"The Song"

Music flooded through the halls. A soft, almost haunting melody, floating on invisible waves through the empty rooms. She opened her eyes slowly, fearing the sound may leave her once she was fully awake. It didn't. As if beckoning to her, the sweet, sorrowful tune grew louder. Never had she heard such sadness. In a quiet awe, she dressed, half afraid that someone might speak and break up the angelic chords. Never mind that the dorms had been empty for days. She stood at the top of the stairs, letting the melody cover her, sweep through her like a lost ghost. She paused, not wanting the moment to pass. It was something out of a legend; too surreal to fully accept but too perfect to deny. She walked quietly, slippers making no sound on the cold floor. The music droned on, echoing through the dimly lit corridors. She kept her eyes on the floor, pausing only briefly and looking up through tears to overcome the feelings pouring through her soul. Every step brought the melody stronger in her ears. Every movement and every turn drover her further and further into the clutches of that haunting song. Her breath caught in her chest and her heart in her throat the closer she came. The thought of losing the music frightened her; she began to run, still making no sound. She ran, all the while letting the music engulf her. She ran, faster and faster through the long corridors. She ran, her hair and gown flowing out behind her. She ran, turning sharp corners without ever noticing. She ran, knowing only the haunting melody to be real. And finally she stopped, staring into a black room and breathing in small gasps. The music carried on steadily, not noting her presence. She was vaguely aware of a soft sound of fabric and feet on the floor. Every now and then, a sneering face would show itself. She paid them no heed, pushing aside invisible hands to place herself closer to the entrancing sound. She never stumbled in the blackness. A voice began to whisper in her ear, a deep, delicate sound pushing itself past the eerie music. She turned, half striking out against the blackness. She wanted nothing more than the music. The voice left, and for that brief moment, as the music once again dulled her senses, she felt the highest sense of ecstasy coursing through her veins. Then the voice began its whispers again, more persistent this time, completely blocking out the bittersweet melody. She turned, thrashing out, only to be caught by an invisible force in the blackness. A hand grasped her waist, and another her hand, and soon she was twirling about the room. The whispering voice was closer, twirling as she twirled, spinning as she spun. Desperately, she tried to escape, wishing for nothing more than that haunting song. The voice became more unrelenting, emblazoning itself in her mind. More sneering faces appeared out of the darkness, spinning just as she was. Frantically, she tried to break away from the invisible hands and the whispering voice, but the grip only tightened. The whispers took form, turning from a hollow noise into torturing words. Her mind drew on the newly emerging words while at the same time attempting to hold on to the music that brought such frightening joy. There was no escape. The music was lost to her, and all that was left was a vague recollection of the enchantment that had once been there. The whispering voice taunted her as she spun, and as she peered through the dark with eyes that could barely see. "Welcome to the rest of your life." It said in a mocking tone. "Welcome to Hell."