The Curse of The Grand Piano: A Short Story

by Jazmin Crimson

  Todd reached out his hands to the old woman and she placed her frail, cold hands in his.

  “Relax, Todd. You shall soon see the truth.”

  Todd jerked as she said his name, “How did you know my name?”

  “Your hands, now be quiet and let me summon the spirits.”

  Todd scowled at her bossy tone but kept quiet, he closed his eyes and tried to relax as her incantations began to echo throughout the room. Her grip on his hands tighten and Todd began to sweat, his body tingled all over and his blood began to boil.

  A groan escaped his lips as a black and white vision assaulted him. He saw a young man in a tuxedo standing in front of a beautiful crafted piano, a look of sheer terror on his face as a hooded stood before him. Todd saw the man being horrendously killed, his head being smashed in over and over by the lid of the piano, the hooded figure not laying on finger on him. He then watched as the dark being drew what seemed to be Edward’s soul, out of his body. It was screaming in anguish, begging the figure to let him go.

  Todd felt the pain for the soul of the man and decided then and there he could not see anymore, he forced himself to pull his hands out of the clutch of the old woman’s and felt backwards onto the floor, chair and all. His was was dripping with beads of sweat, his shirt drenched and his breathing ragged. The woman stood and looked down at him, her nose turned up in a haughty manner.

  “I have told you and you did not believe me, now you have seen for yourself. Only you can stop this, destroy the piano and set Edward free, break the chain.” She left and went into the back room of her little tavern. Todd was on his feet in a matter of seconds and scurried out the front door.

  “Fuck!..” he exclaimed as he clutched his chest. He felt like his insides were on fire, like he’d just been to hell and back. In all his years, Todd had never considered the supernatural world, he’d always been practical and logical about things. That is, until today when he visited the fortune teller. It took a lot for him to believe but the little seance was enough to convince him.

  His head pounded as if on the verge of exploding. He needed to get home. He needed to go to his safe place and reflect on all that happened today, he’d make his next move from there. As of now, he was in no position to carry on with the case, he knew who the killer was now and that was important. He’d need to find a way to stop him, it, whatever it was.

  ******

  Sunlight met Todd in his bed, eyes wide open as he stared up at his ceiling. His mind raced with the events of the previous day and he shuddered at how naive he’d been. He’d believed in the here and now, the things tangible to him, not what was hidden to the naked eye. Todd rolled of his bed with a renewed determination. He had the clues, he knew the convict and he knew the convict’s weapon. The only downside of his small victory was, he had no idea how to lift a demon’s curse.

  His cell phone rang out, jerking him out of his thoughts, he slide his finger across the touch screen.

  “Hewitt, what’s up?”

  “They’ve found another one. This time, it’s two for the price of one.”

  “Williams, stop speaking in parables!”

  “The piano killings, man! Two more victims have been added to the list, twins. The Vovorskis.”

  Todd’s mind spun with the news his co-worker revealed to him, his gut felt hallowed out. He’d wasted so much time trying to understand the clues that he risked the lives of others. It had been six months since the last victim, of course the piano was sold by now!

  “Williams, I want you to take the piano into the evidence warehouse.”

  “What?”

  “Just do what I say! I know what I’m doing.”

  He’d made the mistake of dismissing the main and most common item in all of the piano killings; the piano itself. Now, he’d make damn sure that it didn’t get into another innocent’s hands.

  “I’ll be right down, Williams.” Todd disconnected the call and quickly readied himself to face the day. He’d need to see the fortune teller again.

  ******

  “So you’re telling me that I have to play the piano myself?” Todd asked the fortune teller.

  “Yes, you must lure the demon out of the piano and then destroy it.”

  “And I have to wait thirteen days to see this.. Demon?”

  “Indeed, he will not show until the thirteenth day.”

  “When he’s out of the piano and I’ve destroyed it, how do I get rid of him?”

  “You must help him cross over to the other side, he needs your help, he needs to be with his family again.” The old woman fiddled with some bottles on her counter as she spoke to Todd.

  “But I cannot.. I.. I don’t know how to deal with these things. A day ago, I didn’t even know this world existed!”

  “I know, my child. I shall accompany you to perform the ritual after you have lured him out.”

  Todd sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

  “Okay, I’ll have to move the piano from the warehouse into my home and you will stay with me for the full thirteen days.”

  The old woman looked up at Todd with a look of disbelief on her face, she shook her head and came around to stand before Todd, craning her head to look up at him.

  “I cannot do that! I have a shop to run! Who will run my business?”

  “I will pay you for the thirteen days but I need help with this, I have no idea what I’m dealing with.”

  The old lady sighed and smiled up at Todd, placing a hand on his cheek as a sign of motherly affection, “Alright, child. I will help you.”

  With relief, Todd nodded and left with the intent to acquire the grand piano from the warehouse without being caught. He’d have to hatch a careful plan to make sure he keeps his job and solve the case.

