Disclaimer: I do not own Simon or any of the boys in the choir, not the man with the megaphone either. Simon's parents, Julia and the voice instructor are mine, but everyone else belong to William Golding.
Premonition
Simon watched the rafters of the concert hall. He noticed some nests up there and wondered vaguely if pigeons liked the Hallelujah Chorus. He could hear the rise and fall of the organ notes as he awaited his turn for the solo. His slight figure trembled slightly under the black robes that almost engulfed his small form. His hands clenched and unclenched and a trickle of sweat ran into his ear. His usually tan skin looked pale and his thick black hair clung to the back of his neck. He tried to keep his thoughts on the pigeons but was failing. He felt another faint coming upon him. He struggled to stay conscious but found he could not. His typically wicked bright eyes dulled and he slumped forward as blackness covered his vision.
When he opened his eyes he was at the bottom of the stage, looking up at a dozen or so unblinking faces. He sat up slowly and the voice instructor grabbed his elbow, pulling him to his feet and shaking him.
"What is wrong with you? This is the second time you've fainted during a rehearsal. If you did not have such an amazing voice, I would have kicked you off the choir years ago!"
Simon took the verbal beating without comment. His olive skin was slowly turning back to its normal color and he was breathing easier. He was not sure why he had become so nervous. He just had. The instructor let go of him and he slowly turned back to go up the stairs to the stage. He heard the sniggering and snickering behind him but disregarded them. He took his place beside Roger and faced the pews, not daring to look into the dark face of the boy beside him. Roger had always given him the shivers. Simon had always felt something akin to evil coming from Roger. He stepped a bit to the side; ignoring the amused look the other boy gave him. Simon did not know what Roger thought was so funny. He still had the bruises from the pencil jabs the older boy had given him during class the last week. He had thought the boy wanted something but when he turned to ask, Roger just glanced back down at his paper and assumed a look of innocence. Simon wisely chose not to say anything to the teacher. One look at the wicked smile on the boy's face once the teacher's back was turned was enough to silence him.
Simon was startled out of his stupor by the sound of the instructor's voice.
". . . So we'll be leaving the day after tomorrow. You are dismissed."
The boys started down the stage towards the back door but Simon stayed where he was, a look of slight befuddlement evident on his face.
"Where are we going?" He asked no one in particular.
Roger, the most likely one to answer, just brushed by him roughly. Simon looked around for someone to answer his question. He spotted Jack, the lead soprano, and rushed over to him.
"Jack? Jack!" He reached out and tugged gently on the older boy's choir robes. Jack turned and looked down at him, his eyes seeming to hold a bit of scorn or perhaps annoyance.
"What is it Simon?" He asked in a bored tone.
Simon could hear the dislike in Jack's voice and his own was lost temporarily. He lowered his head, trying to work up the courage to speak. He heard the snickers of some bystanders and drew even further inward, a hot flush rising to his cheeks.
"Just say it Simon, I haven't got all day." The words still conveyed exasperation but the tone was a bit kinder.
Simon looked up into Jack's bright blue eyes, forcing himself to say what he wanted. "Where-where are we going?" He asked hesitantly.
A guffaw sounded and the group of boys around him started laughing loudly, pounding each other on the back and hooting about how dumb he was. Even Jack looked amused. This was too much for poor Simon who turned and fled, pushing past the mocking boys who tried to trip him as he stumbled past. A frustrated tear lingered on his cheek and he wiped it away angrily. He knew he was a wimp and that the other boys were jealous because he had the best voice in the choir, but he did not see why that gave them to right to be mean to him. He tore off his choir robes and tossed it into a corner. He started to leave then stopped and went back, picking up the robe and hanging it up neatly in its place beside the others. He sighed and gathered up his things.
He made his way out of the concert hall and started across the street. He heard someone calling his name and turned. It was Maurice, one of the Altos. Thinking the boy just wanted to make fun of him some more, Simon started walking again. Maurice continued to call him and finally caught up with him. Taking the small boy by the elbow, Maurice turned Simon to face him.
"Hey Simon, why didn't you stop? I was following you for a long time."
"I-I-" Simon could not think of anything to say.
