PROLOGUE

THE LIGHTHOUSE
I.
It was a peaceful night.

I was awakened from my sleep by a strange coldness spreading in the room. Opening my eyes, I saw a vision in light – a figure from long ago.
.
Of course, one would think that I’ve gone mad, but I can assure you that this is not a dream. It’s not everyday when the dead sets out to visit the living.

I tried to see if this is just a dream but it’s just too realistic.

I just sat there, stunned, staring at him while he was relating to me what I’m supposed to do. Apparently, his last violin caprice is hidden in this place.

‘Please find it and play it,’ he beseeched to me. ‘Play it at the top of the lighthouse so I can here it from the heavens above.’
Well, who am I to reject the request of the renowned composer and violinist? ‘It would be an honor for me, sir.’ I replied.

‘Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle.’ And with that he vanished.

II.

As I left the house, a warm breeze from the Mediterranean enveloped me, welcoming me to this foreign place. Nice, France is a great place – a place I have chosen to spend a quiet vacation, though it seems now that this trip is not going to be the ordinary one I had expected.

Going into the lighthouse, I searched. For almost half the day, I searched the whole place, going up and down, looking everywhere. Just as I was going out of the lighthouse, I noticed that one of the floor boards was creaking. And so, I went on and pried off the floor boards. Inside that small gap beneath the floor, I saw an old chest wherein is the final caprice of Paganini. The manuscript was old and yellow, but I am still able to read the notes. Inside my head, I can already hear the sweet melody of the piece.

In accordance to the final request of Paganini, I went back to the beach house and got my violin. From the distance, I looked at the lighthouse and I looked so neglected and lonely. It seemed like it needed some company. Shaking my head to rid of all these weird thoughts, I trudged to the top of the lighthouse.

The majestic view of the Mediterranean welcomed me as I opened the door at the top of the lighthouse. Sighing, I glanced at the breathtaking sunset. I didn’t even occur to me that I spent the whole day searching for the hidden composition. I set up the piece, the stand, and my violin. With all concentration I started the last caprice of Nicolo Paganini.

The emotion I felt was overbearing as I led to a high point of the piece. I can feel the wind enveloping me, getting harsher and stronger in the most unnatural manner. The next thing I knew, I was falling - falling down the length of the light house… the cliff… and into the ocean. I kept my violin close to me. It was vibrating with so much energy – with all my passion.

I am still falling lower… deeper. And then, there’s only darkness.

I can’t feel, hear or see anything. No emotion. No passion. No pain.

Nothing.


III.

Gasping for air, I opened my eyes. Water was pouring down my face and neck.

I sat up, and I came face to face with a stranger.
‘Are you alright?’ he asked. ‘I was just passing by and you seemed to be having a nightmare and you wouldn’t wake up so I whisked some water on you. I’m sorry but there’s no other choice.’

Wide-eyed, I looked. Everything was still the same except that I was lying on a picnic mat, with a painting easel in front of me, and my dear violin beside me.

‘Uhh…’ I replied. I can’t seem to speak. I am still too confused.
He stared at me, concerned. I stared back, lost in my own thoughts. I still can’t form any though into words.
‘You seem to be in a daze, miss. Are you staying at the house over there?’
I nodded.

‘How about I help you get back there?’ He suggested, and I smiled in gratitude.

‘Are you here all alone? I’m Michael, by the way.’ the guy asked. I hoped that he is not some psychotic man who has a fixation for damsels in distress. Oh well. He seems like a nice enough guy.

‘I’m Roxanne, and yes, I’m alone here…’ I replied. ‘I came here to get some rest and some time to focus on my music, and just some time to retreat from the world. What about you? You don’t seem like you’re from around here yourself’

‘Well,’ he chuckled. ‘I’m also here for vacation. I’m an engineer, and I wanted to check out that light house. Probably try to make it into a tourist spot.


‘Oh.. So you’re evaluating the lighthouse. How is it?’

‘Well, the whole of it is fine enough although some floor boards on the first floor have to be replaced.’

‘Why? What do you think happened there?

‘Well, there’s this story from the locals that this house and that lighthouse has been haunted for centuries. A few decades ago, there was this young lady who came here for vacation. It was rumored that she suddenly went crazy for no reason, walking up and down the lighthouse for days, and ruining the floorboards. After a few days, she just jumped off the tower with her violin and some fishermen found her body a few days later.’

‘Oh…’ Too shocked to say anything, I just looked down, picturing the events clearly on my mind. They were all too familiar.

IV.

‘Well, that is indeed curious.’ I finally managed to say. I’ll probably tell here of my dream some other time if we get to know each other better.

‘Yes, it is… What a loss,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘It seemed like that young woman was a very promising violinist. She was especially good at playing Paganini caprices – a virtuoso who was very close to reaching the peak of her career. I wonder what made her jump off the lighthouse. It may just not be due to her craziness. Why would she even go crazy in the first place?”

“Have you done any research on that?” I say, looking out the window. The sunset is breathtaking.

“I’m planning to… Hey, I’m just wondering,’ he stated quite shyly – I was still staring at the sunset. It feels all too familiar. ‘Would you like to go to the town for dinner?’

‘Oh, I’d love too.’ I say, looking back at him.

Together, we walked down the beach and rode off to town.

V.

The figure at the top of the lighthouse stared at the retreating couple. She then looked at the man standing beside her. Nicolo Paganini – the reason why she was here. He had her trapped in this tower – just because he was feeling lonely. Just because he was in need for some company.

‘There’s something so familiar about her,’ the figure said, staring at the young lady on the beach. ‘She reminds me of myself when I was her age. And that man… he reminds me of someone very dear to me. Someone from long ago. Is it really like this when you’ve been wandering around for decades, hopelessly trapped in this tower – being unable to remember some things as though they were just a dream. Everything from my life seems so foggy.’

‘What are you thinking about, cher?’ said Nicolo.

‘Oh. It’s nothing. It’s just that the sunset is lovely – as it has always been for the decades I’ve been here.’ She said, looking once again at the couple.

They seem so perfect, as though they were placed together for some reason.

‘Oh well. They’ll be back. And when they return, I shall make my next move.


THE END
Of Prologue

Next chapter: “Conversations”