The Haunted

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE

 

 You may wish to click on the video below first. 

BEFORE reading this article.

 

THERE IS NO NEED TO WATCH THE VIDEO  

JUST LISTEN

 

THE HAUNTING

 

As she approached the haunted castle in Scotland at three minutes past midnight, the door creaked loudly as she pushed it open and got in.

 

She stood at the doorway for a while until her eyes adjusted to the darkness therein, (therein meaning the castle, not her eyes). She noticed that all the curtains were drawn. But everything else was real.

 

It was then she heard the ominous music. The haunting frightening music which accompanies every ghost story, or when Dracula or some frightening creature lurks in the darkness. 

 

She felt a cold go up and down her spine. One would have called it a frisson, save for the fact that she was in Scotland and not in a neglected old château in France.

She turned to her left and saw the orchestra playing this haunting Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.

 

She was about to say something when the conductor, no lesser a figure than Bach himself, or his ghost, motioned her to keep quiet and move on.

 

She moved a few steps forward as the gloomy, portentous, menacing music continued. She put away her dictionary for a minute and stopped searching for synonyms to ominous music. She could have said ill-omened music, or melody, but she chose not to.

 

She picked up a lit candle and moved forward. Who had lit it? she wondered. Perhaps it was Bach, or one of the orchestra. 

 

She went up the dark creaky stairs. Slowly. Fearful. Trembling. Awaiting at any moment for the sudden suspense and shock that would make anyone jump out of their skin and needing a change of underwear. 

 

The sort of sudden shock just like you get in Alfred Hitchcock films. You know ... like in that shower scene in Psycho with the music building up to the suspense ... or is it suspenders? 

 

Only this time she was not in the shower. She was going up the stairs, as I said. Maybe she'd go to the bathroom later. Just pay attention and sit on the edge of your seat. Let's see what happens next.

As she went up one step at a time she noticed the whole orchestra following her. Led by Bach and followed by his massive organ being carried by several people whilst the organist was still playing it. Then came all the other musicians with their various instruments too.

She stopped.

All the musicians stopped moving but continued playing.

Bach motioned her to go on up the stairs.

Had there been a film crew there, they too would have walked behind her. The camera men. Sound engineers. Lights engineers. Producer, director, wardrobe mistress, hair stylist, make-up lady, and the plethora of other people who follow every scene as it is filmed.

But there were no film crew there. 

Just the orchestra and me, standing behind her, writing this for you on my notebook, to be typed on my laptop later.

And now there is also all of you here following me. Reading this. And wondering what will happen next.

Well ... she got upset and moody all of a sudden, as actors often do ... and for no reason at all she got out of the castle and drove home.

We might as well listen to the end of this music.