by KATRINA

I can talk to dead people through my violin. I sit in the dark forest and play a sad tune that makes your heart hurt when you hear it. Your ears ring and your brain turns to mush. The evil souls reveal themselves. It’s the only time they feel loved, understood, not neglected. Though it’s only on Halloween. The day the devil dances. Though one Halloween that was a mistake.

Since the devil is evil and full of tricks, he decided to play a game. The game was called soul-snatching. And since I was the dumb human I helped him. I didn’t actually help him snatch souls; I helped him by making him to feel welcome out of the shadows. See, now every time I played my violin, it made him stronger. He grew taller and became fatter, his claws longer and his teeth sharper. His mind thinks more evil thoughts and his plans become smarter.

He controlled me like a puppet on strings. He moved me out of the forest and into the world where all the innocent people were. He forced me to go into their homes and snatch their souls right out of their bodies. The looks on their innocent faces was a look I had never wanted to see. It was the look in the children’s eyes – a look of fear and worry. I felt ashamed. I wanted to die with them, especially when I had to look into the eyes of Jammonica.

She was the two-year-old I had once helped dress up like a princess and took trick-or-treating, the sweet, innocent girl I had babysat and tucked into bed every night. She was my little sister and I loved her. That feeling, that happy memory made the devil drop the strings.

I fell and broke the glass bowl in which I had been storing the souls. The souls sunk down into the earth and I heard an evil laugh.

A voice then said, “You almost made a fool of me. I almost lost my precious souls. Since you are a good person, and I feel you aren’t ready for this evil game and those wicked memories, I will take you out of your misery. But, for me to do that you would have to serve me and play your violin to make me happy.”

“See, now, you are trying to make a fool of me,” I replied. “I played my violin for you, and you became stronger. And to be fair, if I may add, I have been your servant long enough. I have served you daily. No way! I will not serve you anymore!”

I felt my body lift back up and travel back to the forest. My violin floated up and landed on my shoulder. My fingers automatically moved into place. The bow was already on the string, but I didn’t lift my hand to begin playing. I kept my hand on my right hip and said:

“Have fun in Hell, ‘cause that’s where you will stay.”

I then lifted my violin and slammed it against the cold dirt. It smashed into pieces. The game was finally over.