Jennifer Wylie
Ring Around the Rosie
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2012 by Jen Wylie
Cover Illustration © 2012 by Christina Aubin
First Untold Press Publication / February 2012-02-22
All rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination and or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published by Untold Press LLC
114 NE Estia Lane
Port St Lucie, FL 34983
www.untoldpress.com
PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Dedication
To my Shay, who doesn't play any pipes, but is perfect all the same.
Ring Around the Rosie
Aaron squinted up into the afternoon sun. Shielding his brown eyes with one hand he searched the sky for clouds. Only brilliant blue filled his field of vision. Apparently the June heat wave wasn't going to end today.
He puffed his dark brown hair off his face as he continued his slow walk home, swinging his flute case gently as he tramped along the quiet streets. He stopped when he reached the large community park, scanning the playground and surrounding area to see if his mother and little sister were still there. They had walked with him as far as the park on his way to his music lesson, but his mother had warned him they might return home if his sister got cranky from the heat.
He didn't see them on the large play structures or running about the areas of open grass. He continued along the sidewalk, pausing as he neared the small wooded area of the park. A few people sat under the large maples and oaks at its edge. He couldn't see further into the trees, shadows and low growth blocked his view. However, he could hear the laughter and screams of kids as they played within the cool shade.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead he started off again, only to stop once more at the faint sound of music coming from the woods. The melody was sweet yet haunting. He didn't recognize the song, or even the instrument playing it. Some sort of pipes. He couldn’t think of any of the local radio stations that would play that type of song. The music stopped a moment before continuing again. His eyebrows went up in surprise. Someone was actually playing it? He debated going to check it out and glanced down at his watch. It was getting close to dinner and if he arrived home late his mother would freak out.
With a grimace he started home again, the beautiful, haunting tune repeating itself in his head. He began to hum it softly as he walked with a small smile on his lips. It was simple, yet catchy. He liked it.
The song didn't go away, repeating over and over in his head the short distance to their small home. He didn't mind, he was used to such things. His family had always been very musically inclined. His mother sang constantly. Both of his parents played a number of instruments. They had been thrilled when he had taken an interest in the flute. Unfortunately it was an instrument neither of them played. Even though they didn't have a lot of extra money to pay for expensive lessons, sheet music, and an instrument, they’d still found him a teacher.
He couldn't say why he had chosen the flute. He had grown up learning piano and guitar from his parents at home. He liked both, but when he'd been introduced to the flute in music class at school he had become almost obsessed. He couldn't learn quickly enough, he couldn't stop thinking about it. There was something magical about the soft, soulful sounds it could create. He’d even kept up with it the past year when he’d entered high school and had a lot more homework to deal with.
He heard his sister before he walked in the door. Amanda was barely two, full of energy, and loud. She'd been what his parents fondly called a "whoopsiedoodle". Though unexpected, he remembered how excited they'd been. He'd grown up wanting another sibling. However his parents had always told him they couldn't have any more. Apparently the doctors were wrong. He knew it was hard on his mom, having a new baby to take care of, so he helped when he could. It was a running family joke that they always had a babysitter.
Setting his flute carefully on a table by the door and out of his sister's reach, he smiled when his mom popped her head into the hallway.
"Hey, sweetheart, how did it go?"
"Alright," he answered, wincing at the sudden sound of Amanda banging on the piano's keys.
A pained look crossed his mom's face. "I'm just finishing up dinner. Can you find something else for her to do? Something quiet?"
He laughed and nodded, heading into the living room to sweep up the little blond haired child from the worn piano bench. "C'mon, cutie. Let's play, 'clean up time'."
Dinner turned out to be potato salad and hamburgers. Afterward, he helped clean up before sitting with everyone in the living room while they all played their various instruments. His parents called it practicing. He called it jam sessions. The time was too enjoyable to be considered work.
When his mother tucked his sister into bed he secretly stood in the hall, listening to her sing the little girl bedtime songs. He smiled, quietly singing along, remembering how his mother used to sing the same ones to him.
She didn't look surprised to see him there when she came out. "Hey, kiddo."
He grinned sheepishly. "I'm heading to my room, gonna do some reading."
She nodded and ruffled his hair, he shied away and she pulled him into a hug, smacking a kiss on the top of his head. "Goodnight then. May your dreams be musical and sweet."
"'Night, Mom." He hugged her back before escaping to his room.
* * *
Two days later on his way home from another music lesson he heard the strange haunting music in the park again. Hesitating, he stepped off the sidewalk and headed toward the sound. His parents and sister were gone for the night. All he had waiting for him at home was a frozen pizza and a book to finish.
He followed the haunting melody into the small park woods until he came upon a clearing. It was large enough sunlight was not blocked by the large trees. Wildflowers in every color filled the area. Most were a taller yellow flower, making the spot even brighter. In the center a boy wandered in slow circles, swaying to his own music as he played a set of panpipes.
