Butterflies

Chapter one: Inspiration

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Slowly, Victor van Dort plucked out the scale on the piano keys, filling the large ballroom with monotonous sounds. He groaned.

"There has to be something," he spoke aloud without realizing it. He sighed.

Truly there was nothing. Nothing could describe, nor express the turmoil, and eventual contentment the year had brought.

Pressing out the scale once more, he fathomed as to how his wife, Victoria had put up with him. Him, clumsy, Victor who could not even write a simple song for her in honor of their one year anniversary.

Victor tapped his chin pensively. Think Victor, he thought to himself. What happened in the past year that's really worth writing about?

Victor recalled the events in his mind. After the wedding disaster, Victor and Victoria moved into a modest dwelling. Neither of them, even after growing up in mansions, had minded, for they were in love, and quite happy.

But Victor struck gold when he took over his father's fish business. The couple packed up their belongings, and moved into a grander, lovely house in the city.

Victor groaned audibly. Though these things were nice, he still had nothing.

Think further back you dolt! Think about the wedding itself!

Victor shuddered. The memories of the Land of the Dead, and Emily, and Barkis…that despicable Barkis….came flooding back to him so fast, he clutched his head in pain. He couldn't possibly write about things that scared him out of his skin, and he most definitely could not, would not, and should not, write about the hairy marriage situation, and Emily…not Emily…

Victor massaged his temples. Regardless, he had to write a song. Their anniversary was tomorrow!

"Hmmm…" Victor tried to think of the wedding, unable to keep his frazzled mind from returning to the subject.

"We set her free…" he assured himself. "It made us realize how much we loved each other…Victoria and I…"

Nervously, he played the C scale again. More memories. He envisioned Emily, smiling at him, disintegrating into a swarm of butterflies, melodiously soaring into the moonlit night.

Unconsciously, he pressed the keys, releasing a joyous, flowing wave of sound.

"Yes…" he breathed. "That's it…"

It was perfectly safe to write about Emily…a symbol of everlasting passion…

More music followed, and soon Victor was smiling. He played on and on, for however long, and every so often, he scribbled the notes on a piece of staff paper he'd placed on the stand.

"It's perfect…"

"VICTOR!"

Victor yelped at the sudden screech behind his back. He spun around on the piano bench, so shocked, that he fell over, onto the tile floor.

Looking up sluggishly, he saw Victoria looming over him, remorsefully.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. "I kept saying your name, and you didn't respond."

Victor smacked his head with the heel of his palm. He was so engrossed in his music; he'd failed to hear his wife. And on top of it all, he fell over, flat on his face. He stood slowly next to Victoria. Smiling weakly, well, more like grimacing, he kissed Victoria on her cheek.

"Think nothing of it, love."

Victoria sighed. "It's a lovely song you're writing."

Victor swallowed. "Thank you…"

Victoria smiled at him. "What is it called? What inspired you?"

Victor shifted nervously. "W-what inspired me?"

"Yes. A few minutes ago, I stuck my head in, and you were struggling. Now, you go and write beautiful piece of music in a mater of minutes."

Victor winked at her. "A work in progress my dear. Never show a work in progress."

"I just heard it."

Victor fiddled with his scarf in embarrassment. Very clever Victor…so very clever…

"Well I can at least tell you the name. I've decided to call it Butterflies."

He wasn't sure what to expect from Victoria.

But her reaction was very different than whatever he did.

Her face paled. "Butterflies?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She wrung her delicate hands, and smiled bitterly. "It's lovely."

Her face, gray as a gull's wing, she turned on her heel, and headed for the stairs.

Wordlessly he ascended them, the same dour, forlorn look upon her face.

Victor blinked.

"Well! I wonder what's gotten into her."

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