Firstly, I'll just say that this ISN'T the sequel to The Reed. I haven't even thought up a storyline for that yet. This fic is dedicated to my fellow band members. Good luck for the competition. And since this is sort of based on my band and is kinda gross with people dying, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME. Thanks. *Sincerely hopes that band major doesn't read fanfic. *

The Flute Stand

The competition had begun. The lights dimmed, and the tuba and bass drum started playing the opening lines of 'Fate of the Gods'. Soon, more low brass instruments joined in, with the percussion in the background.

"17 2 3 4, 18 2 3 4..."

The clarinets came in to play the next twelve bars. One squeaked, deafening the clarinetist who made it squeak. She spent the rest of the piece trying to clear her ears.

"11 2 3 4, 12 2 3 4..."

Almost as if on cue, the flutes, oboes and a bunch of other instruments back there got ready to play.

"3 2 3 4, 4 2 3 4..."

The flute solo began, with the oboes squeaking as they played the accompaniment. The judges heard and frowned, deducting quite a few marks from the overall score.

There was a slight crescendo in the music, which then died down, leaving only the percussionists and their drum solo. Confident that no one could hear them through all that noise, the oboists started a squabble on who had squeaked louder.

8 bars before oboe solo...

One of the oboists was feeling really bored. Seeing the empty flute stand next to her, she wondered if an oboe would be able to fit on it. There was only one way to find out...

5 bars before oboe solo...

She picked up her instrument and placed it on the flute stand. Yup. It fit.

3 bars before oboe solo...

Oops. It wouldn't come out.

2 bars before oboe solo...

*Yank yank* The piccolo player began to notice something going on over at the flute stand.

1 bar before oboe solo...

"HELP! My oboe is STUCK ON THE FLUTE STAND!", the oboist thought as she desperately tried to remove it.

Oboe solo.

"No, not the solo..." She had no choice. This was the moment she had been practicing for. She had to play.

Lifting up the oboe with flute stand attached, she started the solo. What with the large object wedged in one end, the notes came out all squeaky, off pitch, off key and out of tune. Up above the judges shook their heads.

The solo was over. Relieved, the oboe reed still resting on her lip, she put down her instrument again. But duh, she had forgotten about the flute stand. As it bashed into the music stand, the oboe reed, through the combined weight of the instrument and flute stand, pierced right through her lower jaw, where it stuck out somewhere under her chin. The music scores also fluttered to the ground, if you think that is important.

Of course, she died.

And as she did so, her chair tilted backwards and crashed straight into an innocent clarinetist whose chair also fell back. In this way, the entire band fell over like dominoes. Most died. Like in the case of a certain trumpet player whose mouthpiece came out from the instrument and stuck in her throat. She CHOKED to DEATH. In another case, the tuba was dropped on someone else who also kicked the bucket as a result.

For a moment, there was silence. Even the music ceased, as the band members lay on the floor in pools of blood, some alive, most not.

An announcement was made.

And then the audience stood up to applaud the winner for 'Best Special Effects'.

The End.

Quote of the Day: "Percussion! Don't play so loud. It's only double forte."

- Conductor

Review! Thanks.

Copyright 2003 D.A.S.Q