Novel Full Chapter 366 - The Play Had Come To An End
When the lights on the stage brightened once again, the scene was that of the tavern where Theo worked.
Mr. Irv, the owner, was seen shaking his head as he watched the man who was sitting at the piano in the corner of the room
"Such a shame…" He muttered and returned to his room, disappearing from the stage.
Theo's fingers flew across the keys as he poured every feeling and emotion of his into the song he played.
The music that echoed in the room was soulful and everyone who heard it could catch the notes that overflowed with hopelessness and despondency.
While Theo was immersed in the melancholic music he played for the customers, a newcomer had entered the tavern and frowned when he heard this music.
His eyes remained on the pianist's back as he took his seat and continued to pay attention to the gloomy tune that surrounded everyone present inside this establishment.
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The people sitting in the audience seats were holding back their tears as the music was bringing up past memories along with feelings of sadness and anguish in their hearts.
The tragedies of their past were now being dug up and refreshed after hearing this tune and they could not help but sniffle as they heard the despairing music that floated all around them.
However, while everyone had a dejected expression on their face, there was one such person who did not share the same emotion.
The little girl who fluffy brown hair clenched her fists and her eyes darkened with an unimaginable hatred when she heard this tune.
Hilda was sure that she had never heard this music before but for some reason, she could feel anger bubbling up in her chest.
Her narrowed eyes were fixed on the Piano but sitting before it was not the man from earlier but a woman in a white gown whose hair reached lower than her waist.
Her eyes were playing tricks on her as all she could see now was the slender back of a woman which seemed to bring up loathsome feelings in her heart.
The figure of the woman swayed as she played the melancholic music but Hilda could not bring herself to feel bad for her or pity her.
Instead, this image evoked further fury and contempt for this apparition that had appeared out of nowhere.
As the song came to an end, the music began to fade and so did the apparition of the woman who had been playing the piano before her eyes.
Shaking her head, Hilda snapped out of her daze and frowned when she noticed that her palms were hurt as her nails had pierced through the skin when she had clenched her fists too hard.
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Back on the stage, Theo had finally finished playing his song and decided to take a break due to his exhaustion.
When he turned around, he found a strange man staring right at him and decided to ask whether he needed something.
Upon inquiring, Theo discovered that his music has drawn this man's attention and accepted his offer of sitting together for a drink.
"I haven't seen you around these parts, Sir." Theo revealed as this was a fresh face to him.
The man then nodded and introduced himself.
"My name is Sir Job. I am new in this town." He disclosed his identity and shook hands with Theo.
Theo nodded when he heard his name but after a few moments, his eyes widened as he had heard about Sir Job before.
"Aren't you a physician!?" He exclaimed in surprise and received a chuckling nod from the other man.
Then as Theo had a contemplative look on his face as he recalled where and why he had heard of Sir Job, the voice coming from behind the stage was heard once again.
{The people of this town were surprised when a new man appeared among them one day.}
{Not only was he new but he was also strange in many ways.}
{It was not long before rumors about this strange man spread throughout the people.}
{That he had rented the house at the far end of the town.}
{That he did not allow anyone inside his house before making him dust their clothes and wash their hands.}
{That he had strange books in his house and spoke about things that they had never heard of.}
{These oddities about the man made him become the talk of the town and even the target of their weird gazes whenever he ventured outside.}
{Theo had heard about this man who called himself Sir Job and also that this man was a great physician.}
{Once the people realized that he was a scholar in medical sciences after a few days, they began visiting him to seek his help for various matters.}
Now that Theo was sitting with this great physician, he decided to consult him about the tragedy that struck him.
{Theo narrated what had taken place to him and also answered the questions diligently which had been asked by Sir Job.}
A few minutes later, Sir Job had a serious expression on his face as he nodded his head.
"Your wife contracted an infection which exhibited itself in the form of the fever. This infection was what caused her to miscarry and not the simple fever." He corrected the wrong thinking of the sad husband.