That explained the haunting sound he’d heard. A smile twitched at his lips, the boy with his instrument for a moment reminded him of Peter Pan.
Aaron paused under the trees, not wanting to disturb him. The boy saw him anyway and stopped playing. They stared at each other for a moment until the boy grinned and walked over.
The boy wasn't tall, though he stood a few inches above Aaron. His lean body had already gotten past the gawky adolescent stage. For a moment Aaron wondered if the boy ever even had one. Light brown hair a few inches long poked out around his head. Several locks stuck to his forehead in the summer heat. Eyebrows a few shades darker slashed above his eyes, giving him a mischievous look. His face had lost the pudginess of youth. Strong cheekbones and a slightly pointed chin surrounded a straight nose. Aaron thought he could have easily passed for a girl if done up right, though he certainly wasn't going to say so.
Dark lashes surrounding large sparkling green eyes lowered for a moment as the boy regarded him thoughtfully. He glanced down to his flute case. "You play?"
Aaron smiled and nodded, for some reason at a loss for words.
"Well?"
"Well enough," he said.
The boy cocked his head to the side and waited, sticking a hand in his jean’s pocket.
Aaron crouched down. Carefully, he opened his case and put to
gether his flute. He rose, bringing it to his lips. The notes flowed, his own version of the song the boy had just been playing.
The boy laughed and brought his pipes to his lips. They stood there, weaving their melodies together for at least an hour before the boy lowered his pipes and nodded in satisfaction. "A regular bard you are."
He shook his head, wondering where the boy was from. He didn’t really have an accent, but the way he spoke was strange. "No, not really." He held out his hand. "I'm Aaron."
"Shay." They shook and each grinned again.
Though he really wanted to stay, he was starving and thoughts of pizza made his mouth water. He couldn’t believe an hour had gone by so quickly. "I better get going." He started packing up his flute. "You here a lot?"
Shay nodded. "Every day. Not many other places I can play all day and not annoy anyone."
Aaron snapped his case shut and rose with a grin. "I suppose not. Well, I'll see you around. Maybe we can play together again."
Shay's face turned serious. "I'd really like that."
Aaron nodded once, finding the conversation a little strange. He turned and left. He looked over his shoulder when he reached the trees and raised a hand goodbye. The strange pipe-playing boy stood quietly watching him. When he reached the sidewalk he heard the faint notes of music drifting from the woods. What a weird guy. Who hung out in the park and played pipes all day? Well, maybe he would with his flute if had the chance. Smiling he hurried home to find food.
* * *
He had no lessons the next day and his parents hadn't returned so after sleeping in, he grabbed his flute and headed for the park. It wasn't quite noon and he wondered if he would be too early. He didn't see any harm in checking. At least the heat had toned down some though he was sweating by the time he reached the park.
Heading for the clearing, he grinned when he heard the sound of pipes intermingled with children's laughter and singing. Still, it surprised him to find Shay surrounded by half a dozen kids while he played for them.
When the song ended he walked forward as the children bounced around demanding more songs. Seeing him Shay grinned. "You came back."
He nodded. "So I did." He jerked his head toward the kids. "Captive audience?"
The boy burst into laughter. "But of course!" He smiled softly as he looked around at the children. "I love kids. They are so innocent and happy."
Alright then.
"Play us another!" The kids jumped up and down, calling out song names.
Shay raised his hands and they quieted immediately. "You want to join in, Aaron? I assure you, it is most entertaining."
He shrugged and plopped down next to Shay. "Might as well." It would be the same as playing for his sister, which he had to admit could be a lot of fun. He loved watching her get so excited over even the simplest of songs.
He spent most of the day there. Playing with Shay and the kids was more fun that he thought possible. The children didn’t tire and were continually excited about any song they played. It was nice having such a wonderful and happy audience. They didn’t complain over the occasional missed note like his parents or teachers did. They only whined when the music stopped.
He didn’t know how the children had so much energy. They wore him out just watching them dance and run around. Shay loved their attention and would often dance around with them as he played.
His new friend was great with kids, but not much of a talker. Most of the day they spent playing music and that was fine with him. People spoke too much anyway and filled up the silence with meaningless words. Filling it with music was much better.
* * *
During the following week he left home early on days he had lessons so he could stop and play for a while. There were always a lot of children showing up to dance in the woods, though he noticed after a few days they dwindled down the same six, three boys and three girls.
They ranged in age from four to eight and were all adorable. Though they were very excitable and exuberant they were well behaved, following Shay around and doing as he asked. They all showed up and left around the same time each day, dropped off and picked up by their parents or sitters. He wasn’t sure if Shay had arranged something or if the parents just assumed the music was some sort of community program. He got to play, he had fun, and so far no one had gotten them into trouble, so he didn’t worry about it.
