A single shaft of hallway light slanted into the cramped room where ten-year-old Carmia crouched, clutching her battered violin like a talisman. Every inch of her skin was laced with angry bruises and ragged cuts that still oozed faint rivulets of crimson. Silent tears carved tracks down her cheeks as she stared at the warped wood of the instrument. A low whimper escaped her throat, and with trembling fingers she eased the door ajar. The hinges groaned. Her breath hitched as she dared to look down the narrow corridor—and froze. A woman’s body swung gently from the ceiling, her lifeless dress swaying, her eyes blank, lips parted in a final, silent scream.

Then darkness swallowed her.

Carmia jolted awake, chest pounding, drenched in sweat—the dream already fading like smoke. A soft voice floated to her ears: “The same dream?” Her aunt hovered at the bedside, concern etched in every line of her face. Carmia could only nod, throat too tight to form words.

Her aunt set a chipped porcelain cup of ice-cold water on the nightstand. “Carmia, you must free yourself from your past,” she urged, voice gentle but firm. “These nightmares have haunted you for years because you’re trapped in that moment.”

Carmia closed her eyes and drew in a shuddering breath. “I try,” she whispered, voice cracking, “but it doesn’t help. Her face still haunts me—I think I’m cursed, that I’m the reason—”

Her aunt cut her off, placing a cool hand on Carmia’s shoulder. “You were only ten. You had nothing to do with her death.”

With that, Carmia fell silent. “Good night, Aunt,” she muttered, forcing a hollow smile. She pretended to drift into sleep, but tears slid down her cheeks until exhaustion claimed her.

In the dim lullaby of the hallway light, her aunt bent over, pressed a gentle kiss to Carmia’s forehead, and whispered, “Rest now, love.”

* * *

At dawn, Carmia trudged along the cracked sidewalk on her way to school. A single firefly glimmered at her heels, its pale glow pulsing like a heartbeat. She glanced over her shoulder and murmured, “Why do you always lead me to the forest?” The insect hovered for a moment, then darted toward the looming treeline where ancient oaks stood like silent sentinels guarding a thousand hidden memories.

She forced a wry, haunted smile. “You know better than I do why I’m drawn there.”

A tap on her shoulder spun her around. A boy her age, dark-haired and earnest-eyed, regarded her with curious intensity. “Why do you take this path every morning?” he asked. His gaze flicked warily toward the forest’s edge. “Don’t you know the stories?”

“I know plenty,” she said coolly, shrugging. “But I don’t believe a word of them.”

He looked astonished, as if she’d declared the sun was cold. He swallowed. “They say a jinn lives in those woods—a spirit old as time, feeding on fear.”

She laughed, a sound brittle and hollow. “All fairy tales.”

He brightened. “I’m Outis. What’s your name?”

“Carmia.” She met his eyes for a fraction of a second, then looked away.

Outis’s face lit up. “Carmia? The violin prodigy?”

Her chest tightened. She whispered, “Yes.”

He smiled, nearly breathless with excitement. “I’ve never missed one of your concerts!” His grin faded, replaced by something more serious. “Why did you stop playing?”

She said nothing and turned away. He watched her go, his question hanging unanswered in the crisp morning air.

As she waved a stiff farewell, her heart slammed against her ribs when she glimpsed a pale figure between the tree trunks—her mother’s face, eyes hollow, mouth curved in grief. She stumbled backward, panic igniting her legs. The world tilted; she ran.

Panting, she skidded to a halt at the school gates. From somewhere behind her drifted a soft, familiar melody—the lullaby her mother once played on long summer evenings. Carmia’s fingers tingled as though they might summon the violin herself. She closed her eyes and let the music wash over her, even though no instrument lay in her hands.

She dashed through the doors only to be met by the vice-principal’s stern gaze. “Late again,” he said, and assigned her detention.

When the final bell rang, the halls emptied into dusk, but she and Outis remained—two silhouettes hunched over silent desks. Minutes passed in heavy quiet, until he finally broke it: “Why did you leave the violin?”

Carmia stared at her folded hands, shame and sorrow warring in her chest.