Theo was surprised but it soon turned into concern as he gazed at Sir Job.
"How could she have gotten infected when she stays at home all day?" He retorted, seeking knowledge from this wise man.
Glancing around the tavern, Sir Job then glimpsed at Theo's hands before he found a probable explanation.
"She might have gotten infected when she met another infected person or… You might have carried an infection back home." He revealed and continued.
"Look at the people you work with and around." He uttered and scanned the room to find people from all walks of life visiting this place during their day.
"They work all day and who knows what they carry with them. You are in contact with them and when you return home, so is your wife." He explained with patience.
The horror on Theo's face proved that he had never thought of it in that way.
"Then why did I not get sick?" He muttered, wishing that he had fallen sick in his wife's place.
Sir Job shook his head and sighed.
"Men are stronger than women and in addition to her already fragile state, your wife was pregnant so she was further prone to get infected." He answered and felt sorry for the young man.
Theo grabbed his hair as he looked down and shook his head.
"So I killed my child…" He mumbled in despair that he had caused this tragedy to occur in his family.
Sir Job frowned when he heard this unsubstantiated claim and tapped the man's shoulder.
"No. That was an unfortunate result of either one of your carelessness." He rejected that claim as she could have been infected by a different source.
The men sitting nearby were all paying attention to this conversation as they were aware of what had happened in Theo's family.
Noticing their attention, Sir Job took this opportunity to teach them a thing or two.
"Something as simple as washing your hands with soap rather than just dipping them in water can save you and your family from a plethora of infections."
"Not only your hands but also your clothes, vegetables, and your surroundings need to be washed frequently to stay healthy."
"Though sometimes illnesses are unavoidable at those times, visit the physician rather than staying at home."
Theo rubbed his misty eyes and nodded resolutely.
"I will take all of these precautions if it would save me and my family from diseases." He vowed and thumped his chest with his fist.
The rest of the men sitting around them were encouraged after hearing Theo's vow and they too promised to do the same for the sake of their families.
Sir Job smiled and stood at the sink and taught them how to wash their hands properly and was pleased when they promised to teach their families how to do the same.
That day, as the men left the Tavern, they first washed their hands here and decided to repeat it when they got back home.
{Just like that, Sir Job had started a revolution where everyone strived to lead a healthier life by following these simple instructions.}
Lights dimmed and brightened while the voice continued to speak and various scenes were depicted on the stage.
{Women kept their houses and their surroundings clean.}
{Everyone made sure to wash their hands before they could touch anything or anyone when they returned home.}
{They even learned which foods were good for their health and began consuming them.}
{With these tiny steps, the villagers began living healthier lives and fewer people fell sick.}
When the lights brightened this time, a figure which had not appeared for a long time was seen on the stage.
On the stage were Theo and Damona as they strolled through the streets.
"Look at her stomach!" Someone from the audience gasped which directed their attention towards the woman beside her husband.
Damona rubbed her hand on her big belly as she leaned against Theo's chest as they walked around.
{The last few months had been good for the couple who returned to their earlier loving life after realizing that it was their mistake for what had taken place.}
The audience smiled through their tears when they saw that Theo and Damona were given a second chance at life and this time hoped that they would not make any mistakes.
{Theo was overly cautious this time and Damona treated her body with great care to avoid any mishaps.}
The next scene was where Sir Job visited the couple to check on them and nodded that everything was fine.
{Experience and an open mind to embrace the teachings from a learned man gave them new hope for life.}
When the lights brightened again, Damona and Theo were seen holding a baby swaddled in white cloth as they smiled at the audience and waved before walking away into the distance.
{May the life of our happy couple teach each of us a lesson that we cherish all our lives.}
The voice also faded as soft music began playing.
The audience began clapping when the actors all assembled on the stage to take a bow before them.
Everyone who played a part in the show appeared on the stage and as they bowed, the curtain closed before them.
Thus, announcing that the play had come to an end after the couple had achieved their happy ending through all the twists and turns that life threw their way.