Ghost at the Piano

This Friday Night Ghost story is named

GHOST AT THE PIANO

Felice awoke to the sound of Beethovens Moonlight Sonata wafting it's way up from the inn's conservatory. SHe had just checked in two hours ago, bleary eyed from the four hour drive en route to her next concert in Seattle. All she really wanted to do was get some sleep before she finished the journey in the morning, so who in the world would be playing downstairs at 3:00 a.m.?

Finally irritated enough to drag herself out of bed, Felice padded down the master staircase and across the main hall to the doorway of the conservatory. She frozethere, her eyes irresistibly anchored on the handsome man at the piano. He didn't seem quite of this ara in his vintage tuxedo and slicked back hair, Felice vaguely wondered if he was an actor who put on shows in the inn's hayday in the roaring twenties. Indeed, there was even a glass of gin on the top of the piano.

Without a sound from Felice, the manup as though he had expected to see her therr all along. "Hello Felice, I've been waiting for you...for quite some time." Felice was mesmerized by his deep black eyes, and felt compelled to move toward the piano.

"You and I have a duet to play, Felice. Come sit an the bench beside me." Felice found she couldn't resist the man's command, and she slowly sank into the bench next to him. A sudden shiver overtook her as she felt a distinct chill in the air.

"Put your fingures on the keys, Felice", the man gently coaxed with a predatory gleam in his eyes. As if of her own volition, Felice's hands reached for the keyboard and settled there ready for the next command.

"Now play. You know the tune." Felice hesitated, but her hands no longer obayed her, and they began to play the sonata that had drawn her down the stairs. The man fell into accompaniment, and as they played, both figures slowly faded out of sight.

That was Felice's final performance.