Melody

The soft sweet melody of the reggae music slowly fills the dim lit room. People begin to respond, to move slowly to the beat, enjoying the slow sensitive rhythm. There is no rush, the music gives them time, and they can savor each note individually and ask for more. And the DJ is quite the giver; he gives the crowd exactly what is needed and he does so in surplus. There are cat calls and whistling going about now, the room is alive, and DJ is its soul, the crowd pumps the heart and gives it a sensuous beat. If one could truly get high on music, then this crowd would have been completely intoxicated and the reggae would have been the opium. But there is one sitting at a corner, lurking and staring. He wets his lips as he watches the dance floor, like a lioness already savoring the meal to come. His meal, a young nubile girl twists and turns enticingly on the dance floor. Her body gleaming with sweat under the dim light, her steps are wild, her form perfect. He watches on, feeling uneasy on his seat. He can’t hold on much longer, he is intoxicated, but his opium is completely different. He stands up and approaches his meal, making way through a sea of intoxicated people. He is now standing dangerously close to her; he can even smell the sweet coconut butter scent on her skin. But she is oblivious, unaware of the man standing by her because she is in an unexplainable trance. The melody has gripped her; her body is no longer hers. All she wants to do is just move to the sweet rhythm flowing into her ears. This is why; she did not scream or shout when she felt the sharp pain of the cold steel penetrating her chest, right below her ribs. There is just a soft gasp with a shocked expression on her face. It’s like she thought her body could not be touched under the powerful grip of the music. She could not believe it, she had given up her body and the melody betrayed her. She cripples to the floor.

 At first, the screams are not audible under the loud beats of the reggae, but the lights came on-somebody had put them on. The screaming is instantly loud and clear now as the music is stopped and more people join in the screaming. On the dance floor is a young girl soaked in thick blood still pouring from her side. There is panic immediately, the crowd begins to disperse from every direction-people creating windows where there were none. Only a particular boy has the composure and calm to reach for the girl, he takes off his clothe and tries to stop the blood flow. The few people that were remaining watched on in shock and disbelief. The room is now filled with whispers and gasps as people try to identify her but nobody can, nobody knows her or has seen her before. They finally carry her out of the room and into a car, heading for the nearest hospital. The room is left quiet and empty. The soul has escaped through the back door. The heart has long stopped beating because there is no one to pump it anymore. So the room fades into an everlasting sleep. The room dies.