There Will Be Music

314 days until extinction.

Melodic birdsong was what woke Jackson from the most pleasant slumber he’d had in many months. A light shower of rain gently tapped against the window yet a small sliver of soft golden light pierced through the edge of the drapes casting a warm glow on the pair still laying in bed.

Jackson made sure to savor the beauty of the person sleeping next to him, the way her brow furrowed even in rest and the way her hair cloaked her eyes to keep morning light out. He had never before shared his bedroom intimately with another person, and he almost chuckled that now at the end of the world he felt a bit more like he understood the purpose and real joy of it.

And suddenly a melody flowed into his mind, starting first as a few simple notes before a harmony formed. He had nearly leaped from bed as a rhythm fell into place in his mind.

Sitting at the piano his fingers moved to the keys plunking out the beginning melody, it didn’t sound quite right so he adjusted a few notes before it sounded exactly like he imagined. He moved to the harmony next, finding it easier yet still not quite right.

“Wow, that sounds incredible.”

The voice rocked him from the trance he had seemingly fallen into Jackson realized that it had been at least two hours since he sat down. His muscles ached and the entire back of his shirt was wet from sweat, he wiped his hand across his face and felt like he had just finished swimming. The room was now aglow in the warm light of the morning.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you.” Keila offered an apologetic smile from where she sat on the bed wrapped in the blanket that had been kicked aside during their evening calisthenics.

“No, no you didn’t. I mean that’s not true you did, but I also didn’t even realize how long I was playing.”

“Seriously though that was beautiful. What’s it called?”

“Oh, it doesn’t have a name. I’ve just been trying to…it’s stupid,” Jackson shook his head and stood up when suddenly he felt his hand seized by Keila. Looking down at her he was shocked to see her stern gaze.

“Don’t downplay it. This is important to you. Tell me.”

Something about the way she looked at him, and the force of her grip just made it impossible to deny her request.

“I’ve been trying to capture the feeling I get from music. That burning desire to create something that made me feel when I first heard Carl Nielson, like the world had just gotten more magical somehow. I know that probably sounds stupid but-”

“It’s not stupid!” Keila had now stood up, the blanket falling to her feet. “Just because the world is ending doesn’t mean things stop mattering. Hell, they matter even more now I think.”

Jackson could not help but cock his head to the side at that statement.

“The things that make life worth living, our hopes and dreams, all of that is only ever worth a damn because of how short our lives are in the end. What we all want in the end is for our lives to have mattered, and if completing this is what makes you feel that way then it’s not stupid.”

“Thank you Keila, that means a lot.”

“Whatever happens after all of this just know there will be music again Jackson. Perhaps the next iteration, or whatever that thing called it, there’ll be someone who plays that same song.”

“Breakfast!” A voice screamed from the street outside, and as if on cue Jackson’s stomach rumbled.

Heading downstairs was a shock as the street seemed even more crowded than the night before. Trays of scrambled eggs, tortillas, fresh fruit and to Jackson’s utter surprise fresh milk. The past several weeks had almost become a normalcy for Jackson and so this felt like a true luxury.

What surprised him the most though was that he had yet to see Harper.

With the amount of people around he wrote it off as her not liking crowds and enjoyed the communal breakfast, chatting with several individuals who had heard him play the previous night. And it wasn’t long before he had settled down in front of a piano and was taking requests.

However when noon had come and nearly gone Jackson was starting to worry. During the communal lunch he slipped away and headed to the movie theatre where they had just previously been interrogated. Heading up the stairs he knocked gently on the door unsure if he should barge in or not.

As Gabby opened the door her surprise at seeing him was evident.

“Jackson, hello. Did you need anything?”

“Yeah…I, uh…is Harper here?”

Gabby cocked her head as he had done earlier.

“What do you mean? Did she not at least say goodbye?”

It was Jackson’s turn to be surprised, though his was far more intense.

“What!? Goodbye!? Where is she going? What the hell!?”

Rubbing the back of her neck Gabby sighed and let Jackson in, the young man simply needing to move walking in small circles within the projectionist room.

“I didn’t think she would really do this, I also thought you had a hand in the request.”

“Request?”

“She asked us to look after you, until the end.”

“What the hell!? When did she leave?”

“Some time ago, not long before breakfast. She said she was going to stop by the apartment you were staying at with Keila.”

Jackson’s brain was firing in overdrive.

“Okay, that’s…a lot. Thanks for everything Gabby, I’m going to go try and find Harper I guess.”

“Good luck kid.”

Jackson didn’t bother to correct her and simply made his way back to the main street where Keila was waiting looking confused.

“Hey, where’d you go?”

“I…I had to go talk to Gabby.”

“About what?”

“Harper left.”

“She what?”

“Yeah, she just…” Looking around Jackson suddenly remembered that Gabby mentioned she had intended to go this way. “Did anyone see her? Or like…did she maybe leave me something?”

Keila immediately started helping him engage in the most frustrating game of ‘I, Spy’ and for at least ten minutes they looked to be fools until she happened to spot something tucked in the small nook in the stairs leading to the apartment Jackson had spent the night in.

What she found were two boxes of clarinet reeds, and a letter.

“Jackson,

I’ll start off by first saying that I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye in person. I had every intention of doing so. I wandered out this morning half hungover and set off to speak with you. But as I came to where I saw you last I heard the most beautiful sound, the most truly magical sound. I heard your music Jackson.

This place has brought it out of you in a way you might never have found if we remained isolated at the resort. I feel like perhaps I have been weighing you down, preventing you from achieving the heights you long to reach. You have talent, Jackson, a talent I think has lain dormant for so long that it hungers to take control. So let it take control, unleash that beast inside and create something that is uniquely you.

I hope to hear your music at least once more before the end, Jackson.

Harper”