Page 18 of Symphony for Lies

I made a mental note to catch up on the chat after work and shoved the phone back into my pocket, focusing on the path ahead.

As I walked, the sound of the wind chimes grew louder.

It was coming from the small, round pavilion on the hill. The structure, with its elegant white columns and domed roof, had a classical, almost ancient charm. It was surrounded by beautifully maintained flower beds and tall trees.

Inside, a raised platform served as a stage for small concerts, performances, and public speeches that anyone could enjoy.

On sunny days, the golden light filtered through the trees, casting long, elegant shadows against the stone. But as I walked by,something felt off.

The pavilion seemed darker, even though it was well-lit.

And… there were wind chimes everywhere.

They hadn’t been there the morning prior.

I stopped in my tracks.Something wasn’t right.

The blowing wind made the chimes sing in disharmony, sending a shiver down my spine.Each tone sounded different.

As I stepped closer, I realized that was by design. Each one was crafted to play a distinct note.

I memorized the sound, wondering if it was for an upcoming event. Sometimes, the pavilion was decorated for performances, with a sign posted nearby listing event details.But I couldn’t see one.

The sound was louder. More intense.

And I noticed something new.

Numbers were engraved into the columns.

“Three, six,” I read aloud, frowning.

I circled the pavilion. The numbers weren’t in order. Two. Four. One. Five. Three. Six.

A strange, uneasy feeling twisted in my gut, and I stopped at the entrance steps.

A weight settled on my chest.

The moment my foot touched the final step,the breath left my lungs. My jaw went slack, and my entire body was locked in place.

Scattered across the floor of the pavilion were deep blue Aster flowers. And resting in the middle of them was a body.

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

A frigid chill rushed down my spine, numbing my limbs. My stomach turned violently as my eyes took in the horrific sight.

The corpse… had been cut apart. The arms and the legs were placed in a surreal order. The hands were missing entirely.

The head was placed on large, bloodstained sheets of music as if it were on display. His eyes were shut. And his lips… were sewn together.

A wave of dizziness slammed into me. My vision blurred.

Thisisn’treal. Thiscan’tbe real. Iamdreaming. Thisisa nightmare.

But the damn wind chimes rang again.

My heartbeat thundered in my ears, yet I couldn’t move.

Panic flooded through my veins, but my legs refused to obey my internal demands. My shaking body gave out, and I collapsed against one of the columns.