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Ever since Leonard had started collecting money from the aristocrats he’d been taking his wife, son, and two daughters out to nice restaurants.  Sunday night dinner was now a tradition for the family, and everyone took turns choosing where to eat.  Nia, his wife, had chosen last week’s restaurant, so it was now his son Darius’s turn.  He picked an Asian-Indian fusion restaurant that had opened not long ago.  He liked the name, “Rice and Spice.”

It was located within a town square type of area that wasn’t a square but instead a semi-elliptical shape where hundreds, sometimes thousands of people would gather to eat, drink, and listen to live music.  There was no band playing on this particular night, only one musician, a guitarist who couldn’t be more than seventeen years-old.  He played a lively song as the Harris family arrived, a loose funky cover of a classic that made Darius start to bounce and nod to the music.

“Go, Dare, go,” sang Nia.

The guitarist’s name was Elliot.  He was struggling, but not financially as many artists do.  Elliot was wrestling with his craft, attempting to boost his skill level above where it was at present.  He played very well and could learn and imitate songs perfectly, he knew chords and scales, but when it came to improvising, playing jazz or even imagining a unique solo, he couldn’t even scratch the surface.  Something in his mind would block the flow of signals to his hands and just shut him down.  The harder he tried to play original music, the more the obstructive force would confuse his attempts to do so.  He’d almost given up on guitar a few times, but not for very long.  Something else, something contrary to the obstructive force made him keep advancing his skill in other ways.  People love cover songs, as evidenced by his guitar case strewn with one’s, five’s, ten’s, and the occasional twenty.

“Thank you, sir,” he said to a man dropping a one and some change into his case.

The next song he chose to play was especially important to him.  It had been a favorite of his back when he had started taking an interest in music, a bluesy folk-rock song.

I ran away, across the sea

There was no more help for me

Wandered streets both old and new

Waiting for the dream of you

I don’t know what I’ll become

When my heart shines like the sun

Chorus:

All I have to give

Is all I’ll ever be

The truth hidden so deep inside

Only you can rescue me

As Elliot sang the atmosphere in the semi-elliptical town square began to glow.  All the people radiated a love that manifested visibly, as if the molecules comprising their bodies contained the essence of love itself.  They all smiled, some began to cry.

When my travels left me cold

I kept on searching, true and bold

The world spun around again

Shook me loose, I’ll never win

Only eyes like yours can give

The only reason I have to live

Repeat Chorus

Finally I washed ashore

An island from the days of yore

This place was where I first began

To conquer enemies of man

If destiny eludes me still

Again and Again I’ll test my will

Repeat Chorus 3x

The whole place was surrounded by and shining with love.  The people didn’t notice the music had stopped, some of them kept right on dancing.  Others lay on the ground and laughed in disbelief, so moved were they by this new rendition.  Elliot cried a little as well while he packed up his things.  He couldn’t play any more songs after this, it had been too glorious.

After school the next day he kept thinking about the night before and smiling.  No doubt about it, God had blessed them with a powerful move of His Holy Spirit.  Encouraged as he was regarding his musical challenges, his time in school was decidedly discouraging.  Maplefield High School wasn’t so bad, Elliot just disagreed with their policy of requiring him to do homework every night.  He already knew what he wanted to do when he grew up, he should be allowed to spend time on guitar and musically adjacent subjects.

Coincidentally a majority of students at Maplefield felt the same way about homework.  The miraculous events of late had helped offset a lot of the angst teenagers feel, and apart from Simon Miller—the man who leapt off the building—not one person had been endangered since the magical time began.

In his Biology class they were learning about botany.  Elliot couldn’t help but draw the comparison between the life of plants and his own life.  Plants have to fight to grow from the very beginning of their lives inside the seed.  They have to split the seed open, then send their roots down into the soil.  They get nutrients from the soil but ultimately they’re trying to grow up and out into the fresh air and sunlight.  Plants don’t want to stay underground.  Their roots are purely functional.

“Mr. Holloway…” said the teacher.

He turned his gaze from the window to his teacher.

“Am I boring you?”

“I’m done here,” said Elliot.  “It’s time for me to break free of the soil and reach for the sky.”  With that he walked out of the classroom and started towards home.