Fantasia

Humpty Dumpty

"Doesn't your throat gets dry if you chomp through that many crackers?" 

Eddy almost spewed the entire content of his mouth to the wall. He sharply turned his head to see the phantom by the KitKat door, as usual, smiling under his silver mask. 

"You cannot judge me. This is MY dream," Eddy muttered, stuffing another blueberry pie into his mouth. "Besides, I probably made you up in my mind." 

Ever since Eddy invited this mysterious phantom out of the forest, he has been lurking in his dreamy gingerbread house every night, joining in Eddy's guilty binge-eating party. Eddy didn't mind the phantom's presence but he didn't want to be judged, at least not in his own freaking dream. 

"You have been coming here awfully many times recently," the phantom commented, completely ignoring Eddy's remark. 

"Well, yeah, because of the competition coming up. I can't really eat out there when I'm stressed so I come here instead," Eddy shrugged.

"A competition?" 

"Yeah, there is an annual school-wide violin competition to pick a soloist to collaborate with the Sydney orchestra. I need to be the best, or else....." Eddy didn't finish his sentence, shoving another bit of strawberry shortcake into his throat. 

"Or else?" 

"I...will not think about that," Eddy muttered, sucking his sticky fingers. This was not the time to think about the empty music stand, the flying scores from the open window, and his father - 

"Do you think you are the best?" The phantom asked curiously. 

"We will see. I mean... there is this one person in my school that has won every single competition since he matriculated," Eddy swallowed. "Brett, Brett Yang." 

"Oh." 

"I can do better," Eddy smiled confidently. "You wanna hear me play?" 

Eddy walked up to a salted caramel bookcase that he never touched while he was gorging through the gingerbread house. It was a bookcase that displayed a sour patch violin bag, and inside, a real chocolate violin. 

Even in his dreams, he will never imagine eating through that masterpiece, no. 

Eddy tuned the violin. Although made with pure dark chocolate, the violin felt and sounded exactly like his violin back at school. 

"What do you want me to play?" Eddy asked. 

"Are you sure you want to stop eating to play me a song?" The phantom asked. 

"I'm pretty sure you are bored as hell out there in the forest by yourself anyway. I can play you some tunes. Do you like Scherzo?" 

Eddy playfully waved his bow, beginning the first part of the piece. The moment he started playing, Eddy closed his eyes, hearing the music flowing through the chocolate body. It felt good to not feel stressed about playing the violin, at least in his dream. This world belonged to him and him only, and no one was there to hear him. The gingerbread house began to slowly melt to the ground as he started playing, sticky goos bubbling into the ground, revealing soft grass and waving dandelions underneath. 

The phantom stood there and watched Eddy as he played the entire piece from start to finish. The wind blew, almost knocking the silver mask off and the phantom steadied his mask with one hand. When Eddy finished playing, the phantom vigorously clapped. 

"Did you enjoy that?" Eddy asked. 

"Immensely. The witch will be furious if she sees this," the phantom chuckled. "You melted the whole house down with your music."

"Yeah, not exactly sure how I did that," Eddy looked around in a daze. "I guess ... I wasn't hungry anymore?" 

"You are a good violinist," the phantom nodded. 

"I have to win this competition, no matter what," Eddy grabbed the chocolate violin, hard. "And the next time I come back, I will... play you some more pieces that I like." 

And he meant it. Whoever this Brett Yang was, Eddy was ready to crush him to the floor. 

***

Eddy didn't even need to hear the result of the competition. He knew it way before the award ceremony started. 

Eddy was at the far back of the audience chairs, taking deep breaths. Eddy has already finished his performance to the crowd, a few moments ago. The rounding thunderclap of applause was enough to ring his ears for a little while. He could have left the auditorium and waited for the award ceremony in the lobby but he decided to join the audience to hear this famous Brett Yang play his music. 

A tad short, dark-haired boy with glasses came up to the stage. He was wearing a similar white long-sleeved shirt with pants he wore the other day. Not really fitting for a huge competition, but Eddy decided to let it go. It was the performance that mattered, anyway. 

And as soon as this Brett Yang began to play his music, Eddy knew it was a done deal. 

Elegant harmonies flew to the air, perfuming every corner of the auditorium. The sweet notes pierced through his stomach, making him sick. The audience was immediately enchanted, struck like a lightning, unmoving and unbreathing as they took in this masterpiece unfolding in front of them. There was no other that could play like him, no. Eddy was sure of that. 

And Eddy couldn't forgive him as he realized one simple fact. He was not the best. 

He will never be the best. 

An empty music stand. 

A flying music score in the wind. 

A dusty tangy scent in the room. 

His father. 

His violin. 

Left on the floor. 

Beneath his dangling shoes- 

Eddy ran out of the auditorium. When he reached the closest restroom, he locked himself into one of the stalls, immediately gagging whatever was left in his stomach. A small scoop of rice porridge he ate for breakfast. A little piece of caramel candy. All flowing out from his stomach and ending in the toilet water beneath him. Eddy was retching everything out of his body when the auditorium burst with claps and applause at the end of Brett's performance, nearly bringing the whole school down. 

Eddy slumped down in front of the toilet for a long while, pressing his forehead to the wall, 

feeling like a cracked egg fallen from a high wall. 

***************

<Author's note>

Thank you for reading! Comments/feebacks are always appreciated :)