//------------------------------//
// A new string? 
// Story: The unknown string 
// by Alto Harmony 
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Alto practices playing her viola while her mother is cooking downstairs. Alto was interrupted when she heard her mother yell from the bottom of the stairs “Alto! Breakfast is ready, try to finish practicing before it gets cold!” Alto’s mother said as she went back into the kitchen downstairs to finish up the food. 

“You can’t rush music mom, music like this takes time.” Alto said mumbling knowing that she’ll probably have to heat up the food since she always took time practicing. She stopped for a moment and started to tune the viola but somehow felt odd while doing so. “That’s strange.” She said after the tuning was done. Alto got back to practicing but that feeling was still there and she didn’t know what it was. “Maybe I should go eat first. That should shake this feeling away.” Alto said as she made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. 

“It’s about time dear! You’re lucky it’s still hot.” Her mother said as she looked to see her daughter. But she noticed that Alto had a frown on her face. “Is something wrong Alto?” She said taking a bite of her food. Her daughter never really talks a lot so she always tries to ask if something is ok or wrong. Alto’s mother didn’t say anything else as she was still waiting for an answer while still eating her food.

Alto looked up at her mother changing her expression to a small smile then said “say mom do you ever feel like something is out of place? Like something that is perfect but can’t tell if something has changed?” She asked with caution looking around carefully. Her mother on the other hoof had finished eating and looked at Alto curiously wondering also what she meant. Alto started getting a little nervous and said “I’m not crazy or anything! I just wanted to know if you ever felt the same way too sometimes.” She said finishing up her meal and waited for her mother to answer. 

“Well I guess I do feel that way sometimes. But what makes you feel that way? You seem a little bit scared.” Her mother said as she looked at how nervous Alto looked. “You can stay with me in the kitchen if you like. Do you want some tea to help you feel a little calm?” She said as she gave her a small smile. Alto returned the smile back but already started to go back upstairs. 

“No thanks mom. I appreciate the offer but I’m fine really. I’ll be upstairs practicing so yell if you need me.” Alto said as she went back upstairs. She started to feel that strange feeling again as she was in front of her door. Alto hesitated for a few minutes and was starting to get angry at herself for not opening the door to her room. “You can do this Alto, just clear your mind.” She said as she took a deep breath and cleared her mind, that strange feeling going away completely. Alto smiled to herself and said “there we go, nothing to it.” She opened the door looking around for anything strange and there wasn’t at first so she trotted inside and got to her bed. She grabbed her viola at the foot of her bed and realized that there was an extra string on it. “Huh that’s odd... I suppose I’ll make sure everything is ok.” Alto said as she counted each string. 

“1. 2. 3. 4... and 5? That can’t be right.” Alto said as the strange feeling came back again. Instead of being nervous or scared she got a little angry at whatever was causing this feeling. She looked at the extra string then looked around her room and yelled “OH YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY! WAIT UNTILL I FIND OUT WHO OR WHAT YOU ARE. I WILL FIND YOU NO MATTER HOW MANY HOURS OR DAYS IT TAKES!” She went around her room and looked for it, even though she has no idea what it looks like. 

Her mother was relaxing on a sofa reading one of her favorite mystery books until she heard her daughter yelling from upstairs. Worried she went to the bottom of the stairs and shouted “IS EVERYTHING OK DEAR?” After not hearing an answer she trotted upstairs and knocked on Alto’s bedroom door. She could hear a bunch of things being moved. After a sudden silence she opened the door looking around her daughter’s room. It was a mess, there was a collection of Alto’s video games and clothes all over the place. Her mother stopped and went into Alto’s room and found her looking at one of the strings on the viola. Her mother of course saw that there was only four strings, at least in her eyes. 

Alto was just standing there looking at the new string that somehow got there on her instrument. She was staring at it without blinking. “I can do this all day. Either you tell me what you’re doing here, or I’ll make you.” She said with a stern voice. Alto looked over to the side of her room and said “oh hello mom, it seems we have an intruder. And it’s right here.” She pointed to the fifth string accusingly at the viola. She gave her mother a raised eyebrow as if she expected something. 

“Um Alto, I only see four strings. What are you pointing at exactly?” Her mother said looking confused. She went closer to her daughter and only saw four strings not five.

“The fifth string. Wait you don’t see it? It’s right there.” Alto said a little irritated. She pointed to it again and her mother looked closer. “See it? Right there.” Alto said. Her mother backed away and looked at Alto with a worried look. “So you don’t see it? Are you sure?” She said with a little surprised look at her mother, then went back to glare at the new string. 

“No I don’t see it, I’m sorry.” Her mother said as she gave Alto a sad and worried look. She then went back downstairs to the sofa and took a seat. Instead of relaxing and reading her favorite book, she waited for Alto worrying about her.