Music Class
"Okay, kids," Logan said. "I want you to stand here. Here. In front of me. No, not that near. Just about two metres away, yeah. Stand side by side, about a metre from each other. Okay. No, Rogue, John, you guys can sit."
The six students positioned themselves as how Logan had instructed. A foot in front of them was a music stand with three pages of the song 'Run, Rabbit, Run', except for Rogue who had hers placed on her piano's own music stand and Jubilee who played a percussion instrument. John had to sit so that he could place the guitar on his lap.
"So, we're playing this song?" John said.
"As our punishment?" Jubilee said.
"Yes," Logan replied.
The students laughed, except Piotr who kept quiet and Rogue who rolled her eyes. Logan smirked. "You wouldn't be laughing if you had an audience to perform for," he said smugly.
The laughter ceased instantly.
"Perform for who?" Kitty asked.
"An audience."
"How big is the audience?" Piotr asked.
"About a hundred people or so."
There was a nervous silence and some exchanged looks. They knew they had to take this seriously if they don't want to embarrass themselves.
"You have a week," Logan said.
"What?" the students gasped.
"Do you know how long it takes to learn an instrument?!" Kitty asked.
"Ah don't even know where's the 'C' note!" Rogue cried. "Ah only memorised which key to press."
Bobby was hyperventilating so much that puffs of mist were coming out of his mouth.
"Then stop dallying and start learning!" Logan snapped.
"Do you even know how to play?" John asked, inspecting the guitar's strings as though to find something within them that will teach him how to play it.
"No," Logan replied. The students looked at him, horrified by that one word. "I teach art, not music."
"We're doomed!" Bobby declared as a long stream of mist blew out of his mouth as though he was a train's chimney pot blowing out steam.
"Not unless we try," Jubilee said.
"Jubilee's right," Kitty said. "We have a week, and we'll make use of it."
"Why are you so optimistic?" John asked. "You could practically kill the whole audience with one note!"
"Shut up," she snapped. "At least I know where the notes are. I've read it from a book."
Logan placed a small table that was half his height in front of him. Then he placed a stack of thin books onto the table. "Feel free to refer from these," Logan said before sitting on a foldable chair with earphones and earmuffs protecting his ears.
They gratefully grabbed a book each and began flipping through them. Soon, the room was filled with sounds of instruments. Then Kitty gave the violin a stroke. Everybody fell to the ground again, writhing. Except Logan who'd just flinched and heightened the volume.
"Must be the way I hold the bow…" Kitty muttered to herself.
The other students shakily picked themselves up and continued practising. Rogue was slowly memorising which note is on which key; John was testing the tightness of the strings as he plucked them; Bobby was randomly pushing the buttons on his clarinet, blowing out puffs of mists while trying different ways of holding it; Piotr was blowing his silver trumpet gently, slowly understanding how to play; Jubilee randomly tapped her drum.
"How am I supposed to play if I don't even have my own sheet music?" she asked.
"Try to find the song on 'YouTube'," Kitty suggested. "Then you'll know when to play. Percussion instruments are suppose to follow the rhythm"
Jubilee took out her iPhone and searched for the song. When she did, she played it. Everybody put down their instruments to listen to the song.
"On the farm, every Friday
On the farm, it's rabbit pie day.
So, every Friday that ever comes along,
I get up early and sing this little song…"
"We'll be playing this?" John asked.
"And singing it!" Logan said.
Bobby swore. The song continued.
"Run rabbit – run rabbit – Run! Run! Run!
Run rabbit – run rabbit – Run! Run! Run!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Goes the farmer's gun.
Run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run."
The song broke off to an instrumental version of the song, something that they know they'll have to play.
"Oh, I've heard this song before!" Kitty said, squealing. "My dad used to sing it to me before I go to sleep."
"Oh, goody," John muttered sarcastically.
Finally, the song reached its last verses.
"Run rabbit – run rabbit – Run! Run! Run!
Don't give the farmer his fun! Fun! Fun!
He'll get by
Without his rabbit pie
So run rabbit – run rabbit – Run! Run! Run!"
The song ended. Jubilee pocketed her phone and the others went back to practising their instruments.
"I can't practise if you guys don't play for me first," Jubilee said. "I need a melody."
"And the situation has become more dire!" John gasped sarcastically.
Jubilee threw another ball of plasma at him.