Outis sighed softly. “You don’t have to answer now—not if you don’t want to. Let’s just… be friends first. Maybe one day you’ll tell me.” He offered her a tentative smile, and for the first time since the nightmares began, she felt a flicker of something warm: hope.

As he was muttering about being friends with her, she looked at her watch to look at the time. As the clock hit three, she stood up and looked back at him. He looked at her and thought he was going to be screamed at, but she just took off her AirPods from her ear. She then gathered her things and she left the classroom. Outis's face turned red as he was embarrassed about how he was chattering to himself for a whole hour.

But then he followed her outside and walked beside her with a huge distance. “Were you wearing those since the starting of our conversation?” he asked her. “No, but I did wear it after 5 minutes of you talking non-stop.” she said. “Thank god that I wasn't talking to myself for an entire hour.” he sighed. For some while they both were quiet, peacefully walking. Then they entered the forest path. Even when it was afternoon, it was dark in that path. Carmia felt like something was calling her, so she looked back. Then she saw a vision of her past.

Her mom was teaching her to hold the violin. “You should keep your posture straight and position your left hand at the end of the violin's neck, before the struts. Hold the neck between your left thumb and forefinger, as if you are pinching it. You don’t need to hold it too tightly, or you will cramp your hand. Curl your forefinger onto the top of the neck.-”

“Mom, it's very hard to learn. Let's do something else like-like, what about painting? Yes, let's paint.” said little Carmia. Her mom laughed it off and said, “To be honest, you need practice in drawing more than you need it on playing the violin.” Carmia pouted her face as she heard her mom's words. “Promise me will never leave playing the violin until you will win the world championship, then only I will leave you.” said her mom as she put her hand in front of her. Carmia nodded and took her hand. Then the atmosphere  changed as the scene. This time Carmia seem to be crying with a lot of wounds on her body. “I won't leave you until you get this piece right otherwise, you know that I don't like a person who makes mistakes.” shouted her mother with a stick in her hand.

Then again the scene changed as Carmia seemed to be at the age of 10 with violin in her hand. Staring at her mom with tears  in her eyes. “You are the worst child a person can ever have.” shouted her mom again. “Well, if I am the worst child, then you are the worst mom. You never let me play with my friends, always told me to practice. Father was way better than you, but sadly he is dead and that's all because of you. I hate you, mom! I hate you.” Carmia shouted back at her mom and tears were running down her face. Saying this much, Carmia ran away from there as she was wiping her tears. All the people there looked at her mom with disgust and anger as they murmured, “What a bad mother is she!”, then suddenly her mom grabbed her chest. She slowly loosed her balance, falling down to her knees.

Then, as if nothing happened, she was back in the forest. She couldn't believe what she saw. Then she saw her mom again, but this time her mom was humming the song she always used to sing to her. She stared at her mom, then a small child which looked very similar to Carmia came running to her and hugged her. Then her mom, hugging the child back, started humming the song she always used to sing to Carmia when she was small. Then she stared at Carmia and smiled.

The humming grew louder and Carmia fell on her knees, started shouting, “STOP IT! STOP IT!” on and on nonstop as she covered her ears with her hands.

Then she was brought back to reality when Outis started shaking her, “HEY, ARE YOU OKAY???”

Carmia then came back to her senses as she stared at him with tears in her eyes. “Are you okay?” he again asked, but this time with a calm voice. Her tears broke as she hugged him and kept on saying, “She is here. She will kill me.”

“No one is going to hurt you, calm down.” he said.

After some while, after everything was calm, he asked her what was wrong. She answered him, “You asked me why I left violin, right? Well the reason is that when I was 10 or in other words 3 years ago, my mom died because of me. I was the reason she died. The one who gave birth to me, the one who taught me to play violin, died because of me, because of my words.” she said and tears came rolling down from her eyes. “Ever since then, I promised myself that I will never touch the violin.” she continued.

“And now I think her soul haunts me, as I see her in my dreams every day and-”. Before she could complete her words, Outis interfered in the middle and said, “What if there was a promise you forgot to fulfill?” as he looked at the stars.

