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Cici L.
Chapter 1
Shadows
There Samuel Gomez stood, dully gazing at the photograph that he had taken with his father at St. John’s Catholic Church two months ago. Now that the incomparable lawyer and the best father in the town of Bardstown, Kentucky, has passed away due to a car crash, the tears slowly gather in Samuel’s eyes; he felt a pang of remorse as he knew that his life will never be the same again. Sluggishly, he dragged himself down the dimly lit hallway to the farthest room where his father used to live.
With a heavy heart, Samuel slowly opened the creaky door, and though he had visited there countless times before, the room presented as foreign and alienated, and the memory of his father’s presence lingered in his mind like a bright shadow, evoking both horror and warmth. Examining the unfinished legal documents and paperwork on his father’s wooden table and all the classic vinyl neatly stacked on the antique bookshelf, he could not help but think of all the splendid evenings that they had spent together accompanied by the sounds of music. Bending down, Samuel reached for the dusty case with his father’s guitar under the bed, his hands trembling as he opened it. The instrument shone like a lighthouse in the darkness, reminding him of all the hopes that his father had for him and his future.
He sat on the bed, holding the guitar tight in his arms, and closed his eyes as he began to play the melodies his father used to perform at Northwood Square whenever he successfully helped another family gain the justice that they deserved at court; the familiar music echoed through the room like a comforting embrace. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.
With a heavy heart, Samuel slowly opened the creaky door, and though he had visited there countless times before, the room presented as foreign and alienated, and the memory of his father’s presence lingered in his mind like a bright shadow, evoking both horror and warmth. Examining the unfinished legal documents and paperwork on his father’s wooden table and all the classic vinyl neatly stacked on the antique bookshelf, he could not help but think of all the splendid evenings that they had spent together accompanied by the sounds of music. Bending down, Samuel reached for the dusty case with his father’s guitar under the bed, his hands trembling as he opened it. The instrument shone like a lighthouse in the darkness, reminding him of all the hopes that his father had for him and his future.
He sat on the bed, holding the guitar tight in his arms, and closed his eyes as he began to play the melodies his father used to perform at Northwood Square whenever he successfully helped another family gain the justice that they deserved at court; the familiar music echoed through the room like a comforting embrace. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.
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Chapter 2
Rivals
Samuel woke up the next morning with a renewed sense of purpose and determination; he wanted to be like his father. After an extremely dedicated day at Amor Middle School, Samuel quickly finished his homework, hurriedly snatched the guitar, and made his way to the stairs outside of his apartment. Above him, the sky twinkled with faintly looking stars as the sun began to go down. There he sat letting the autumn breezes carry the sound of his music through Bardstown’s busy streets as he passionately strummed the strings on his father’s guitar. That same evening, Robert Jackson collapsed on his couch and switched on reality shows on the television as he languidly began to review paperwork for his first client in two months. Dreading to do any work, he stood up and grumpily wandered to the kitchen and grabbed some potato chips.
On his way back to the couch, Robert heard a vaguely familiar sound coming from outside his apartment. It’s the Gomezs. He absolutely hated his neighbor next door due to how competitive lawyer jobs can be. When Robert overheard the conversation his colleagues had been having the other day, he jumped in excitement knowing that his bothersome rival’s life had officially ended. But when he heard a cacophony of melody outside of his house, his eyeballs bulged out of his eyes, and his face turned bright red like a freshly picked tomato. Looking around his disorganized home, he rushed to the storage room and grabbed his bugle horn, and opened his window where the music continued to play. With all his strength, Robert blew his horn directly at the boy signaling him to stop. Samuel looked towards the sound and saw a pair of ominous eyes glaring straight at him like a lion looking at
On his way back to the couch, Robert heard a vaguely familiar sound coming from outside his apartment. It’s the Gomezs. He absolutely hated his neighbor next door due to how competitive lawyer jobs can be. When Robert overheard the conversation his colleagues had been having the other day, he jumped in excitement knowing that his bothersome rival’s life had officially ended. But when he heard a cacophony of melody outside of his house, his eyeballs bulged out of his eyes, and his face turned bright red like a freshly picked tomato. Looking around his disorganized home, he rushed to the storage room and grabbed his bugle horn, and opened his window where the music continued to play. With all his strength, Robert blew his horn directly at the boy signaling him to stop. Samuel looked towards the sound and saw a pair of ominous eyes glaring straight at him like a lion looking at
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its prey. Unbothered by Robert’s deadly expression or his deafening horn sound that caused a disturbance to the once peaceful and lively town, Samuel stared back with a nonchalant expression and, without missing a beat, continued to play his song.
