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Silent Melody She lived in a small unknown village in a faraway nation. The villagers often referred to their home as the "Tien Guh", or Sky Song, after the many beautiful birds which flocked there every Spring. It was also named after the young girl who was the pride of the village, and the apple of her father's eye. An angel, they called her. An angel, she was. Only ten years of age, she had the voice of a lark, which could melt even the coldest of hearts. Many a ballad was composed amongst the village boys about her and her song. With two loving parents and undeniable talent, she led a content life, until that fateful day. She loved to sing more than anything. Singing was her life, her passion, the air she breathed, and the earth she tread on. She would let her voice rise and soar over the rolling hills, listening to the echo before singing another tune. The girl, named Pian Pian after her gentle tone and care-free attitude, grew up to be a beautiful girl with silky black hair and big dark eyes. She was the envy of the village maids, and the target of many lads. She was hired to be a singer for the village mayor, and her parents jumped at the opportunity to get good money. She didn't mind, as singing was her one and only passion. She packed what little belongings she had, and left for the Mayor's house. When she arrived, she was escorted to a small room, where she was confronted by a greasy-haired man who she would later describe as "more than just horizontally challenged". She was ordered by a nasally voice to take a seat on the mat, and she did so, hesitating. "So, I hear you can sing," the man sneered at her. She stuttered as she struggled to reply. "I s'pose," she managed, forcing the words out from between her teeth. At his signal, she began to sing. It sounded forced at first, but she soon warmed to her song and began to let her voice reach his soul. He fell in love with her voice at once, and ordered that she be put in the best living quarters. Pian Pian soon grew used to her schedule- waking up, eating, singing, eating, singing, eating, and sleeping. If she was lucky, she would be allowed to take a stroll in the garden, and if the Mayor was in a particularly good mood, she'd get to visit the "bird room". The bird room was like a gigantic bird cage, a room filled with birds from snowy white cranes and swans to larks and mockingbirds, to nightingales, to swallows, to robins, and to finches. The larks, in particular, she would love to sing along to, listening to their chirping and trilling, and then joining along. She began to look forward to these visits, and strived to sing her very best to put the Mayor in a generous mood. One day, however, the Mayor came home in a dreadful state. He was drunk to the point that his entire personality had changed, from mean to unbearably cruel. He pointed at her, and ordered her to sing. She began to sing as usual, struggling to keep him calm. Unfortunately, he was so drunk that he did not pay attention to her voice. "Sing louder," he commanded, "Louder!" He ranted for a while, until he finally grabbed a wine bottle and smashed it against her face. The shards tumbled into her mouth through her bloodied lips and were swallowed in her haste. When she opened her mouth to speak, blood came up instead. No sound came out, and instead all she heard was the sound of silence. She tried to scream. Tried. The village was told by the Mayor that Pian Pian had disappeared, that she'd run away in the night, and hadn't returned. The stable boys know better though, for they'd heard his drunken shouts, and her final scream as he broke the bottle against her face. And Pian Pian, what happened to her, you ask? She was never seen again. Sometimes, if you listen carefully, you'll hear a lark singing sadly in the distance. You'll know that that's Pian Pian's lament, her tears of sound, weeping for her loss. | |