“A promise?” she asked.  “Yes, a promise. Maybe you made one with your mother and have forgotten it right now?” he said. Then she remembered the vision she saw just a few minutes ago when her mother was teaching her to hold the violin.

“Well, I did promise her to play the violin until I win the World championship. You think that is the reason of her still haunting me?”

Outis snapped his fingers and said, “Bingo, of course that's the reason of her haunting, you dumbass. Haven't you heard the rule of never breaking a promise, especially the one you make with your mom?”

“So, I win the championship, she will stop haunting me?” she said with excitement, but it withered away as she realized that winning the championship isn't a piece of cake. “But it will probably take years.”

“It might take 10 years or so.” he said. “But don't worry because I know that you will make!”

“It's not as easy as you think.” she said.

“So? What kind of game is fun if it is easy to win?” he said. “That's true but-” before she could finish her words, he again interfered, “No buts or ifs! We, no actually, YOU will win, and I know it.”

“Let's be friends.” she said out of the air. “WHA-” before he could complete his words, she again said the same words, but sounded more forceful this time.

Outis face lit up as he heard her words and quickly accepted her offer.

“Okay, this is awkward.” she said. “Are you not used to have friends?” he asked.

“Maybe.” she answered. “Loner” he whispered to himself, but she accidentally heard him. “Excuse me!”

“Excuse you!” he said back.

“I must say, you are pretty annoying.” she said. “And I will take that as a compliment.” he said with a smile.

“Okay, that aside, you need to work on your violin lessons. You have not forgotten how to play it, I suppose?” he said.

“Well…about that. To be honest… I don't actually know if I still remember it. I mean, it's hard learning the notes again, you know." she said.

"Wait“, you copy the notes????" he” asked. She nodded her head and smiled with embarrassment.

"The“heck-You are supposed to play it with your feeling rather than like a machine, if I am right." he said, questioning her. "That“ is true, but my mom told me to play it just like the original, then only we can win any competition." she said.

"That“ is true but… But still."  he took a deep breath.

"I am“ not even sure what to do now." he” went into a deep thinking, "Let’s first teach you how to put your emotion into music. That's the plus for wining for the people. If you win the people's heart with the rhythm of your music, connecting with your emotion." he said.

"Is“it is hard?" she questioned. "I “know nothing about music, so I don't know. But, it shouldn't be that hard."

”Let's first get back home, I am too tired to stay here. We shall start our discussion tomorrow."

”Okay, but don't forget to practice or search about how to show your inner feeling to someone with music whether if it is sad or happy." he said and they both waved goodbye and went to their ways.

As they waved goodbye to each other and went their ways, Carmia noticed a small firefly again following her and as usual she started talking to it. "He says it like it is easy-peasy lemon squeezy to know how to put our emotion in our music. He literally thinks that I would be able to do it...when I don't even think I remember how to play it. I mean, I did leave playing the violin like 4 years ago after my mom died..." she said as she was looking towards the sky. "Plus, how is he so sure that my mom's spirit still haunts because of the promise, it must be nonsense, nothing more." she took a deep breadth.

"Ah, well, I found my destination. Ciao, Mister Firefly...maybe I should give a name...hm...what about... Gleam. Yes, from now on you are Mister Gleam, bye Mister Gleam."

She knocked on the door as if someone would answer, "I am home...mom" she took a deep breadth as she opened the door. The smile washed off from her face as she looked at her family picture. She went to the living room and turned on the light. She looked at the dusty piano and just stared as she saw a glimpse of her and her mom dancing together as her father played  the piano. The glimpse vanished away as she heard the doorbell. "Coming." she shouted and ran to get the door.

She opened the door to see aunt Shirley standing on the porch  with flowers in her hands.

"Oh, Aunt Shirley, you were pretty quick today and those flowers?" she said with curiosity. "Won't you invite me in or are you gonna start asking questions like your mom did?" aunt Shirley joked.

"Of course not. Come in, please." she invited her aunt. "Here, have some water." she said as she offered her aunt a glass of water. "Looks like something great happened to you." she said as she sat on the chair next to her. "Something great? The best thing that could ever happen, happened to me. I got promoted to the post of manager...which also means that I would have to come more late than usual. But isn't it great!!" her aunt said to her with the brightest smile.

