Player Piano Novels & Stories

Kailangan pa siyang gisingin ni Sofia nang maagang-maaga para simulan na ang mahabang araw. Sa umaga ay nagpunta sa masyon nila ang maestro ng piano. Namangha siya sapagkat nang makaharap niya ang malaking piano ay kusa na lamang gumalaw ang kanyang mga daliri para tumugtog ng musika. Para bang kabisadung-kabisado kung saan ang wastong notang tipain. Ang tanging piano na nahawakan niya ay ang laruan niya noong gradeschool kaya imposibleng makatugtog siya ng buong kanta. Pagkatapos ba ng panaginip na ito, maaalala pa niya ang tumugtog ng piano?

Plink. Kai was sitting on the narrow piano bench. He wasn’t playing a song. He wasn’t performing. He was just pressing the keys, one by one, with his index finger testing their weight, their resistance, the way they responded under his touch. The old upright piano was badly out of tune. The middle E was flat, hanging slightly sour, and the high notes carried a faint metallic tang that spoke of years spent enduring mountain winters and neglect. But it was real. Painfully, beautifully real. “It’s honest,” Kai said into the shadows, his voice low and rough, barely louder than the crackle of the fire.

At least that’s what Jace told himself as his fingers moved over the flimsy keys. “Well, there you go,” Eric said. “You get to try something different.” “I’m not really comfortable playing the piano.” “Why not? You rock at it.” Jace lowered his eyes. “My mother—” “Don’t have one of those, so can’t relate, sorry. Can you play a guitar riff on the piano?” Jace shrugged. “I guess.” Eric had piano music embedded into a song in a matter of minutes. “How do you do that?” Jace asked.