Become a PUBLISHED AUTHOR at just 1999/- INR!! Limited Period Offer
Become a PUBLISHED AUTHOR at just 1999/- INR!! Limited Period Offer

Akshitha Pramodh

Children Stories Drama

4.7  

Akshitha Pramodh

Children Stories Drama

Toxic

Toxic

14 mins
648


The luthier's hands glided across the raw wood; his fingers feeling every single crevice in the natural block of spruce. He painstakingly shaped the wood, making sure every single arch, and curve was impeccable. He handled the wood as though it were a frail baby, and in fact, it was his baby, his yet-to-be violin. The luthier's violins were made so perfectly, and each one was so unique that it seemed like a marvellous creation of God. The one he was making presently was for a small player. It was smaller than normal-sized violins, and so he was even more persistent on making sure the violin was perfect since it had to be played by a small child, with delicate hands.


His tools lay scattered on his workbench, pencils and chisels here and there. He had been making this violin for the past month and a half, and as it got nearer and nearer to its completion, the more anxious he became. After 14 hours of uninterrupted hard work, the marvel was complete. Beads of sweat dribbled from his wrinkled forehead. He was gratified with the outcome of his continuous work. He laid his newest masterpiece – the La Melodie Celeste, on his workbench, with great care.


Chloe Li was a young girl, with bright eyes that twinkled with awe almost all the time. Just at the tender age of 3, she got inspired by her favourite classical musicians; Brett Yang and Eddy Chen and decided that she would become a violinist herself. Being too young to play the violin, she had to wait 1 restless year as 'her hands could become bigger and her thoughts and emotions become more mature', according to her father.


Henry Li came from a family of musicians, each member being an expert at a specific instrument. He wished that his daughter, Chloe would become a professional musician herself. Henry was a prodigy at playing the piano. He could play anything flawlessly! He coaxed melodious and heavenly symphonies out of it. Every note he played was weaved with such harmony that made people's skin tingle.


Chloe, as she said, had found her calling for the violin. Every time she heard the violin being played; she became hypnotised. All her senses were lost, other than her hearing ability. She felt a wave of enchantment washing over her slowly, as she gave up her own body to the sound of a violin.


Chloe and Henry went over to the luthier's store. Chloe couldn't control her excitement. Her hands were continuously shaking with yearning. They rang the doorbell, it had intricate carvings on the wood surrounding it. The luthier opened the door, and they went in. The store-part of his workplace smelled musty and had wood shavings below it. The room reeked of varnish. But she didn't mind. She just wanted a violin. Henry explained their request to the luthier. The luthier eye's bored into her own. He looked at her in a way, as if he was checking if she were worthy of his violins. He nodded to himself, turned around and started mumbling to himself while staring at a row of miniature violins.


"This one, the Violon Somptueux, one of my masterpieces, made from the highest quality of cherry wood. Try this one, little girl", the luthier said, inspecting the violin. Chloe hopped over and the luthier handed the violin carefully to her. "Handle this delicately. How does it feel?" Chloe held the violin in her arms. It felt quite heavy and was ill-fitting.


She tried a few violins, some were too big, some too small. None of them was perfect. The luthier rubbed his buccula, musing on about a violin that would be ideal for Chloe. His eyesight drifted, looking around his showroom, when suddenly he remembered. He rushed into his workplace, so vigorously that he set off the stand of violins shaking. He flung the door open, hobbled in and after a few seconds, brought back the one. The La Mélodie Céleste.


It had bright amber-coloured varnish that made the violin seem like it glowed. The varnish was of such high quality that it was like crystals of amber had been crushed to make it. The luthier caressed the violin and gave it to Chloe.

Just by looking at it, she realised this had to be the one. As she rested the violin on her shoulder, she felt an instant click, a spark; as small currents of excitement pulsed through her fingers. It was tailor-made for her; this was the one. She could feel her heart beating rapidly. She was marvelled by how much the violin felt at-place on her chin ;it was meant to be hers. She turned around and looked at Henry. She gave a nod, and that single nod conveyed far more than she could ever say in words.


Well, the violin wasn't cheap too. Henry had to pay a lot for the violin! But he knew that his daughter would make him proud, like every member of the Li family. They got the violin and on the whole journey back, Chloe refused to give the violin to anyone. She held it close to herself.

The teacher plays a crucial role too. After a long and meticulous search, Henry had found Joslyn Hahn, an excellent teacher for the violin as well as a skilled player. Joslyn was a strict no-nonsense woman who put her heart and soul into teaching the instrument. Chloe went to her first lesson with Ms. Hahn and it was a bewildering experience. Ms. Hahn was extremely stern and serious but at the same time, she was that kind of teacher Chloe wanted. She didn't want a teacher who would not teach seriously just because she was 4. Meanwhile, she also wanted a teacher who wouldn't be too stern if she made a mistake. Ms. Hahn pointed out her errors a gazillion times during her lessons.