"It sure is!"

"Well then let's throw a party!!!" her aunt said.

After sometime, it was past 10. She was going to her room, then her eyes got stuck on the room which used to be her mom's and dad's. She shook off her head then went back to her room. As she laid on her bed, she kept on thinking about today, she kept on repeating Outis's words, "I just hope that you are not playing with my feelings. . ." as she fell into a deep sleep.

"Wake up Carmia otherwise you are going to be late!!!!" shouted her aunt from downstairs. Carmia then woke up in hurry and checked the time, it was just 7 o'clock. "Seriously aunt, you know my school starts at 9 right?" she asked.

"I know that, but you see I have to leave soon." her aunt replied.

"Well, ugh, I guess it wouldn't hurt a soul if I would just somehow go to school to a FRICKING one-hour fast." she complained. "Stop whining and get ready, plus you always manage to be very, very  late to school that you get detention, so get ready to go to school."

She got ready and started walking to school. Then she spot a young family in the park, playing happily. "Mom, dad, I wish you guys were still here." she whispered to herself. "Missing your mom and dad." someone whispered in her ear. She jumped in fear, "Calm down, it's just me, Outis." he said while laughing loudly. "Yeah, Yeah, laugh your *** out. Well, what are you doing here and at this hour?" she asked him. "Shouldn't I ask you the same question, but I will not, I was actually chasing a green firefly then I spot you here." he said.  "Chasing a firefly at 8 o'clock, the heck?" she said.

 They started walking to school together. "Well... did you learn how to put emotion while playing the violin?" he asked. "TO be honest, I didn't because it sounded like bullshit to me, like how are you so sure that the reason IS the promise." she said. "I... don't actually know." he said as he looked down at the ground, "I thought maybe... your mom hasn't gotten peace as her last wish was to make you a champion. The championship she couldn't win and was the reason of her dad and mom's fight." he said.

"Wait...how do you know about my past? I never told you that my mom and my dad used to fight because they couldn't win the championship?" she questioned him. Before Outis could answer her, a girl shouted, "Move out of the way". When they looked at the direction where the voice came from, they saw a young lady riding a bicycle and another guy chasing after her. The lady then hit the pole. They both ran to her, "Are you okay?" asked Carmia.

The lady looked at her with a great smile and a bump on her head, "Perfectly okay." "A...are you sure?" asked Outis as he noticed the bump. "Wait, have I seen you before?" asked Carmia. "ELOISE, HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TOLD YOU TO CHECK THE BREAKS BEFORE RIDING YOUR BIKE AND MY OH MY,  LOOK AT THE BUMP ON YOUR HEAD. TOMORROW IS YOUR COMPETITION AND ARE YOU GOING TO GO THERE WITH THAT BUMP??" shouted a guy who came running. "Come on, Eric, it's just a bump, nothing worse." she said as she stood up.  "Oh no...my bike...it broke." she said with a sad face. "Wow, she is more concerned with the bike rather than her head." Outis whispered to Carmia who was staring at Eloise in disbelief. "Um... sorry for me to interfere...but are you Eloise like the "Piano striker Eloise"???" she asked.

"Mhm, I don't like that name, though." said Eloise. Carmia's eyes glowed like a star. "I am such a huge fan of you." she said.  "Aww, thank you. Wait, do you also go to that academy?" said Eloise as she pointed to the logo of the academy.  Carmia nodded and asked why. It happened to be that Eloise also went to the same school.

"Wow, isn't it nice to ignore your friend." complained Outis.

"Oh, sorry Outis, it's just that I couldn't believe my eyes. Sorry." said Carmia. "It's  okay, no need to say sorry, I was just joking around." said Outis. "It was pleasant meeting you, Mistress Eloise, but right now  we have to leave and good luck for your competition, bye." she said as she started walking in her direction. "But our school starts after an hour." said Eloise as she waved bye.

