to play with. So when her parents told her about the church and the mammoth organ that resided inside, she felt compelled to sneak out each night and attend to the once glorious device. At first, the task seemed insurmountable. It was incased in dust and covered in cobwebs. But, by thoroughly cleaning out every nock and cranny, and fine tuning the wires within, it was finally ready to play. After weeks of hard work and diligence backed by hope and desire, she was finally ready to awaken the sleeping behemoth and bring it back to life.
She slowly sat down on the padded stool and gently ran her fingers over the recently polished, multi layered keyboard. Despite the cold night wind that blew out side, she could feel a warm aura coming from the keys. She welcomed the feeling and as her fingers touched down on the first note, a loud and all consuming sound bursted forth from the pipes far above her. She had done her job well in fine tuning the organ, for the sound that came from it was as smooth as it was humbling. Her hands began to play along the glistening white and black stepping stones as a song from her childhood suddenly came into her head. The melody was soft and soothing, yet hauntingly beautiful given her surroundings. The more she played, the more she felt herself becoming immersed in the sounds. They comforted her, and took her to a world where the beat of her heart flowed to the rhythm of the music. So entranced was she, that she did not notice the light from the church windows growing stronger as the song progressed.
Outside the church, the dark clouds parted, giving way to a ghostly white moon. It's powerful light irradiated through the church windows, wherein a world of spirits and celestials bodies awoke to the harmonic sounds of the organ within. Images of times gone by, of the people who once graced this church, played across the glass in an elegant fashion. Like shadows flowing through a realm of black and white, the spirits gazed inwards through the ghostly windows. They stared and wondered at the young girl who could master the organ so well, and then, taken by the music, they started to dance. In the windows, scenes from old times were now born anew. Couples danced, children played and crowds cheered along to the heavenly music that streamed through Samantha fingers and spewed forth from he organs pipes. The music began to build and build until finally, the spirits broke forth from their crystal holdings and flowed down into the church aisles. Like fireflies rising from the floor, angelic light floated up toward the ceiling. The dust and dirt that once coated every inch of the church was instantly replaced with the shine and glamor that it exhibited so many years ago. Once again, the church had come to life. Through the power of the music, it had risen from its slumber and engulfed the new life that the melody of the organ had given it. The spirits danced, played, sang and laughed. All the while, Samantha played. Consumed by the music, she felt as if her physical form no longer existed and that she was merely an element of the music itself. Like she and the organ had become one and were simply speaking to each other. Just like the spirits that danced around her with joy and celebration, she too was set free by the music.
As the song began to die down to a close, the spirits turned to light and faded back into the windows. The church once more resembled the dark and hallowed place that it was before. As the final few notes rang throughout the church walls, a whisper of gratitude could be heard in reply. Slowly waking up from her trance, Samantha looked around the church. It was dark and dismal and completely silent. Yet, she could of sworn that she had just heard someone speak. Shaking her head and chalking it up to the echo of the vacant church, she stood up and left. The organ had given her exactly what she needed. Like finally been able to breathe after being underwater for so long, she got her chance to play. She felt good, almost giddy. Looking at her watch, she was shocked to see how much time had pasted. She must of been playing that piano for over an hour. Running off down the dirt road, she hoped she would be able to get home before her parents realized she was gone. Looking back several times, unable to take her mind off that beautiful instrument.
The next morning, Samantha woke up feeling more relaxed than she had for a very long time. She hopped out of bed and made her way down into the kitchen to find her parents talking excitingly to each other. At first, she though they may of figured out what she was up to last night. But when they turned to face her, and smiled, she knew she was in the clear. Instead, to her utter amazement, they told her that her father had been given a sudden and unexpected promotion at work. The new job came with a generous bonus and they were now earning more money than they could ever need. She stood there, gobsmacked. For standing there in the corner of the kitchen. Glistening black and looking like something from the 9th Symphony Orchestra. Was her very own piano.