Her first lesson – it wasn't epic, but it wasn't awful. She did sound like a dying walrus but honestly, that's how everyone sounds during their first lesson. The sound was jarring, and she was quite surprised by how professionals started off with such unpleasant sounds and then became such virtuosos. Ms. Hahn had just one answer – PRACTICE.

Chloe was hell-bent on practising 3 hours a day, even when she didn't have anything to practise for 3 hours! She wanted to improve. She wanted to be the best.


In a few months, she was able to play small songs. But she played the songs with such melody and harmony that it seemed like she was playing Classical pieces. She thoroughly enjoyed this phase of learning music, but she wanted to learn more. This wasn't enough for her. The violin still had to become a part of her soul and she hadn't learnt enough to express herself completely with it. She was now like a dry sponge, soaking every single piece of musical knowledge that was accessible to her.


Two years of violin. Chloe was so talented and so fast to pick up pieces that she began learning actual Classical music. She loved this! Ms. Hahn described Chloe as a fireball, burning down every single thing in her way! She played pieces so marvellously and it was full of little surprises. The sudden trills, tremolo and grace notes added "oomph" to her playing and took it to another level. Her effervescent playing was like birds erupting into birdsong all of a sudden.

Within 5 years, Chloe had learnt so much. She weaved sweet melodies out of the violin. She learnt complicated pieces. She showcased her talent at various forums and never failed to amaze her audiences.

By the time she played a piece from start to finish, she had painted a picture in her mind. The paintings she made were so unique. When she played a sorrowful piece, the picture she painted was mellow and muted, but when she played a joyous piece like Hungarian Dance No.6, her painting was vivid and radiant.


Her crescendo reminded her of the sunrise and waking up after a pleasant dream. When she heard the pizzicato, she remembered playing hide-and-seek with her friends. The magical instrument brought relaxation and joy to the audience as well as peace and calm within herself.

She had won every single competition in her state. She was feared by so many violin players, old and young. She played so passionately, and she gracefully moved while playing it. Her music had this effect; it mesmerized and enchanted even people who had no interest in classical music.

Ms. Hahn called Chloe a musical prodigy, the prodigy of prodigies if that made any sense. Ms. Hahn insisted Henry to make sure she never leaves the violin as she had an ocean of talent.


 "Mr. Li… Your daughter - Chloe, is one in a million…She plays so well, and her talent is limitless! She must harness that talent and she'll go places, places indeed. Make sure she never leaves the violin…I've seen too many people like her go down that wretched path of leaving the instrument. But I kid you not, ensure little Chloe stays with the violin… She plays the violin as though it is part of her body…" Ms. Hahn said, quite breathless after she delivered this monologue in her heavy Australian accent.

Ms. Hahn repeated the same to Henry almost every month, only her eyes shined brighter and brighter as each month passed.

Henry never got tired of hearing this, as it was his own daughter being praised so much.


Chloe was 12. She practised for 3 hours a day, it was the maximum she could do, to balance her school life and violin life. As Ms. Hahn pestered Henry to make sure Chloe doesn't leave the violin, it made Henry all the more paranoid. He wanted his daughter to be the first, the best. Anything else wouldn't suffice.


Henry started to force Chloe to practise 4-5 hours a day, and if she didn't, Henry wouldn't let her have dinner. Chloe wasn't used to this kind of pressure. Henry became extremely stern. He wouldn't let Chloe go out with her friends, unless she practised for over 5 hours. Even when she would go out with her family for dinner, Henry wouldn't let her eat until she played in the restaurant for 2 hours.

Chloe couldn't understand why Henry was behaving like this. Was there a drop in her playing? Possibly no, since Ms. Hahn would have pointed it out. She felt restricted now. There wasn't emotion in her playing since she felt shackled.


This continued for a few more years. She obviously became better at playing since, practice does make perfect, but the difference was, she felt this growth was not healthy. She didn't accept this growth since it was not natural. She was a free bird, chirping sweet birdsong whenever she wanted to. But now since she was forced to, she didn't like doing that.

The paintings she used to paint when she could play with freedom were much more bright, stimulating and brilliant. It now had become dull, subdued and weak.

Henry put a tremendous amount of pressure on Chloe. He made Chloe practise for over 6-7 hours during the weekends and during holidays, they flew around the world to travel in international competitions. She knew she could break any time soon. She was just hanging on by a thread.