After walking for a while, "So.... who was she?" asked Outis. "She was my father's student." answered Carmia. "So, you are not actually her fan?" again, asked Outis. "You can put it like that and can not too at the same time, I always admired her and wanted to play with her. But, then again, I was kinda jealous of her. I envied her...a lot, I don't actually remember why, though. I mean, I envied a lot of things for stupid reason so. Not to mention, she was also my rival even though her instrument was a piano meanwhile mine was a violin. Furthermore, I never actually thought that I would meet her again. It made me recall the past too. Her obsession with bikes." said Carmia as she took off the wrapper from the lollipop and put it inside her mouth.

"You are one weird person, I must say."

Some time past, they somehow managed to be late again, "HOW THE HECK WE MANAGE TO GET THIS LATE!" said Carmia as she was running. "MAY BE BECAUSE YOU STOPPED TO HELP A LOST CHILD!" said Outis as he was running, too. "WELL, I DID SOMETHING NICE WHILE YOU WERE CHASING A FRICKING FIREFLY." shouted Carmia. After some bickering, they managed to reach their school 5 mins before the school bell.

Carmia stopped to catch up her breath. "Still managed to be late?" said a soft voice. Carmia looked up to check whose that voice was, it was actually Eloise. "Nice meeting you again." she said, "You should join the drama club. That face and acting to be my fan was on point, little Mia."

"So, you actually remembered me, huh."

"Of course, even when you used to play violin, you were jealous of me. Just because, I was your father's favorite, and you were not." said Eloise. Carmia got all quiet, "father." was what Eloise heard in a faint from her mouth. Carmia went to her class. "Carmia, wait up!" shouted Outis. "You really changed, Carmia." she whispered to herself and turned to Outis. "Hey, you are her friend, I suppose." she said. Outis nodded his head. She put her hand on his shoulder, "Can you bring back the old her, she doesn't seem like the person who used to fight with me  when we were small. Please do it, I beg you." she said as she looked at Carmia from far.

"Why?" asked Outis. "Cause I told you so." answered Eloise.

The school ended and Outis and Carmia went their ways. Eloise went to a graveyard and stood in front of a tombstone belonging to someone named, Nathan. "Sir, she has changed, she has become someone that we don't know. Her acting is the same, though, hah. Guess that is something which hasn't changed..."she fell silent. "But, I promise that I will return the old Carmia and WIN the championship." she said with confidence in her voice as she placed a flower.

"What are you doing here, honey?" questioned a voice. "Oh, aunt Shirley, I was just visiting sir Nathan." she said. It was aunt Shirley. "So, you were the person who used to grieve him every day." said aunt Shirley.

"Well, I made a promise with him that I would fulfill his dream of winning the championship with his daughter, but I lost contact of her. I met her again today. She behaved the same way as she always did, but in a different way, somehow. I could see what everyone were saying about how the light of the stadium is slowly fading away." said Eloise. "Ever since her mom died, she blamed herself and her words for her dead and stopped playing the violin. She used to cry every day at night and I couldn't do anything. I let her thoughts bury her inside." said aunt Shirley. "No, she is still there waiting for help, I know her. Even if she is bruised up, she will never give up and even if she does, I won't let that happen." she said with a smile on her face, "I will bring back the old Carmia."

Aunt Shirley's tears broke out. "I beg you, please."

"Me and her friend, Outis, will bring her back and that's a promise I will be making with you." Eloise said as she swiped aunt Shirley's tears.

"I promise."

"Why won't you come to our house today? I will inform your parents." said aunt Shirley.

"I guess, it's okay, sure." said Eloise.

They both went on talking and recalling the past. Aunt Shirley informed evrything about Carmia's situation. About how her behaviour was changing day by day. Aunt Shirley said, "I am seriously worried about her. I am scared that she will choose the same route her mother chosed. I don't want that. I am the only person she has and she is the only person I will ever have. I don't want to leave her but I have to do my job in order feed us. It's not like she doesn't smile but, the smile she odes is fake. And a fake smile is worse then tears. But as you are here, there is nothing to fear. As you were her childhood bestfriend AND her biggest rival."

Eloise laughed after hearing aunt Shirley's words, "I will return her back ma'am, no need to worry." she said as they both were walking together.