Fiction: Music

      Finger after finger danced along the white and black, pounding a staccato melody that haunted the room. There was a small bead of sweat gathering at her right temple, slowly beginning its descent along the line of her jaw. Teeth clenched in anticipation of a passage and then relaxed as it flew past, drifting on the waves of sound into the rafters. Lights were shining along the gleaming, angular sides of black and reflecting colors not unlike the mood of the piece. Time crept through as if burdened by some remembered dream. Slamming through the fog of her trance-like expression came the final chords, hammering the end. The hall was caressed by the echoing notes until silence settled over the seats. Her foot slowly lifted in sync with her fingers, until there was no contact left. A single tear welled, and was quickly wiped away.