"There's something about the way violin sounds that sets my heart into the deepest of symphonies, emotional and torrential in the way it encompasses my body. I can't find anything that holds as much power as the violin does in me. It can be your friend, or your mortal enemy, however, always, it will be your accompaniment, helping you portray your feelings to the world. Your fingers caress it's taut strings, its curves are delicately traced under your palm, and to you, nothing in the world can possibly compare to the sense of empowerment which is achieved with the most fabulous melody of notes."


Chloe started to sob when she heard this recording of herself saying this. Presently, she could not relate to this in any way! She found it so hard to believe that she was the one who said this. The violin was her mortal enemy now. Tears streamed down her face as she heard the same thing on loop.

Now, when she held her violin, it felt like a lump of cold wood, not the gemütlich violin that was tailor-made for her. The violin felt out of place in her arms, though it was the same. She could still play heavenly melodies but internally there was a monstrous rage burning in her heart.

She slowly started to dislike the violin. She didn't want to play it anymore since she felt trapped. But her opinion didn't matter. The paintings became darker and darker. The violin felt misshapen.


All her inner thoughts didn't count. She did what she was asked to by Henry. She won prestigious competitions, but it didn't matter to her. What is the point of name and fame when one is ashamed? She couldn't even share her feelings with Henry since if she told him, he would be heartbroken. She continued playing, her sound was the same, but it lacked passion which could only be sensed by her.

The relationship between Chloe and her violin grew worse and became toxic. She had to play it though she didn't want to. Everyone around her told her to be grateful for her talent, so she felt more bewildered since it seemed like she was wasting something without knowing the true value of it.

This continued for one more year. She despised the violin. She couldn't even imagine wanting to play it when she was younger. She wanted to break free from this toxic and torturous circle. Only thing, she couldn't…


That was when it happened. She came home from her violin lesson which she now detested. Her father stood at the doorway, with a phone in his hand. His eyes were shining, and his face was beaming with pride.


"Chloe, come here my dear... You just got invited to play at Carnegie Hall! THE CARNEGIE HALL! I'm so proud of you…You're my star, the brightest star in the universe" Henry had every reason to kvell, his daughter had been invited to perform in one of the most prestigious halls in the world!

Tears streamed down her face as she heard this. Her mascara got smudged. She smiled and gave a small nod and went inside. Henry didn't even ask whether she wanted to play. At the same time, she had made him so proud! She had to play now, otherwise, her father would never forgive her.

Chloe started practising like a maniac. Ms. Hahn pushed her to her limits. She had to play 'Nel cor piu non mi sento', one of the most difficult pieces in the world, composed by the great Niccolò Paganini which ironically meant 'in my heart I feel no more'. She played it wonderfully with all the small nuances which made the piece so amazing and marvellous. She had practised the piece for 2 whole years, to perfect it, to master it.

Finally, after what seemed like a decade, the D-Day arrived. She was not excited about it the least, but in fact, she was disappointed. She hated the violin now more than ever.


Still, she got ready for her recital. She wore a pretty gown made of lilac chiffon and wore a simple but bejewelled pearl necklace. It was minimalistic but extremely beautiful. Her ocean blue eyes were stormy grey now. They were cloudy and dark.


The curtains opened. There was a spotlight shining on her face. This setup was done so that the player could become one with the instrument; she could completely give away her senses to the instrument. Chloe looked on to the audience. She spotted her father and Ms. Hahn. Both of them were gleaming with pride. She looked away. All the people were staring into her eyes, with great expectations. She started playing. The sound resonated across the hall. It was majestic to hear the piece in this arrangement. It enchanted the audience. By the time the first variation ended, the spectators were caught in a trance. They were drowned by the melodies of Paganini.


Chloe, on the other hand, was struggling. Not to play, but to emote. Her paintings were black. Null and void. She painted and painted but nothing came. Tears flooded out of her eyes. Her resentment for the violin reached the peak. It was hard and crude in her hands. She kept playing but she wanted to stop.

She had to stop, otherwise she felt something terrible would happen. Her music was still wonderful, and the spectators didn't seem to find a difference. Internally, she was fighting a battle. A battle she was losing…


She was halfway done through the piece. As soon as it gets over, she was planning to burn her violin. She just had to pull through. It was also Carnegie Hall; she might never get a chance to perform there again.


 "Why do I even need to perform here again? I hate the violin and I'm never touching that thing again. This is my life, not my dad's. I don't need to live my life for my dad. I will do what I want to. I want to be free. Free me from these shackles. That's all! ", her emotions were so loud. She had to make the decision.


RIGHT NOW. NOT IN THE FUTURE, BUT NOW…IN THIS MOMENT…


She inhaled deeply and took a stand.


The silence, interrupting the music echoed loudly across the auditorium.



Rate this content
Log in

More english story from Akshitha Pramodh