Second Dream
The dream beings unassumingly. Salieri is seated in front of a grand piano, impeccably dressed, as always. His expression is neutral, blank. He lifts a hand to the keyboard and plays a note. One single note that rings in the air. After a moment, he places his other hand on the piano, and he plays two notes. They sound fine, however…something is off. It is impossible to put one’s finger on, and Salieri frowns. Three notes this time; for those that can play piano, they’ll recognize the keys being pressed as a major chord. However, the chord doesn’t come out quite major. It is impossible to tell whether the chord is sharp or flat, but it is certainly off. Salieri’s frown deepens, and he tries again. This time six keys are played; another major chord. This one sounds even further off major than before, clearly straying into what could be called minor territory, but even that might be generous. A slight sneer curls the corner of Salieri’s lip, and he plays several chords this time, each one sounding worse than the last. By the end, he his full-out scowling. He then tries to play a scale, fingers tripping with ease up and down the piano keys, but all that emerges from the piano is a messy jumble of notes. He tries again, attempting a melody, and again, attempting both a melody and a harmony. The sounds from the piano become worse and worse; and Salieri is, by now, practically snarling, fingers slamming harshly down on the keys as if, by force, he can will the piano to play what he wishes.
There is suddenly an awareness of another figure in the room, even as Salieri continues to play and wretched, odd sounds emerge from the piano. It’s the figure of a woman, but she is in shadow, unable to be seen. Did she just appear now? Perhaps she was there all along. Where or whenever she has arrived, she steps out of the shadows, moving slowly towards the piano. Meanwhile, Salieri continues to play, his fingers moving faster and faster over the keys, the notes and rhythms becoming further garbled as he plays. Finally, in a fit of frustration and anger, he slams all ten fingers down on the keyboard, and the piano lets out an awful chord that rings through the room. Salieri seems to curl in on himself then, bent over the keyboard, sobbing quietly.
The woman steps up behind him, but Salieri doesn’t seem to recognize or acknowledge her presence, even as she slides her arms around his neck from behind. The fingers of one hand, nails painted black, slide over his black outer jacket and down his chest. The other hand cups his chin, uncurling him from his slumped position over the keyboard and tilting his head back so his eyes focus on her for a moment, face twisted in an expression of tortured pain. The dim candlelight in the room reflects off the wetness on his cheeks, and her look is almost sympathetic. She holds his gaze and his chin as her other hand lifts from his chest. As it hovers in the air, her black nails lengthen into claws, each at least six inches long and razor sharp. Then, continuing to hold his gaze and his chin, she lifts that hand, before plunging it down into the center of his chest. Salieri’s eyes widen with shock, and lets out a noise that sounds like a choked gurgle, jerking once in her grasp. Red blooms in rivulets around her hand as it sinks into his chest, his ribs audibly cracking with a sharp snaps. Salieri gasps for breath, eyes staring into hers, but makes no move to stop her, hands still resting on the keyboard, seemingly helpless in her grasp. Her hand slowly starts with withdraw, and her prize pulses under her fingers. She pulls it completely out of his body, breaking her gaze with him to watch it, Salieri’s heart pulsing in the center of her outstretched hand.
Salieri slumps in the chair, eyes staring up at the ceiling, hands falling from the piano. The woman smooths the hair away from his face gently, tenderly. She leans down to press a kiss to his forehead, before stepping back from him, moving to cradle his heart in both hands. She looks down at it for a moment. Then, her gaze shifts upward, staring straight at the watcher for a moment…before she smiles.
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[Salieri jerks upright in bed with something like a gasp, breathing heavily, sweat dotting his brow. He runs a hand shakily through his hair-before the glow of the Dreamberry catches his eye. The look on his face is briefly panicked, before he reaches out to turn it off.]
There is suddenly an awareness of another figure in the room, even as Salieri continues to play and wretched, odd sounds emerge from the piano. It’s the figure of a woman, but she is in shadow, unable to be seen. Did she just appear now? Perhaps she was there all along. Where or whenever she has arrived, she steps out of the shadows, moving slowly towards the piano. Meanwhile, Salieri continues to play, his fingers moving faster and faster over the keys, the notes and rhythms becoming further garbled as he plays. Finally, in a fit of frustration and anger, he slams all ten fingers down on the keyboard, and the piano lets out an awful chord that rings through the room. Salieri seems to curl in on himself then, bent over the keyboard, sobbing quietly.
The woman steps up behind him, but Salieri doesn’t seem to recognize or acknowledge her presence, even as she slides her arms around his neck from behind. The fingers of one hand, nails painted black, slide over his black outer jacket and down his chest. The other hand cups his chin, uncurling him from his slumped position over the keyboard and tilting his head back so his eyes focus on her for a moment, face twisted in an expression of tortured pain. The dim candlelight in the room reflects off the wetness on his cheeks, and her look is almost sympathetic. She holds his gaze and his chin as her other hand lifts from his chest. As it hovers in the air, her black nails lengthen into claws, each at least six inches long and razor sharp. Then, continuing to hold his gaze and his chin, she lifts that hand, before plunging it down into the center of his chest. Salieri’s eyes widen with shock, and lets out a noise that sounds like a choked gurgle, jerking once in her grasp. Red blooms in rivulets around her hand as it sinks into his chest, his ribs audibly cracking with a sharp snaps. Salieri gasps for breath, eyes staring into hers, but makes no move to stop her, hands still resting on the keyboard, seemingly helpless in her grasp. Her hand slowly starts with withdraw, and her prize pulses under her fingers. She pulls it completely out of his body, breaking her gaze with him to watch it, Salieri’s heart pulsing in the center of her outstretched hand.
Salieri slumps in the chair, eyes staring up at the ceiling, hands falling from the piano. The woman smooths the hair away from his face gently, tenderly. She leans down to press a kiss to his forehead, before stepping back from him, moving to cradle his heart in both hands. She looks down at it for a moment. Then, her gaze shifts upward, staring straight at the watcher for a moment…before she smiles.
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[Salieri jerks upright in bed with something like a gasp, breathing heavily, sweat dotting his brow. He runs a hand shakily through his hair-before the glow of the Dreamberry catches his eye. The look on his face is briefly panicked, before he reaches out to turn it off.]