• The Spirit of Summers Art Gallery

    (Modern Day)

    Harmony Moon has just moved to the small town of Black Brook where she is supposed to live with her big brother Derek while her mother is out of the country.

    Harmony: “Hey Derek, when am I going to start school?”

    Derek: “Soon, I’ve already enrolled you into Black Brook High School. I’ve heard they have a great Girl’s Varsity Soccer Team.”
    Harmony: “That’s good.”

    By the time the she got to her brother’s house it was 7 o’ clock. She unpacked her things and decided to go to bed early.

    It was very boring the next couple weeks until she found out that she was going to school. Harmony decided to use the supplies she had the year before, figuring the list didn’t change much.

    She drove her brother’s car to the high school and parked in the big parking lot. She went straight to the office.

    Secretary: “Welcome to Black Brook High, how may I help you?”

    Harmony: “I’m Harmony Moon, I just moved to Black Brook and this is the school I was enrolled in.”

    Secretary: “Harmony Moon. Okay, I’ll check the files. One moment please.”

    The secretary got up from the wide desk and left the room. Harmony waited a few minutes for the secretary to return.

    Secretary: “Ah, here you are!” she said to herself, “Here’s your class schedule, a map of the school, and your locker number and combination. If you need any help don’t be afraid to ask the other students.”

    Harmony: “I will. Thank you!”

    Secretary: “Have a good day!”

    Harmony took out her schedule and looked at the classes she was in.
    Harmony: “So I have Art first period, oh goodie.”

    She looked at her map and started walking down the long hallway. She found the Art room easily and walked inside. She froze at the door as everyone turned to look at her.

    Art Teacher: “Ah, you must be the new student we were told about! Please come in and choose a seat.”

    Harmony smiled weakly as she walked quickly to the seat in the back of the room. She looked at the person she was sitting next to. He was tall but thin with dark brown hair. He was slouched over a book and obviously ignoring her. Harmony read the name on his folder. It said “Jonathan Sum-’’ the last part was covered by his hand.

    Art Teacher: “Class, this is Harmony Moon. She’s a new student here at Black Brook so make her feel welcome.”

    The rest of the day went like that. More introductions and more stares. She made a few friends my first few days. One of her friends, Crystal Wood, also was going to the tryouts for the soccer team.

    Harmony: “Hey Crystal, when are tryouts for the soccer team?”

    Crystal: “They’re tomorrow I think.”

    Harmony: “TOMORROW?!”

    Crystal: “Yeah, why?”

    Harmony: “I don’t have any of my gear! I was planning on buying new equipment when I got here! What am I going to do!”

    Crystal: “Chill out, there’s a sporting goods store a couple blocks from here.”

    Harmony: “Really? I thought I would’ve noticed something like.”

    Harmony drove straight home after school and ran inside.

    Derek: “Hey! What’s the rush!”

    Harmony: “Soccer tryouts are tomorrow! I need to go to the sporting goods store to get new gear!”

    She ran out the door before Derek could say anything else. She got into her brothers car and started driving. She was coming up to the school when she realized she forgot her she had a note for the Art teacher.

    She turned into the parking lot of the school and parked in the empty parking lot.

    She ran through the double doors of the school, walked casually past the office, and then ran to the art room. She approached the art room and looked inside. The teacher wasn’t there.

    Harmony: “I’ll just leave it on his desk.” She told herself.

    She reached for the knob on the door and turned it. She crept into the class room feeling stupid knowing that no one else was here. She placed the note on his desk in plain view so he wouldn’t miss it, and then turned toward the door. She turned to find a tall figure looming over her. It was Jonathan.

    Jonathan: “Excuse me.” He murmured loud enough for me to hear.

    Harmony moved over to let Jonathan pass. Harmony moved towards the door and walked into the hallway. Jonathan was nowhere to be seen.

    She made it to the sporting goods store by 4 o’ clock. She had plenty of time to find what she needed.

    Harmony: “Excuse me, can you tell me where your soccer equipment is?”

    Store Clerk: “Second floor, past the tennis section.”

    Harmony: “Thanks.”

    She went to the second floor and started looking. She found some cleats, shin guards, goalie gloves, goalie shorts and a goalie jersey. She brought her items to the check-out counter and got out her wallet.

    Store Clerk: “Did you find everything alright?”

    Harmony: “Yes, thank you.”

    Store Clerk: “Your total is $186.00.”

    Harmony gave the clerk the money. The clerk handed Harmony her bags.

    Store Clerk: “Have a nice day!”

    Harmony exited the store and looked at her watch. It was only 5:30, so she decided to walk around for a while. She looked across the street and saw the same tall figure she saw earlier.

    She decided to go put her purchases in the car. After dropping off the bags she went to the shop across the street. There was a closed sign on the window.

    Harmony: “I swore I just saw him in the window a moment ago.”

    Frustrated, she went back to her car and put the key into the ignition. She drove home her head clouded with her thoughts, thoughts of Jonathan.

    Harmony: “What am I doing!” she scolded herself, “I should be thinking about tryouts tomorrow!”

    She pulled into the drive way and got out of the car. She went into the house and kicked off her shoes.

    Derek: “Your home early. Did you find what you needed?”

    Harmony: “Oh! I forgot about the bags.”

    She went back to the car and grabbed the bags. She looked up at the window to her room and saw Jonathan staring straight at her.

    Harmony: “Hey! What are you doing in my room?!”

    Jonathan didn’t move.

    Harmony: “Get out of my roo-”

    Derek opened the door to the house.

    Derek: “What’s wrong? Why are you yelling?”

    Harmony looked back up at her window. Jonathan wasn’t there anymore.

