Last Hurrah

 


Sofia’s voice had been ruined by illness for years. Alone and emotionally scattered by memories of how incredible her voice once was, she decided to drown her tears in wine. During her time alone, someone knocked on her door.

At the door stood a strange little boy in a pristine black suit. Before Sofia could ask if he was lost or send him away, he spoke in a childish tone.


“I heard you crying, and I came to sell you a magic candy. It will give you a much better voice, but there’s a small price, which you won’t have to pay now.”


Sofia was not particularly fond of children, and at that moment, she was going through an emotional and mental breakdown. So, she accepted the candy without asking what the price was or when she would have to pay it.


She took the candy, shut the door immediately, and went back to sobbing. She unwrapped the candy, shoved it into her mouth, and continued drinking the wine until she passed out.


She woke up with a hangover and a throbbing headache, her phone buzzing nonstop with calls and texts. Most of the messages were from her manager, along with other renowned managers offering her contracts and gigs to perform in opera houses and arenas the size of stadiums.


Overnight, Sofia became the most celebrated soprano the country had ever seen. Her high notes were said to make crystal chandeliers tremble. Opera houses sold out years in advance. Kings and composers begged for her favor. Sofia lived in a whirl of flowers, jewels, and standing ovations, yet she kept a small, locked diary marking the days.


On the night of her announced farewell performance, she delivered an aria so pure that some members of the audience wept openly. She bowed after the performance, then walked into the backstage wings, still in costume. Out of nowhere, a little boy appeared and took her hand. Together, they walked into a dimly lit corner of the opera house.


Sofia and the boy were never seen again. Some speculate that she made a deal with the devil and that he came to collect. Others say she retired and retreated into isolation, waiting to make her return someday. But no one knows what truly happened to Sofia.

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