Northwood Square
Chapter 3
For the next few days, Samuel sat outside his house just before sunset and played songs that he and his father used to play. Fortunately, Robert arrived late at midnight every day after the incident because he enjoyed the entertainment and the company of alcohol.
The weekend finally arrived, and Samuel felt like spending his whole day at Northwood Square. He wanted a bigger crowd so that more people could experience his music. Settling down in the center of the square, he started to play the guitar, slowly but surely drawing in more and more people; their eyes sparked as curious anticipation hung in the air around them. The music filled the air with an almost magical quality, transporting people away from their mundane worries to a place of joy and comfort. Soon, Samuel’s performance became a highlight of the weekend for everyone who visited the square.
Robert wandered down the crowded street, drunk, after buying some whiskey at a liquor store on the far end of the square, and as he meandered through the crowd, he noticed an increase in the volume of the music. Robert immediately recognized the strident strumming of the acoustic guitar and rushed to the front of the crowd, his eyes burning with anger. He could no longer tolerate any sound that
The weekend finally arrived, and Samuel felt like spending his whole day at Northwood Square. He wanted a bigger crowd so that more people could experience his music. Settling down in the center of the square, he started to play the guitar, slowly but surely drawing in more and more people; their eyes sparked as curious anticipation hung in the air around them. The music filled the air with an almost magical quality, transporting people away from their mundane worries to a place of joy and comfort. Soon, Samuel’s performance became a highlight of the weekend for everyone who visited the square.
Robert wandered down the crowded street, drunk, after buying some whiskey at a liquor store on the far end of the square, and as he meandered through the crowd, he noticed an increase in the volume of the music. Robert immediately recognized the strident strumming of the acoustic guitar and rushed to the front of the crowd, his eyes burning with anger. He could no longer tolerate any sound that
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reminded him of Samuel’s father because he hindered Robert’s job as a lawyer; subsequently, the grumpy middle-aged man yelled at the kid and demanded that he stop playing. Pointing directly at Samuel while slightly stumbling from the effects of alcohol, he publicly condemned and humiliated the young musician’s actions, claiming that he had caused a discord of sounds, thus infringing upon the peace of the town. The audience complained about the drunk man’s absurd actions and rose up in defense of the helpless child.
Seeing the support of the crowd, Samuel lightly shook his head at Robert and calmly went back to playing his instrument, remaining unperturbed by the incident. Except for this time, he strummed the strings even harder as the musical notes filled the air in a symphony of defiance, capturing all the hidden emotions that he felt. Meanwhile, Robert jumped up and down like a madman under the influence of alcohol beside Samuel until the benevolent townspeople dragged him out of sight.
Seeing the support of the crowd, Samuel lightly shook his head at Robert and calmly went back to playing his instrument, remaining unperturbed by the incident. Except for this time, he strummed the strings even harder as the musical notes filled the air in a symphony of defiance, capturing all the hidden emotions that he felt. Meanwhile, Robert jumped up and down like a madman under the influence of alcohol beside Samuel until the benevolent townspeople dragged him out of sight.
Chapter 4
Robert arrived home later that evening, with the assistance of the others, and began to drink even more alcohol. About to pass out, he heard the dreadful sound of a guitar outside his house again. He furiously walked right in front of Samuel and screamed damaging obscenities at him, and finally unable to hold his anger and jealousy towards the kid’s father, Robert insulted his father in front of Samuel. At last, the comments about his deceased father triggered Samuel, and he stopped playing.
Words
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Chapter 5
The Bottle
Glaring right into Robert’s soul, Samuel pushed him with all his power and caused Robert to fall to the ground. The whiskey bottle that he held shattered into pieces. Then, Robert experienced a sharp pain in his body and passed out on the floor, with broken glasses scattered all around him. Samuel stood there, his legs trembling as he saw what had happened to Robert, picked up his guitar, and ran back home. Returning to the living room, where his father’s picture hangs, he sat there and started strumming the guitar once again as tears streamed down his face, just like that he lost track of time.
Nostalgia
Chapter 6
In the middle of the night, Robert woke up and heard the melodies playing in the background. This time it differed from the rest of the music which made him angry. Instead, it evoked nostalgic memories of his mother and how she had always encouraged him to follow his dreams. Strangely, it resembled the melodies that his deceased mother sang to him as a child. Robert suddenly felt a sting of compunction and realized the power within the music. Robert stood up and banged on his neighbor’s door. After knocking vigorously at the door, Samuel finally opened it. The man blankly looked at Samuel for a few seconds and just as Samuel opened his mouth, Robert hugged him tight in his embrace and felt the everlasting warmth.
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