The Song of Home
“What are you?” the mushroom creature asks as the two of them walk down the hall, still holding hands. Well, Willi is walking. The mushroom is marching, as if he’s in a parade. He’s considerably shorter than Willi too, perhaps the height of a seven-year-old.
“I’m a human,” Willi says with only a hint of uncertainty. “But you may call me Willi. What are you?”
“I’m a little mushroom man,” says the little mushroom man, “but you can call me Little Mushroom Man.”
“But men are adults,” Willi points out. “You seem like a child, a boy.”
Little Mushroom Man shrugs. “I’m bigger than I used to be, so I suspect I’m a man now.”
“I suppose that makes sense,” Willi agrees. “But if that’s the case, I’m also bigger than I used to be. Would that make me a lady?”
Instead of answering, Little Mushroom Man steps in front of Willi and takes a bow.
“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Willi!” he says, intentionally deepening his voice, though it still ends up very high.
Despite the strangeness of it, a giggle escapes from Willi and she returns a curtsy.
“The feeling is mutual, Sir Little Mushroom Man.”
“A man and lady like ourselves require only the finest entertainment!” Little Mushroom Man decides, keeping up the ridiculous voice. “Where shall two gentlepeople find such a thing?”
Willi thinks. “There’s the Ghost Woman downstairs. She plays lovely on the piano.”
“Then to the Ghost Woman! If my lady would be so kind as to lead the way?”
“Of course.” Willi steps ahead and makes her way downstairs to the entertainment room, with Little Mushroom Man following close behind her.
As they reach the entertainment room, they find the Ghost Woman in there alone, just finishing another lovely song. She plays the last note, then brings a hand up to her neck, caressing it slowly.
“I must thank that cook,” she says, seemingly to herself. “That tea is doing wonders for my voice.”
She turns, her eyes sparkling as they fall on Willi.
“You’re back,” she says. “Did you find what you’re looking for?”
“Not yet,” Willi says. “Can you play us a song?”
The Ghost Woman smiles. “Certainly. What would you like me to play?”
Willi looks to Little Mushroom Man, expecting him to have an answer. Little Mushroom Man straightens with the attention suddenly on him.
“Play something…hm…” He reaches to scratch the top of his gooey, mushroom head. “Play something that makes you think of home!”
The Ghost Woman’s eyebrows rise at that, but her smile does not falter. She turns back to the piano and begins to play.
The tune is a simple one, but still lovely. It reminds Willi of a lullaby one’s parent might play for their child. Something easy to sleep to, easy to feel protected with.
The Ghost Woman sings as well. Her singing is not as good as her piano playing—her voice is hoarse and the notes don’t match with the music well. But somehow, that improves the song. She’s not a famed singer known for her beautiful, bewitching voice. She’s just another person, playing a tune from her heart to soothe the children.
Sometimes, neither quality nor quantity is important, as long as it exists and it is loved.
Once the song is finished, Little Mushroom Man claps and cheers, as if he is at a concert. Willi knows it would be polite to follow suit, but she can’t bring herself to do so. As the Ghost Woman turns, she finds herself speaking instead.
“I’ve never heard that song before,” Willi says. “But it sounds familiar.”
The Ghost Woman has a smile, sad and tired. “I suspect it’s very old now.”
“Does it have a name?”
“It did, but I’m afraid I don’t remember. I only just barely remember the tune. I’m not even sure if the lyrics I sang were the right ones.”
“Where are you from?”
The questions shocks both, Willi and the Ghost Woman. Now that she has asked it, however, Willi finds that she very much wants to know the answer. When the Ghost Woman doesn’t reply right away, she pushes.
“How did you get here? Did you come here before or after you died? Did you indeed die here? Were you sent here? Were you stolen away like me? Were—”
“Stop.“
Willi’s breath hitches as the Ghost Woman interrupts her. The Ghost Woman sighs, then smiles.
“We are boring your friend,” she says.
Willi looks at Little Mushroom Man, who taps his foot impatiently, ready to move on to something, anything else.
“You know, why don’t you two go to the kitchen?” The Ghost Woman suggests. “The cook there is always cooking something new and bewildering. You may like their strange dishes.”
So there’s a strange cook here as well? Willi isn’t sure how many dishes they could make in her kitchen; it’s far past time for Mother and Father to go to the grocery store. Willi would be shocked if there’s anything more than leftover pizza in there.
However, at the suggestion of it, Little Mushroom Man starts hopping up and down.
“Yeah!Yeah!Yeah!Yeah!Yeah!” he cheers, tugging on Willi’s arm. “Take me to the kitchen! Take me to the kitchen!”
“Okay,” Willi says, somewhat absentmindedly. She doesn’t take her eyes off the Ghost Woman, however. Being a curious child, she’s learned to recognize when adults are sending her away because she asked too many of the wrong questions. She’ll be obedient for now, as she takes Little Mushroom Man’s hand and leads him to the kitchen. But Willi keeps her questions tucked away for later, for when she meets with the Ghost Woman again, alone, with no bored companions.
It’s the start of Spooky Month! Hope you’re enjoying the story so far!
