The Sound of His Violin At Night
by Nike
I waited for him that night. I was not really sure if he would
come. He promised he will. The thought of it fills my heart with
dread, he's finally going to say goodbye.
I knew that I shouldn't have bothered. I had known it all along
from the start. He was dying of cancer. Brain cancer.
I met him two months ago, as I was strolling along the beach at
night. He was playing a sad love song with his violin. I guess it
was the music that brought the two of us together. He paused and
asked my name. I stepped forward and told him so. We became
friends so easily. I learned a lot of things from him. For one
thing, I learned why he came to stay here at the seashore. He
came here to die.
Who would have thought that love would have blossomed from that
moment. It was a love that's not meant to be.
I hear the sound of his footsteps coming. I was worried for I
could also hear the sound of his labored and ragged breathing.
God knows what pain he had to endure just to fulfill his promise.
He sat by my side and stared into my eyes. Then, taking a deep
breath, he laid down his violin and took my hands. "Nike, l
know that this will be hard for you but there's just no other way
to say it." he whispered, gently. "I'm sorry.
Goodbye."
I looked back at him, tears were falling from my cheeks. This was
it, the moment I had been dreading. It was finally happening.
"Must you really go?" I asked him. "Is there
anything l can do to prolong your stay?"
"I'm sorry, Nike." he replied, "Like you, I had
been wishing for some kind of a miracle. But l guess there just
aren't enough miracles left in this world." he whispered as
he let go of my hands and stared down at the ground. "That's
why l came to say goodbye. I won't be here by tomorrow."
I wept. "Oh, Mike."
He once more took my hands. "Nike, I've known you for a
short time. But l could honestly say that I love you. I would
rather hurt myself than to see you cry." he continued on.
"Even though, it pains me to tell you, you must go on with
your life. You're young, you'll find someone else."
I could not find the words to express what I felt. It was as if
my world shattered apart. I glanced up at the night sky before
facing him. "I love you, Mike." I cried. "I don't
want to lose you."
He took his violin. "I want to make this last night we have
together to be memorable." he sadly smiled. "Will you
stay with me for the night, please?"
I didn't have the heart to refuse him. "Yes, Mike." I
nodded. "I'll stay."
"I hope you'll remember me someday." he gently
whispered as he began to play the violin.
Music. A sad and haunting music filled the night air. We spent
the entire night, in each other's arms. Crying, trying to salvage
the pieces of our ill-fated love together. But it was a useless
gesture. How could life be so cruel, I asked myself. Why must he
die?
The concert lasted until the wee hours of daybreak. Mike seemed
so tired as he took his violin and sadly waved goodbye. I watched
him go, knowing that it was the last time I'll see him again.
I never did see Mike again. Yes, I still miss him. But he is
gone. I know that. I still have a life to lead. But sometimes as
l would walk alone by the seashore, I would still hear the sound
of his violin at night.