• Leif and Zeke were walking through the forest picking fruit. The forest was thick with spots of gold sunlight peeking though, making the forest glow. The two were following a dirt road they had made a few months ago. The weather was warm and light, a perfect spring afternoon.
    “Don’t eat that!” Zeke shouted at Leif about to pick a berry. “It’s poisonous!”
    “What do you know? You’re a dog, Zeke,” Leif said popping the berry into his mouth. “See? Nothing happened.”
    “Three, two, one, now look,” Zeke said in matter-of-factly tone. Leif had fallen straight down, frozen.
    “AH! Wha teh hec ju hahpen?” Leif slurred panicking.
    “The berry paralyzed your muscles. Feeling should come back soon,” Zeke said taking hold of Leif’s blue and white striped T-shirt and dragging him along. “Moving you should help. Maybe or maybe not. We’ll try.”
    “Alway trus a dog,” Leif said trying his best not to slur.
    “You should,” Zeke said panting and licking his paws. “You should start to feel pain in you mouth now, sort of like a burning.”
    “Would water help?” Leif said realizing he doesn’t slur anymore. He pointed at a near by river.
    “Don’t know, maybe, try it,” Zeke said. “Can you move any muscles?”
    “I don’t know,” Leif said trying to wiggle his arms and legs around. His arms were a success. “Only my arms. I can drag myself. Not too far to go.”
    “Good luck,” Zeke said smirking. “I’ll test the water.” He ran up to the river, leaving Leif to slowly drag himself.
    “AH! MY MOUTH IS… AH!” Leif shouted in intense pain.
    “I can’t help it, but, I TOLD YOU SO!” Zeke said laughing. He took a few slurps of the river. “Water’s fine.”
    After a painful minute, Leif reached the river. It was beautiful. Fast streaming, clear blue water filled the river. A few rocks were here and there giving it a few small waterfalls and zigzags. Leif took a deep breath and plunged his head in and letting the icy cool water flow into his mouth.
    “That’s a lot better,” Leif said relived.
    Zeke spotted something glinting in the sunlight. “That’s good. Do you see that?” He was pointing across the river at something shining gold.
    “Where?” Leif said looking around.
    “Right here, you dummy,” he said moving Leif’s face at the position of the object.
    “I see it now. Did you really have to call me ‘dummy’?” Leif said a little offended.
    “Yes,” Zeke said staring at the shining object trying to figure out what it could possibly be. Music started to play. The music was elegant, soft, and soothing. A kind of music a mother would play for her child before bed.
    “Music… It’s so nice,” Leif started to yawn. “I think I’ll take a nap.” Leif dozed off into a deep sleep.
    “Leif? Leif! Wake up!” Zeke shook him, nothing happened. “This music is nice.” Zeke rolled up and fell asleep.
    The Capricorn came out of the shadow with a harp. “Foolish animals,” He smirked and continued to play the music with his eyes closed and smiling softly. After a few minutes, seeming like hours, he stopped and walked off.
    “Huh?” Leif woke up.
    “WHO’S THERE?” Zeke shot up growling. He looked down at the boy. “Just you then.”
    “I swear that was a Capricorn,” Leif said rubbing his eyes. “I’m going to run over to the harp.”
    “How do you know it’s a harp?” Zeke said impressed.
    “I took music class,” Leif said rolling up his pants and running across the river.
    “Be careful!” Zeke shouted.
    Leif stood in awe at the harp. It was nothing like he’d seen. Amazing, no words could describe it. No words could ever tell it. Leif stood with big eyes, as a child might when receiving a first bike. He strummed a string and a peach appeared.
    “Zeke come here! Look at this!” Leif shouted without taking his eyes off the harp. Zeke got across the river before Leif finished his sentence.
    “How did you do that?” Zeke said shocked.
    “I’m not sure. All I did was touched a string,” Leif said and plucked at another string. This time a small creature appeared. It scattered away quickly. The two stood fixed. They could not believe what was going on.
    The Capricorn stood in the cave watching them, smiling. He wanted them to play a song. He snapped his finger and a piece of paper stuck onto the harp. It was a cut out of a newspaper.
    “Look at this,” Leif said thinking. “I’ve read this before.”
    “Interesting,” Zeke said grabbing it reading it aloud. “Unknown instrument claims the life of John Smith. Witness reports it causing ‘magic’. A full health report has been made on him for possible mental issues.”
    “So, this is it then. The guy wasn’t crazy after all.” Leif said circling the harp. So, it’s true! He thought. It’s really true!
    “Well, if it’s magical then maybe I can bring my family back!” Leif said thinking of a plan. “Maybe if I play this string with this one and this one, I can get them!” He pointed at the strings.
    “No, do not do that! You read the article,” Zeke said seriously.
    “It was one person,” Leif said getting ready to play.
    “Other cases reported. See? This kind of power with make you destroy yourself.”
    “I want my family! I don’t care what else happens. I miss them. They are all dead, how do you think I feel?” Leif said getting angry.
    “I know how you feel. My family was ‘normal’. They don’t live long lives. But I moved on,” Zeke said trying to convince Leif to stop.
    Leif started to play. “Ha. Nothing you can do now.”
    “That’s it. Keep playing,” the Capricorn said coming out of the shadows.
    “Huh?” Zeke said confused.
    “Human boy is very foolish. This is a Capricorn’s harp, humans cannot play it. Very bad things happen. It only makes me stronger,” the Capricorn said smirking. “If only you knew better. Nothing will happen but your death. Good bye,” He made waving motions with his hand.
    Leif starting backing away from the harp, he didn’t know. How could he know?
    Zeke walked in front of the boy protectively. “Touch the boy and I’ll rip you to shreds.”
    “Oh, I won’t do anything. It happens all by itself. The power of the Harp. I put you to sleep, only way to get you to come over here. Human curiosity has gotten the better of you, hasn’t it?” the Capricorn said laughing. “I can only reverse it with a song, specially made.”
    “Do it now or I will kill you,” Zeke said starting to growl.
    “Why should I? It makes me stronger.” The Capricorn went up to the harp and started to play. It was the same soothing sleepy music from earlier. “This will make it easier.”
    Leif had tears forming in his eyes. He didn’t want to die. He hated himself for ignoring Zeke. “Noooooo….” He slowly fell asleep.
    “No! You! WHY?” Zeke shouted. He ran up to the Capricorn and tried to gnaw at its leg but fell asleep to.
    The Capricorn laughed insanely and left the dog and the boy.
    “Leif,” Zeke said sleepily. He grabbed a hold of the boy’s T-shirt and dragged him to a ditch near the river and put him in there. He grabbed a stick and dug it into the ground, “Here lies Leif.” A twinkle came to Zeke’s eye. “Good bye friend.” He walked off, head down, through the forest.