The scent of crisp leaves was on the air as William walked silently down the path in the woods behind his house. He stared down at his sneakers, glancing up occasionally to make sure that he did not crash into a tree. This was his quiet place—it was where he went to think, and lately he had a lot to think about.

William had once been a big brother. He and his sister had been thick as thieves. And then, they fought. He and his friend had been playing the backyard, and she’d followed them around like a lost puppy.

“Get lost!” he had yelled out of frustration. “Leave us alone!”

The words echoed within his heart like the sound of a bell that had never ceased ringing. A stake of salt had been driven deep inside of his body when his parents told him that Jessica had been hit by a car when she had tried to cross the street. He shook his head and wiped a tear from his eye. The sound of a bird chirping rent the silence in half, and then silence ensued once more.

            And then, the sound of music filled the trees, the notes flowing seamlessly into one another. The tune on the wind seemed familiar to William, but he could not place where he had heard it before. Desire swept over him as the sound circled, enveloping him. He turned toward the source, and unknowingly stepped off of the path.

            The beauteous melody led him to a small opening in the forest. A moss-covered log lay on its side, and atop it sat a man who faced away from William. He wore a long ash-gray robe with a hood that covered his head. Two small, yellow birds orbited around him slowly, never making a sound. A chipmunk sat perched on his shoulder. And in the man’s hands, the source of the music gleamed in the rays of light that drifted through the trees. A flute that sang like a chorus of angels rested in the man’s hands.

            The man lowered the flute and the sound drifted away, like smoke on the wind. The chipmunk leaped from his shoulder and disappeared amongst the leaves, the birds fluttered away, chirping at their frustration.