Gwilian Eyes Shot Open Short Story

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Gwilian’s eyes shot open. “Today is the big day,” she mumbled nervously to herself. It was the day of her first performance, in front of the whole town! She knew that she was ready for it, but she couldn’t seem to calm her nerves. She sat up and her eyes locked onto her most prized possession; her harp. Gwilian’s harp was the most beautiful musical instrument in her town. It had been a gift from her mother, passed on to her from her dying instructor; a gift reserved only for her best pupil.

She heard her mother’s frantic cry, “Gwilian, you have to get up! You don’t want to be late for your first performance!”

“Yes, mother,” she said reluctantly, “coming.”

When her feet hit the floor, Gwilian immediately shivered and hurried to snatch her sweater. The rain made a light pitter-patter sound on the roof. As she made her way to the kitchen, she heard the faint rumbling of thunder in the distance, like a herd of horses stampeding through an open field.

Throughout her morning routine of breakfast and chores, her mother continually reminded her, “Hold your head high and do not let your shoulders slouch, because almost the whole town will be watching you, Gwilian! Do this and you will play wonderfully.” Her mother repeated her advice, even though she
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She had thoughts of freezing up on stage. If she failed, she couldn’t face her mother’s disappointment or her father’s embarrassment. “Come on, Gwilian!” she spoke out loud in hopes of interrupting her thoughts. She couldn’t shake her nervous thoughts and the sick feeling in her stomach. Her palms were sweating and she continued to wring her hands. “You’ve been practicing your whole life for this! You can do this!” No matter what she said, she couldn’t shake the dread that was overwhelming her. “I should just turn around right now and run home! “ She whirled around toward home, and ran right into her best friend, Evelyn.

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