Sweet sounds waltzed through the air like invisible fairies at a ball, each note more graceful and spellbinding than the one played before.
Dazzled eyes were cast upon the source of so sweet a song; a boy of 14 was playing his prized clarinet, his fingers caressing the instrument as melodies continued to flow forth.
…
As the music eventually faded away, Wirt received a small but hearty round of applause from his younger half-brother, Greg, and his girlfriend, Sara.
"Wow, Wirt, that was seriously cool," Sara said, smiling at him.
"Thanks," Wirt replied, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"What do you call it?"
"Um… I'm thinking the 'Bluebird's Lament'," replied the teen, and he winced as soon as he spoke.
"Is this cos of Beatrice, brother o' mine?" Asked Greg, before Wirt could change the subject
Although Wirt himself could not doubt, for even a second, that anything he went through with Greg happened- he was still uncertain as to how it happened. One moment they were in their own world; the next they ended up in some creepy place in some creepy time that almost cost them their lives.
"Yeah…" he said quietly. "I…"
"You ok?" Asked Sara.
Wirt didn't know how to truthfully answer that, so he bit his tongue instead. How could he explain what happened in The Unknown? Greg told everyone about their adventures, even their parents- but it all seemed the stories of a child's imagination.
Yet, two months later, Wirt couldn't rationalize it into a concept either he or anyone he knew could understand- and as much as he wanted to see Beatrice and all their new friends again, the garden wall had not been easy for him to go back to.
After all, he nearly died and he nearly lost Greg to the Beast's lantern, too.
How could his sweet, innocent, slightly weird little brother possibly had become so close to becoming the metaphorical lifeblood of the very manifestation of malevolence?
….
As the sun's last rays spilled like liquid gold against pink-purple skies, Sara fished out some candles and suggested that Wirt play a song in the dark.
"You know, a little clarinet by the candlelight?" She asked, looking hopefully at her boyfriend; who just blushed.
"Yeah, go for it, Wirt!" Whooped Greg cheerfully.
"Well… I dunno…" mumbled Wirt nervously.
"Please? Just one song," Sara requested sweetly, and Wirt decided to relent. He could hardly deny his girlfriend the privilege.
Of course, he wished Greg didn't have to be privy to such an intimate performance.
"Hey, Wirt, before you start, has anyone seen or heard Jason Funderberker anywhere?" Greg asked, confused. "He seems to have gotten separated from me."
"GREG!"
….
Unfortunately, it didn't go at all as he'd planned. He decided to try a cheery melody instead- and then Greg remembered about his song he sang at Miss Langtree's school and he decided, without a moment's pause, to give Sara a little show- much to Wirt's embarrassment.
"Oh, potatoes and molasses
If you want some, oh, just ask us!"
"Greg!" Hissed Wirt, in between chords. "What are you doing?! Stop it now!"
"They're warm and soft like puppies in socks
Filled with cream and candy rocks!"
Wirt shifted his attention from his brother to his girlfriend, and he was mortified to see that she was beaming broadly, looking very entertained. He was convinced she was amused at his embarrassment, and he silently swore revenge on his sibling.
"Oh, potatoes and molasses
They're so much sweeter than algebra classes!
If your stomach is grumblin' and your mouth starts a-mumblin'
There is only one thing to keep your brain from crumblin',
Oh, potatoes and molasses
If you can't see 'em, put on your glasses
They're shiny and large like a fisherman's barge
You know you've eaten enough when you start seeing stars
Oh, potatoes and molasses
It's the only thing left on your task list
They're short and stout to make everyone shout
For, potatoes and molasses!"
Sara heartily applauded, and she started to laugh.
….
"Greg! Why must you run everything?!" Wirt hissed in dismay. "She's laughing at me!"
"Doesn't seem like it, brother o' mine," Greg replied cheerily. "Now where did Jason Funderberker go? Have you seen him, Wirt?"
"No, I have not, and if I had, I"-
"That was a great song, you guys!"
Wirt, surprised, spun round to see Sara smiling at them both. "It wasn't quite what I thought it would be, but that was really fun! Did you guys write that together?"
"No," Wirt huffed, blowing at his fringe.
"It was a song we performed at Miss Langtree's school!" Beamed Greg, looking up at Sara with wide eyes.
"Well, you two certainly have a gift for words," she beamed. "I like that about you guys."
As Greg started chatting to Sara about Miss Langtree, and about how they saved the school through holding a fundraising concert, Wirt started to pack his clarinet away in its case, muttering about how Greg had completely stolen his thunder, when he heard a noise coming from outside.
It sounded like a dog barking.
Wirt grumpily dismissed the noise from his mind, still cross.
However, he found it very hard to dismiss the warm breath on the back of his leg…
He looked down…. Straight into the jet-black eyes of a familiar looking white and sandy coloured dog, slobbering all over the living room carpet.
And he screamed. Sara did too- once she realized some stray dog had got the jump on them.
"Hi Dog!" an unfazed Greg beamed, waving at the dog.