Terrorshocked!

Carols

       "La-la-la!" Comes from inside the lounge, accompanied by a chord. The voice is high pitched and sharp—young.

The composer lays his hand on the doorknob. No one really visited the lounge—and to be honest, that would be his fault. Anyone who wandered in while he was playing the piano (which is always), would be greeted kindly by an icy glare.

"Hm-mm-mm!" Again comes the song—was this person trying to compose one?

Curiosity gets the better of Frederick and urges him to take a peek. He pushes the door lightly, but the gap is enough for him to catch the short figure seated on the piano bench, and her blonde, waist-length hair.

He sighs. Eurydice.

"Eurydice" is what Orpheus called the young girl. "Alice" he knew was her name.

Strange, it really is, to have two versions of the same person in the same place. Older Alice agreed—not verbally, no. Frederick could see it on her face when younger Alice entered the room. But this would not be too odd for a place like Oletus Manor.

But the odd thing that bothered him now was just why the little girl was awake at this hour. His eyes glance at the grandfather clock inside the lounge—3:27 AM. So he pushes the door all the way and Eurydice turns her head to the sound.

"Mister Kreiburg!" She gasps.

"Eurydice," He greets in turn."Why are you awake at this hour?"

She fiddles with her plush—a young boy wearing a green hat. "Robbie and I wanted to go Christmas carolling, and I said I'd make a song."

He nears the piano. "Why make one? There are many good carols."

She crosses her arms, "'Cause! That's no fun! I want people to hear the one I make!"

There's a silence before the man sighs. "I see. Still, that's no good reason to be up at this hour."

She whines, "but Mister Kreiburg!"

"No 'but's. Unless you'd like for Mister Orpheus to hear of this."

Hey eyes widen at the mention of the novelist. "Please don't tell Orphy!"

"Then off to bed," he says, shutting the cover of the piano keys.

Eurydice hops off of the piano bench with a pout. At the doorway, she turns to him. "Good night mister Kreiburg."

He nods. "Good night to you as well, miss Eurydice."

After the girl leaves, the room is silent.

After a few minutes, a chord echoes through the room, and then another, and then a pause. Another chord, a pause, then another—a trial and error, testing to see what sounds best fit a song.

——

Bright and early, they'd meet at the dining room before they went around to carol—that was what the three agreed on: Orpheus, Eurydice, and Robbie. It was now fifteen minutes past the agreed time, but still Eurydice did not show.

"Mister Orpheus, did Eurydice sleep late yesterday?" Robbie asks, kicking his feet under the table.

Orpheus stands by the door with a subtle frown, waiting for the girl. "I don't think so."

Slam!

"I'm here!" Eurydice leans against the door, panting while clutching her plush and... two sheets of paper?

Orpheus kneels down to her height. "Eurydice, are you alright?"

She smiles and nods, cheeks still flush. "Yes! I just had to make a quick stop. Look!"

She climbs the chair opposite to Robbie and slides the papers to him. The boy picks it up, and Orpheus can only guess that he is scanning it curiously.

"This is the carol?" Eurydice nods.

"This looks great!" Robbie hops off the seat and rushes to the door, Eurydice following after him.

Orpheus takes the sheets from Robbie and opens the door for the children, and they quickly rush to the survivor's mansion while Eurydice teaches her friend how to sing the carol.

Orpheus trails behind them, looking over the sheet music. The bottom of the last sheet is signed: F. Kreiburg.

He smiles, "Interesting."