"Never mind, listen, I just wanted to make sure you knew what Instructor Johnston said. We're going on a trip to Australia. We're going to sing at the Sydney Opera House." Maurice grinned. "Isn't that great?"
Simon tilted his head, thinking about it. He supposed it was pretty neat being able to sing at such an important place but he did not get a rush of excitement as Maurice seemed to think he would. He knew that he would probably get a solo and faint in front of everyone. Maurice seemed to be thinking the same for he smirked slightly.
"I suppose you should get home and start practicing your solo. We don't want you to have a fainting spell again the day of the concert, do we?" He patted Simon on the head as if he were a toddler and walked off, sniggering silently to himself.
Simon sighed and continued home. He arrived close before dinner and his mom greeted him from the kitchen.
"How did rehearsal go honey?" She asked, coming out to hug him, wiping her hands on her apron.
Simon hugged her back briefly before turning away. "It was fine." He started to pull his things from his school bag, laying them on the table one by one. His mom stepped forward and lifted his chin, forcing him to look at her.
"Simon tell me, did you faint again?" Her dark eyes searched his.
He kept his gaze on her cheek, not looking into her eyes. He nodded slightly. His mom dropped her hand and hugged him again.
"Oh honey, it's okay. We'll practice together for two hours a day these next two days until you can sing your solo with confidence at the Opera House."
"You know about that?" He asked her, narrowing his eyes a bit.
"Of course I do. They needed me and your dad's permission before you could go. I wish we could go too but it is just for the school. We'll see you on the T.V. okay?"
Simon had been putting the rest of his things away and when he heard his mother's last phrase he looked up sharply. "You're not coming with me?" He asked incredulously.
"No darling, that's what I said. The whole school is going with chaperones, you won't need me."
A teapot started whistling and Simon's mom left to tend to it. Simon dropped on the floor next to the table. Shivers ran up and down his spine as he hugged himself tightly. A foreboding feeling had come over him and no matter how many times he told himself not to be a baby and that he would be fine, he could not shake the feeling away.
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Simon clung to his knapsack as he and his parents walked down the long hallway of the airport to his gate. He had not slept well the previous night and had spent the morning warming up his voice.
"Do mi so do," he sang under his breath, trying to calm his nerves. He had not yet shaken the feeling he had obtained the day he found out he was going on this trip with just his school.
His mother smiled down at him. She had always known her son had the best voice in the school and was very proud of him. She had high hopes that he would one day be in the Vienna Boys Choir or some other lofty position. She had been a singer herself in her younger days and was glad her talent had been passed on.
Simon had just started to calm down as they arrived at the gate. The plane had not pulled in yet but already the whole school seemed to be there. There was a man with a megaphone directing the parents with their kids to certain areas of the gate so they could be counted and roll could be called. Simon saw his choir group and scurried over. He saw that they were seated according to their vocal range and he took a seat next to Jack, preferring to sit next to him than Roger. The older boy hardly glanced at him. Simon dropped his bag near his feet and looked for his parents. They were talking to the man with the megaphone behind where he sat. He got up on his knees to peer over the seat behind him to make sure they knew where he was. Apparently he leaned forward too much for an annoyed voice said,
"Hey, are you blind? I'm sitting here."
The voice belonged to an attractive blonde boy who was glaring up at him. Simon flushed in embarrassment and turned back into his seat, muttering an apology. Jack glanced at him amused but Simon just slouched in his seat and waited for their group to be called to get their boarding passes. His feet were sticking out too far and he almost tripped an extremely fat boy walking by. Simon did not glance up at him, but pulled his feet back.
Just then three things happened: Simon's parents started towards him, the plane pulled into the gate, and Simon stood with his mouth gaping open, the blood draining from his face, and his eyes wide with horror.
"Noooooo!" An inhuman scream ripped through Simon's throat as he stared at the plane. Heads whipped around to look at him and Jack's expression went from amused to annoyed.
"Simon what are you doing? Sit down!" He said.
Simon's parents rushed over to him. They took him in their arms and were surprised to feel him shaking violently. The man with the megaphone hurried over.
"It's natural for some kids to be afraid of their first flight on a plane. Just take him off to a corner and try to calm him down, we'll be leaving soon."
