The Dying Artist

Painting: The Dying Artist by Zygmunt Andrychiewicz (To know more about the art and artist, click on the picture)

A Dead Man’s Wish

The Grim Reaper said, “Your time has come”. He was trembling and shaking, and sobbing bitterly. He wasn’t ready to go, not just yet. But these were instructions, not requests. He let out a wail, before he silenced abit, and after a few seconds of silence, he asked, “Will you just grant me my last wish?” The Grim Reaper considered for a second, hands on his jawbone, then replied, “As long as you don’t ask for life.” His spirits were raised by this answer and he appealed yet again, “I want to be able to listen to music and die. Can you play that violin for me?”

The Grim Reaper got skeptical, as he was deaf. But if he’s going to die, let me grant him his last wish, he thought to himself. So the Grim Reaper gave him the ability to hear, and transformed his black robes into a perfectly cut tuxedo. He took the violin from its place, and in a low note started playing a beautiful melody. He played and played, switching from low notes to high notes now, tension buzzing in the air.

Meanwhile, tears flowed from his eyes, as he said, “That violin belonged to my daughter. Darling, don’t worry, I’m coming to you!”, and with that he bled his ears and died…

Hello there again, fellows! It feels so refreshing to be back after exams. The short story above has been an instant flow of thought from my mind! I watched the painting on a friend’s story on Instagram, and this was the first thing that popped into my mind. My creative braincells are actively working, it seems, so I’ll be sure to post more here soon.

Let me know what you think of the painting, as well as of the short story.

#Qotd: Do you like to visit museums? Why or why not?

Thank you for reading! Keep visiting, and I’ll see you guys soon.

-Devangi