(Might be creating a manga for this)
MAYA’S SONG
Johan Waldorf was a talented pianist. His hands would just seem to sweep over the row of keys and heavenly music would emanate from him and his instrument. Soul and magic alike flew from his fingers right into the hearts of his listeners. His elegant form hunched over the piano is more than enough to set a woman’s heart aflutter.
To make it big in the classical music industry was his destiny.
But, one by one, he failed to play the pieces he was most known for. He would start playing, and then would suddenly stop and look down. His fingers would be shaking. And his head, which was supposedly full of the next notes, would be blank.
He just seemed to have forgotten bits of his life.
There even came the time when he punched a 5-year colleague in the face because he couldn’t recognize him anymore. That sent him flying to a psychiatrist’s clinic.
He got diagnosed with Pre-senile Dementia. The doctors said that it was Alzheimer’s for the young and only happened rarely. He was 26. He was at the prime of his career, of his life.
Life is unfair, that was what he thought.
Now, Johan is living with other patients in this rehabilitation center. Patients with different illnesses and problems were everywhere, and Johan was sick and tired of this sad environment. The only consolation he got was the grand piano stationed in the main hall.
But how can the piano do good if he can’t even remember even the simplest of songs?
Johan walked over to the grand piano and bravely sat down on the leather chair. He positioned his hands and stretched his fingers. He looked out to the big window overlooking the field and breathed in deep.
Surely, he wouldn’t be able to forget Debussy’s Clair de Lune.
His hands swept over the keys and again, magic flew from his fingers. Johan felt elated. His every breath filled with anticipation, he swayed smoothly through the first fractions of the piece.
Then, he blanked out and smashed the keyboard in his rage. He despaired.
‘That’s not how you play the piano, Mister.’
‘THEN TELL ME HOW TO DO IT THEN!’ He all but shouted the rude reply. And when he realized that he was talking to a she, it was a bit too late to take back his outburst.
The woman looked startled, but she smiled and slid next to him.
‘The name’s Maya, what’s yours?’
‘Johan… Johan Waldorf.’
‘Now, Mr. Johan Waldorf… this is how you play the piano.’
Melody filled the hall. It was not complicated like how Johan remembered his favorite pieces to be. It was too simple, even. But it was the simplicity that moved Johan to tears. He was wiping tears off his face by the time the girl was done.
‘You okay, Johan?’
‘What was that piece you played? You seem very good.’
The girl blushed shyly.
‘It’s ‘Sunshine’, an original. It’s too easy, I know. I’m actually just a choir piano girl.’
Johan smiled and looked down sadly. He felt jealous.
‘You want me to teach it to you?’
For days, Johan and Maya hung out by the piano together. Johan found out that Maya was a patient too but she kept her illness a secret. Johan thought it was unfair that Maya knows about his situation and he doesn’t. But, he didn’t insist on it for fear that he may offend the lady. He learned Maya’s piece at a turtle’s pace too since there’d be times that he’d forget the notes he so recently learned. And Maya, would always so patiently run him through the lessons again. And again… and again.
The days became months… and the time they spent together made Johan realize something important and surprising.
He was in love with Maya.
But his dementia was worsening. He knew even before the doctor told him what was happening. He was bound to forget everything soon. Too soon.
He became desperate. He spent almost every second of every day with Maya. When they had to part for even a short while, he felt like he might break.
He became too afraid of the day when he won’t be able to remember anything anymore.
Not even Maya.
‘Hey… what’s wrong Johan?’
Johan can’t stop his tears from falling. He felt like a kid.
‘Hey, what’s wrong?’
‘I—I don’t want to forget you.’ And he sobbed.
Maya became silent. She put her arms around Johan and held him until he was done sobbing. It was actually quite difficult for her as Johan’s quite big and she’s quite dainty. But she held on well and she held on through. She held Johan’s heaving body for the longest time.
‘It’s just easy, you know.’ She said when he finally sobered.
Johan sniffled. ‘How?’
Maya smiled and cupped Johan’s tear-stained face. Then, she kissed him tenderly.
‘You’ll just have to fall in love with me over and over again.’
Maya gave him another smile… and crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Maya had leukemia. And she was bound to die in three days.
Today’s the third day.
Throughout the ordeal, Johan stayed with Maya, who just slept like a baby though his trained eyes could see her deteriorating by the minute. He held her hand in the night, never leaving her side. He hummed her everything he could set his mind on. He wiped off her sweat, covered her when she’s cold. And when he thought that there’s something wrong, he felt so bad about not being able to do anything.
He wanted to be the one to fight for her, but he was as useless as an old log.
He was broken like never before.
He looked sadly at the girl. She was strapped on the bed, deathly pale. Her breathing was labored and from time to time, her body gave out violent jerks that sent tremors through Johan’s system. He thought about all the happy times they had together… and how it’s all going to end anytime.
All these thinking made Johan want to smash his head right through the wall to end it all.
A raspy voice brought Johan back from inside his head. ‘You really are like a baby, you know.’
He turned to Maya and when he found out that she really was awake, she helped him sit up and made her as comfortable as she can. Then he took his usual place, the stool by Maya’s bed.
He took Maya’s hand and gently squeezed it. Maya, in return, winced.
‘This is unfair Maya.’ Tears fell from his eyes.
‘I know. Life was never meant to be fair, Johan.’
Johan brought Maya’s hand to his lips. She winced again but still managed to smile at him lovingly. She raised her other hand and stroked Johan’s cheek. Her eyes then became stern.
‘You still have to fall in love with me. Over and over again.’
Johan laughed at his girl’s usual demanding tone.
‘That will never be a problem, miss.’
‘Good.’
Maya laid back on her bed and smiled her last smile. Johan leaned over and laid his head on Maya’s chest. He felt her fading heartbeat. He kissed the hand he’s been holding, and smiled too.
Then… both of them disappeared.
‘Mr. Waldorf!’
Johan Waldorf turned around and saw someone wearing a ridiculous white coat approaching him.
‘Who are you?’
‘I am your doctor sir. Can you please come -- … ‘
Johan Waldorf looked beyond the man in white. Something black and shiny caught his eye. He immediately started for it.
‘… test…. Mr. Waldorf?’
Johan Waldorf went into the room where the black shiny thing was. He saw the chair near it and sat down. He pushed down on one white, smooth bar facing him and was surprised to hear a pleasant sound come off. He tried a couple more bars and smiled.
‘What is this?’ Johan Waldorf asked the man in white.
‘That sir, is a piano. It’s used by people to make music.’
‘Hmmm… music.’
Johan Waldorf then positioned his hands and stretched his fingers. He looked out to the big window overlooking the field and breathed in deep.
He smiled at the doctor before he started.
Melody filled the hall. It was not complicated like how the doctor remembers his favorite pieces. It was too simple, even. But it was the simplicity that moved the doctor to tears. He was wiping tears off his face by the time Johan Waldorf was done.
‘You okay, Mr. Doctor?’
‘What was that piece you played? You seem very good.’
Johan Waldorf smiled shyly. He looked out the window and squinted at the sunshine.
‘It’s… err…’, he scratched his head, and brightened up.
‘Maya’s Song... You want me to teach it to you?’
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akai24
You like literature diba? xd