  As Todd drove to the warehouse, he called up a few old friends, one of which had a truck that would be able to transport the piano to his home. He needed help to move the demon filled instrument and these were the people he knew who could be suitably discreet about the affair.

  Several hours passed and night fell upon Todd as he watched the warehouse, his three friends showed up at the exact hour of 11PM. He handed them each one hundred dollars as payment for the favor and proceeded to explain his plan. After a moment of careful consideration, the foursome stealthily ventured into the warehouse, avoiding the watch dogs and the guards who have fallen asleep as much as possible.

  The finally reached the lone room the piano sat in. Its amour shun with a sinister glow as the moonlight from the nearby window bathed it. Todd’s skin prickled as he drew closer to the demonic instrument, reluctance running through his veins. He’d never felt like this before while working a case. He’d always faced it with bravery and conviction. It wasn’t so much the fear or what he was about to face but the fear of not having an extensive knowledge about what he was going to face.

  Todd shook himself out of his hesitance and assisted the trio of his friends with the piano. Carefully they attached a set of wheels to the three feet of the piano and within minutes they were wheeling it out of the storeroom. With great caution, they bypassed the passed out guards and their dogs once more before reaching the front gates.

  The four men lifted the heavy piano onto the truck of one of the friends and soon enough, they were heading to Todd’s house. On the drive, Todd couldn’t help but think about how this case will play out. He was so caught up in his imagination, he hadn’t noticed he’d arrived at his home. Thankful that no one was up and about, him and his friends unloaded the piano from the truck and quickly wheeled it into his house where he settled it in his living room.

  Todd paid each of his friends another one hundred dollars and soon he was left alone with the possessed piano. As of today, he’d have to face the same faith the eight victims faced except, he’d try his utmost best not to get his head bashed in. His fingers floated over the keys in a mock attempt to play the instrument but he stopped short. He’d wait until the fortune telle
r was staying with him to endure his torture. ‘Till then, he’d sleep for he was way too wary to further the case. He had the killer and instrument, it was away from the general public, there weren’t be anymore piano killings. That is.. If he doesn’t become a victim himself.

  ******

  Twelve days passed Todd quickly. His ordeal was what he could only describe as terribly eye-opening, if it were not for the help of the fortune teller, he might have committed suicide by now to end his torture. Every night since he brought home the piano, he would see things, hear noises that were uncanny. He’d feel like he was being lit on fire at times while he was asleep.

  Todd went from being a highly logical man to one that lives a life of paranoia. He boarded up his windows to block out the natural light of day, he lit candles everywhere and mostly sat in the corner of his bedroom, rocking back and forth as he hugged his knees. He’d never experienced something quite like this and it was ripping him to shreds emotionally and mentally.

  He thought about calling his daughter and telling her he loved her one last time for he sincerely felt he wasn’t going to make it. Other times, his will-power spiked with the aid of the fortune teller and he fought the demonic tauntings with all his might. He sat on his sofa with the fortune teller, reflecting on all that had happened.

  “Soon, the thirteenth day will come,” said the fortune teller.

  Todd nodded, “In about an hour,” he replied as he glanced at his watch.

  “I will begin preparing for the cross over of the demon. You focus on being brave, my child. That piano must be destroyed. Here.” The fortune teller handed Todd an ax, that had a hatchet of stained silver and a handle that could only be described as the colour of blood.

  “What’s this for?” Asked Todd.

  “Did you think that a supernatural instrument could be destroyed with a plain utensil? No, my child. The dark must always be fought with the light. Use this and you will be successful.”

  Todd took the ax and scrutinized its appearance. The item in hand looked as though it had seen many wars, all of which supernatural.

  “It’s also good for chopping meat,” said the old lady jokingly. She’d been cracking lame jokes since she moved in. Todd was grateful as it lightened things a bit.

  “Go my child and have a meal before this ritual takes place.” Said the woman to Todd. He obliged and left for the kitchen, in a matter of minutes, he would face a likely doom or a hairline victory.

  ******

  The hour passed and Todd became frantic with despair. He bolted from the kitchen, his skin prickling with fear. He called out to the old fortune teller but all he could hear was the incessant demonic laughter of the one that had turned his life upside down since he took on the case. He stumbled into the living room where the piano sat. The old lady sat in the middle of the room in the lotus position. She glanced over at Todd and gestured with her eyes for him to stand next to piano.

  Todd moved with hesitation to the accursed object and he touched its cold exterior. The laughing grew louder, things around the house shattered and broke and shadows danced on the wall. Todd shut his eyes tightly, willing the happenings to go away. He, a man who never prayed, silently begged God to extract him from the situation he’d been cast into.

  He opened his eyes after what seemed to be an eternity and stilled at the image that stood before him. Edward Griffin. His pianist ensemble were severely tattered, he looked every bit of menacing with his dark disposition. The demon’s lips curled into a blood curdling smile and Todd became struck with a pang of helplessness. This was it, he thought. He glanced over to the old woman on his living room floor and saw that her gaze was locked on the form of the demon, her lips moving quickly as she rattled off her incantations silently. Her finger twitched in his direction and it registered in his mind; it was time for action.