    Harmony: “Nothing Derek. I just thought I saw something on the roof.”

    Derek: “Well you don’t have to yell at it! You almost gave me a heart attack!”

    Harmony: “Sorry.”

    She grabbed her bags and went inside the house.
    She immediately ran up to her room and looked everywhere. There was nothing there. She leaped onto her bed and heard a crunching sound. She sat up and found a note under her comforter. Before she could open it she heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

    Derek: “Hey Harmony, what kind of pizza do you want?”

    Harmony: “Cheese please.”

    Derek: “Okay.”

    Once Derek left the room she got the note out. Harmony Moon was written on the front in beautiful calligraphy. Harmony opened the note and looked at it. Instead of being a letter it was a picture. A beautiful rose was sketched on the paper. The rose was so beautiful it could be mistaken for a photograph. She studied the picture and found small initials in the corner. JS.

    Harmony: “It’s Jonathan!” she exclaimed.

    That night she went to bed her head full of thoughts of Soccer, Jonathan, homework, and other things. She hid the picture under her mattress to make sure Derek wouldn’t find it.

    She woke up the next morning and went to take a shower. She got dressed and packed up her new gear in a separate duffel bag for tryouts after school.
    When she got to school she went directly to her gym locker and to store her gear. She went back to her regular locker and got her books together then moved on to art class. She walked into the class room and saw that Jonathan wasn’t there. Disappointed, she went to her seat in the back of the room.
    Harmony moved through the rest of her day as usual and waited for the bell to ring to announce the end of the day. Once it rang, she bolted out of the classroom and to her locker.

    PA system: “All girls trying out for the soccer team meet outside on the soccer field and await further instruction.”

    She changed into her gear but left the goalie equipment in her locker.

    When she reached the soccer field a group of girls were waiting on the field. She easily found Crystal among them.

    Harmony: “Hey Crystal!”

    Crystal: “Oh, Hi!”

    When they reached each other, a woman blew her whistle and called for attention.

    Coach: “My name’s Coach Rain and today’s the day I choose the next champions of Black Brook Soccer!”

    Coach Rain had the girls run laps and wrote down some candidates to watch more carefully. She asked who had had previous experience in the game, which very few did. She started asking what positions they had played.

    Coach Rain: “Crystal Wood, which position did you play?”

    Crystal: “Fullback ma’am.”

    Coach Rain: “Good. Harmony Moon, what position did you play?”

    Harmony: “Goalie ma’am.”

    Coach Rain: “Okay. Now I’m going to try each of you out in different positions to see where I should put you.”

    The Coach put the girls in different positions. Harmony started out in goal and blocked every shot that was taken.

    Tryouts lasted for about 2 hours till it came to an end. Everyone was huffing and puffing trying to get more air.

    Crystal: “You did great!”

    Harmony: “You too!”

    Harmony and Crystal went back to the locker room and changed back into their clothes.

    Crystal: “See you tomorrow Harmony!”

    Harmony: “Bye!”

    Harmony exited the locker room onto the paved sidewalk. The stadium lights were still on so she decided to go back to the field and kick the ball.

    When she approached the field she noticed she wasn’t alone. Jonathan was sitting with his back up against the opposite goal, his journal on his lap.

    Harmony: “I’ll just pretend he’s not there.” she thought to herself.

    She took her ball out of her bag and set it on the PK line. She kicked the ball hard into the upper left corner of the goal. She repeated this several times before she realized he was sitting closer, almost two feet behind her on the goal box.

    Harmony stopped the ball under her foot and turned to face Jonathan.

    Harmony: “What do you want from me?!” she demanded.

    Jonathan: “Something you can’t give me.” He whispered.

    Then he was gone. I didn’t understand what he meant by “Something you can’t give me” but I was going to find some answers either way.

    The next day the list was posted for the soccer team. The third category read “Goalie” and next to goalie was Harmony’s name.

    Harmony: “YES! I made it!” she yelled.

    Everyone’s heads’ turned to look at her. Including some teachers’ heads’.

    Harmony: “Oops, sorry.”

    She went to her first class and, of course, Jonathan wasn’t there. The news from the morning helped her make it through the day.

    She drove home and went inside.

    Harmony: “Hey Derek! Guess what, I made it onto the soccer team!”

    Derek: “Really? That’s great! What position are you?”

    Harmony: “Goalie. Hey I wanted to tell you I’m going into town today to look around.”

    Derek: “Okay, be back by 7 o’clock.”

    Harmony: “I will!”

    She ran out the door and drove into town. She parked a few blocks away from the sports shop and got out of the car.

    Harmony: “I hope that place isn’t closed today.”

    She walked across the street and went inside. It wasn’t a shop, but an art gallery. She went inside the glass room full of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and other pieces of artwork.

    She walked through looking at each piece of art for the initials JS. While she was looking a man walked up to her.

    Gallery Curator: “May I help you?”

    Harmony: “Yes, I’m looking for any pieces signed JS. I think He’s a local artist.”

    Gallery Curator: “Oh, yes we have a section dedicated to him.”

    Harmony followed the man toward the back of the gallery.

    Gallery Curator: “Here we are! Please feel free to look around!”

    She walked into the small room filled with hundreds of small pictures of various things. One picture in the corner caught her eye. It was a picture of HER kicking the soccer ball. The picture Jonathan was drawing of her last night.
    There was a plaque in the center of the room so she walked over to read it:
    In remembrance of Jonathan Summers, a local artist who’s
    tragic death effected the staff and artistic community of
    Summers Art Gallery. May he live on in our hearts
    forever.
    Harmony stared at the plaque speechless, tears pouring over her cheeks.

    THE END