| From Chapter One.... Being careful not to damage her dress it took Judy a minute or two to catch up with them. When she did they were already at the bottom of the hill where the woods met the field. There they stood, staring at a most startling sight. Standing before them was a young man, dressed in contemporary clothes, playing violin. His only accompaniment was the insects in the field behind him. His eyes were nearly closed. Drawing the bow back and forth over the instrument’s strings he swayed, ever so slightly, in time with the rise and fall of the music. Behind him the pink sky was quickly fading to gray. Fascinated, Paige stood utterly still, listening to the sad and eerie music he played. She was afraid to move, lest she break the spell his playing cast over the scene. Finding the young man here, like this, playing violin while his family looked, on was completely unexpected. He wasn't playing anywhere public, where people might come to listen or expect to find entertainment, and his performance certainly did not seem to be planned or organized by anyone other then himself. The boy's parents nodded, quietly greeting the Oliver’s as they crept closer. While the two families watched and listened, the boy’s father moved around his son, taking pictures with a digital camera. Then another person joined them, a woman who came upon them so quietly she startled them. She wore a blue gingham dress that at first glance appeared to be a costume, such as Paige and Judy wore, but it was hard to tell. She wore it so naturally it might be a dress of her own, a dress she wore on any given day. Taking in the scene she closed her eyes and listened, never once saying a word or looking at anyone other than the young violinist. A pleased smile came to her face and she reopened her eyes. When she did, she walked toward the young musician, stopping only when she was directly in front of him. As he continued playing they stared at each other. Finally she spoke. “They want me to thank you. They are pleased you came to play for them,” she said, “More than pleased, they are happy.” The young man nodded his head, acknowledging what she said without pausing to ask what she meant. His mother did this for him. “Who?” she asked, “Who is pleased?” The woman in blue gestured to the field behind the violinist. “They are,” she said, “The soldiers.” Then she left, smiling and humming along with the tune the young man played as she walked away. Once darkness fell the young man stopped playing. The Oliver’s lingered there with his family, complimenting him on his playing and thanking him for the impromptu concert. When they asked why he was there, playing violin on the Gettysburg battlefield, he explained, “It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve been to the battlefields before and ever since I’ve wanted to come back and play for them.” “That’s just how that woman put it,” said the musician’s mother, “They were glad you came to play for them. Did you hear her?” “Yes.” All the while they spoke the boy’s father was busy with the camera looking at the pictures he had taken. “You’re very talented,” said Judy, leading conversation away from talk of the woman in blue and the dead soldiers she had spoke of. “Yes, you are,” Paige agreed. The young man smiled at Paige, “Thank you.” Glad to have his attention she asked him, “Whom did she mean? Who was pleased?” “The soldiers,” he explained, “The men who died here. I could feel them around me, listening, enjoying the music.” “Really?” Paige was surprised by this candid answer. “Yes,” he answered emphatically. Just then, his father spoke up. “Like this?” he asked, handing the camera to his son. “Exactly,” said the son, looking at the camera's display screen. Then they shared the picture with the Oliver’s. As expected there was the young man playing is violin, just as they had seen him. But gathered around him were a dozen or more softly glowing orbs, pale circles of light floating about shoulder height. These orbs formed a semi-circle around him, like a polite audience gathered around a street musician. The Oliver’s were speechless. Judy shook as if suddenly chilled. “They’re on all the pictures,” said the father. While Tom and Paige crowded in to look at them Judy stepped away. “Well, we’d better be going,” she announced to her family. Turning to the young musician, she complimented him again. “You play very well,” she said, “You are very talented.” Even as he thanked her Judy was turning to leave. This time it was Tom and Paige who were forced to follow her. Quickly saying goodnight, they had to run to catch up with her. Once they had Tom asked his wife what was going on. “What? Nothing,” Judy said, even though she knew her behavior was odd, if not rude. “I just thought we should get to the house and check in, or whatever.” “Check in? It’s not a hotel. We already dropped our luggage off,” Tom countered, “They’re not going to give our room away.” “We should be getting back,” was all she would say. Hurrying along, Tom and Paige exchanged knowing glances. The pictures had frightened her. |