Simon's parents nodded and directed him to a small corner out of sight of the plane. Simon's mom knelt before her son and pushed the thick black hair off his forehead.
"It's okay sweetie, the plane is perfectly safe. You're going to be fine and we're going to see you on T.V." She said to him softly.
Simon shook his head so hard the hair fell back into place and swished back and forth hard across his eyebrows. His eyes were full of terror.
"It's not safe, it's not safe! We can't go!"
The parent's exchanged a glance, just thinking their son was afraid of going on the plane but Simon knew that was not the reason he was petrified. The reason he was shaking, sweating and frightened was because a feeling came over him that he had not felt in two years.
It had been his ninth birthday party and his parents were throwing a party for him at the park. A bunch of kids were there but there was one who stayed by his side the whole day. One that had been very dear to his heart.
Her name was Julia and she was Simon's best friend. They had grown up together and were inseparable. Whatever Simon did, she did. Wherever Julia went, Simon went. They were like peas and carrots. She had blonde hair and white skin, which always made them look like a white and sepia photograph.
That fateful day had started out perfectly. The two friends had been playing in the park and were about to join the others for presents and tarts when he suddenly forgot that he left his mother's camera at the house. Julia offered to get it for him. Simon had agreed but as she was nearing the street to cross to his house he had a horrible feeling that something bad was going to happen.
"Wait!" He shouted to her. "Never mind, I'll get it myself!"
She had turned and smiled at him. "No it's okay. I want to, really." With that she started across the street.
Simon was running after her when the car came. It careened around the corner and hit Julia head on. Simon had screamed at the top of his lungs but it did no good. Julia was gone.
The terrible feeling he had right before Julia died was the same feeling he had now. He did not know what was going to happen but he knew the if these kids got on that plane, something bad was going to happen to them. Something bad was going to happen to him.
"Mum, I can't go on that plane. None of us can go on that plane!" He knew he was worrying the other moms but he did not care. The kids could not get onto the plane.
His parents were silent for a bit. Simon could hear a mother asking her child a few seats over what he should tell a bobby if he got lost.
"Percival Wemys Madison. The Vicarage, Harcourt St. Anthony, Hants—"
The boy's small voice faded away as Simon focused his attention on his parents who were starting to speak again.
"Simon, I know your afraid but you need to stay strong. Have some courage, son. You'll be alright." His father patted his shoulder and they led him back to the choir group. His face was still pale and he would not let go of his mother's hand. She gently pried his fingers from around hers and sat him down on the chair. Simon could feel the other's stares but he did not care. He watched as his parents sat down a few seats from him.
A sharp jab in the back told him Roger wanted his attention. He turned slightly to look at the other boy.
"What was that all about?" Roger asked, putting the pencil back into his bag.
The other boys looked at him expectantly. Simon ducked his head. "I don't think we should get on that plane."
The boys looked at each other. Maurice raised a finger and tapped his temple. "Batty, quite batty."
Simon looked up then. "I'm not batty! You have to believe me, we can't get on that plane!"
Jack shook his head. "Of course we can. Look, the man with the megaphone is rounding the other kids up right now. We'll be next."
Simon saw the man herding the kids and wanted to scream at him to stop. But just then everything started moving so quickly. His parents gave him a kiss on the head, the choir was ushered onto the plane and he was in his seat looking out the window seemingly before he could blink. He was seated next to Maurice who grinned at his terrified expression.
"You're worrying too much. Stop acting like a baby and enjoy the flight. I've been on planes lots of times I even went to—"
Maurice talked on but Simon did not listen. He turned until he was staring out the window to where he could see his parents in the window of the gate. As the plane rolled out and started down the runway he kissed his fingertips and pressed them to the little dots that were his mom and dad. Tears fell down his cheeks and he knew he would never see them again.
"I love you." He whispered.
The plane roared down the runaway and lifted into the air. Simon closed his eyes and conjured up a picture of them in his mind. He grabbed at the picture and committed it to memory. As the city below him got smaller and smaller he felt his heart break. However, there was nothing he could do about it now. He took a deep breath and wiped away the water from his face. He faced the front and listened closely to the man with the megaphone as he spoke of what to do in an emergency. He realized it would be up to him to make sure all these kids could return home safely and he would do so. Even if it cost him his life.