  Todd picked up the ax from under the seat of the piano and held it high above his head, with a last glance at the demon, he brought down his arms, the blade of the ax making contact with the internal strings of the instrument, severing them almost instantaneously. An ear piercing scream sounded throughout the room and Todd felt a burning sensation at his side. Upon looking down, he realized he was bleeding, a shard of glass glistening as it poked out of his side.

  “Continue, I say!” Yelled the old woman. Todd ignored his pain and continued hacking away at the piano, his mind in a trance with the movements of the ax. More glass pieces assaulted him but he didn’t feel it. All he felt was the heady rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. This moment was all about saving his skin, saving the skins of others and closing this case once and for all, in this life and in the next.

  Lost in his intentions, Todd didn’t feel the tackle of the demon. He realized what knocked him off his feet only when he was laying on the almost destroyed piano, the menacing face of the demon growling down at him. He was sure he was a goner, he closed his eyes and waited for his head to be bashed in, to feel his soul being ripped from his body.

  Suddenly, screams from the being above him erupted. His eye lids flew open, his gaze instinctively landing on that of the old woman. She was now standing, her incantations loud enough to be even heard by the demon, her eyes fixed on his form as he spun around to face her.

  The demon flitted closer to her, a unforgivable rage emanating from his presence.

  “Continue, Todd!” Screamed the woman.

  Todd spun around, wincing from the pain he now felt from the shards of glass sticking out of him. With conviction, he picked up the ax and began hacking away at the grand piano again, aiming to destroy it completely. He chanced a glanced back to the fortune teller who was now invisibly pinned to the wall by the demon, a piece of glass dangerously floating close to her throat but yet she continued the spell she was casting. She screamed her incantations at the demon and it was clear he was weakening.

  Todd drew his attention back to the piano. As he smashed it, streams of white quickly sprung out of the instrument. The streams moved about the room frantically, as if trapped insects. A familiar face appeared as one of the streams zoomed by him, a face he had seen before. It was the face of Emanuel Perkins, the eighth victim. He had realized now that these streams of white were the trapped souls Edward had collected for his freedom.

  Within minutes the piano was destroyed and Todd now stood, facing the back of the demon.

  “Edward Griffin!” He beckoned.

  The demon furiously spun around the face him.

  “Your time here is over! You will no longer entrap these poor souls anymore! We will help you cross over.”

  “You cannot help me,” growled the demon, “You are but an insignificant human who has never appreciated what he had in life and as such, your soul is mine!”

  “I know what happened to you, Edward,” Todd calmly said in attempt to buy time for the fortune teller.

  “I know what you mistakenly did, I know that it costed you your family and you want to be with them now, this is why you’re collecting souls.”

  The demon stared at Todd as if he’d grown two heads, his almost translucent chest heaving angrily.

  “My friend there can help you cross over as I have just freed the souls you trapped. We can help you, trust me.” Todd stared at the demon, half expecting to be attacked, half expecting to be heeded.

  The demon considered Todd’s words for a few agonizing moments before lurching at him.

  “You cannot help me you foolish being, your soul is mine!” Todd stumbled back as the dark figure barreled towards him at top speed. A single breath caught in his throat as he closed his eyes and awaited his doom. But, it never came.

  He looked at the demon’s stilled form, suspended in mid-air, inches away from Todd. A confused look crossed the face of the demonic being of Edward Griffin before he fell to the floor, screaming in excruciating pain. Todd glanced over to the fortune teller who was now on her feet, striding with purpose towards the screaming Edward. Her words igniting some kind of light within t
he demon so much so that his chest erupted with a stream of pitch black gore and then everything in the room became exceedingly bright for Todd.

  When the light cleared, Todd saw a white stream of a man he was smiling, a man who held a young child in his arms and who had a beautiful woman standing next to him. These were the souls of Edward Griffin and his family. The fortune teller had done it. Edward nodded at Todd as if to say ‘Thanks’ and Todd nodded in return. The three souls turned and walked towards the white light in the distance where they disappeared.

  “You better be paying me good for this, Todd.” Said the fortune teller, breaking him out of his thoughts.

  Todd glanced at the woman and broke into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, he was joined by the old woman who embraced him and congratulated him on his new found belief and struggles.

  “Guess I’m a believer now,” said Todd as his eyes found the spot where Edward had disappeared.

  “And as such, you are a better detective, my child.” The old woman smiled and then helped Todd to his feet.

  “Let us get these pieces of glass out of you,” said the fortune teller as she assisted him. Todd winced as he stared down at his body, bits of glass sticking out in all directions. He chuckled wholeheartedly and walked with the old woman to his kitchen thinking to himself, Case closed.

  End.