He began to really look forward to the days in the wooded clearing. When they weren't playing for the kids he and Shay would sit and talk about music and play more intricate pieces the children were too young to appreciate. Though the boy was a bit strange, he was friendly enough and certainly seemed to never get bored with the topic of music. That was certainly a lot more than he could say about any of his high school friends.
"Will you come tomorrow?"
Aaron nodded, putting away his flute. "I'll be here."
"You're sure?"
He looked up. Shay had never questioned his coming before, had never sounded so ill at ease. "Yes, I'll be here. Why?"
Shay flashed him his devilish grin and looked away. "Tomorrow is a special day. That's all. I just wanted to share it with everyone."
"Alright," he said, still not getting it. "I said I'll be here."
Shay nodded and clearly forced a smile.
Not sure what else to do, he waved goodbye and headed home. The whole conversation was confusing, not so much the words, but Shays strange uneasiness. Hopefully nothing was wrong. He made a face, wondering if he should have asked. Maybe it was Shay's birthday? Should he bring a present in case it was?
He picked up his pace, wondering what he had at home that might make a suitable gift.
* * *
Eating dinner, another thought popped into his head. "What's tomorrow?"
His mother raised her eyebrows at his sudden question. "The twenty-first. Why?"
He shook his head. "No reason."
His father smiled, staring dreamily off into the distance. "A midsummer night's dream."
"What?"
"The twenty first is midsummer. Or the solstice. Whatever you would like to call it. The longest day of the year."
He raised his eyebrows. Interesting information, however he couldn't see how that would have anything to do with Shay. "Fun stuff."
His parents laughed at his lack of enthusiasm. When he headed to bed he sorted through his sheet music, picking out a few and setting them aside. Whether it turned out to be Shay's birthday or not, it would be fun to share some of the more complex songs he’d come across with him.
It was late morning when Aaron arrived at the park. He watched their six regulars run around the clearing screaming and laughing, a small smile tugging at his lips. Part of him wished he could just let go and run and dance with them, but sadly those years were behind him now. Though he certainly wasn't an adult yet, he had grown old enough for Responsibilities and Expectations.
Shay played a trill on his pipes, gaining his attention. "Are you ready for the fun to start?"
He grinned and nodded, wondering what the boy had in mind. Shay still hadn't mentioned what made the day special. He was beginning to wonder if he'd imagined the whole thing.
He did not expect to find himself picking flowers a short time later. He wasn't overly impressed, and certainly didn't consider it "fun". However, the children were having a wonderful time, gathering as many different kinds as they could find in the clearing and amongst the trees and bringing them all to Shay. The boy sat before a growing pile of flowers, carefully selecting them, pinching stems, and creating tiny little bouquets.
Aaron dropped down beside him and deposited his handful on the pile. "You have a date later or something?"
Shay chuckled and held up a finished bunch. "These, my friend, are posies. An age old tradition and commonly given as gifts, though they also serve other purposes."
"Alright," Aaron muttered, not really caring or wanting a history lesson.
Shay continued to work until he had a pile o
f posies beside him and then he called the children over. "Now did you all remember?" A chorus of agreement answered him and he smiled. "Very good. These are for good luck and protection. Everyone fill up your pockets now!"
To avoid chaos Shay handed them out, a few bunches to each child. He then stood and tucked some into his own pant pockets before holding out a bunch. "For you."
Aaron raised his hands. "Oh, no."
Shay grinned impishly. "Take them, or the children will cry."
This caused the expected ruckus from the kids and one of the girls pounced on him. "You have to, Aaron! You do!"
He sighed and moved her off of him as he stood. "Fine. It's just going to get squished though." He took a few posies and tried to carefully put them in the back of his jean pockets.
Shay grinned and shrugged. "That's not the point."
"There's a point?"
"Always!" Shay raised his pipes and played another song, dancing about the children while Aaron watched in amusement.
This kid is nuts.
Shay waved his flute at the children. "Dance away and we shall play!" He looked pointedly at Aaron.
He smiled despite himself and went over to where he'd left his flute case. Carefully putting the pieces together he returned to the boy's side, softly playing various notes as he checked the flute's tone. They played together for a while, simple children's songs they both knew while the kids sang and danced.
Finally, Shay lowered his pipes, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "And now it is time."
Aaron lowered his flute and raised his eyebrows, wondering what silly game the boy had come up with now.
Shay sprang up and darted into the trees. He came back holding a large white box. He set it on the ground as the children watched in expectation. He flipped open the lid. "Chocolate cupcakes!"
Aaron laughed as the kids dove in and he walked over to Shay's side. "Is it your birthday?"
Shay cocked his head to the side for a moment, as if confused and then laughed. "Oh! No." He smiled faintly and returned his gaze to the kids. "Today is just my last day."