Finding myself rather bored one summer evening, I decide to find every piece of lost or misplaced jewelry in the house. I discover a cross necklace in my mom’s wardrobe, a purity ring on a keychain in the bottom of a purse, and an old pink plastic necklace beneath my bed, just to name a few. 1
While searching, I discover – on the little-used shelf beneath my computer desk – a round lump of hardened clay, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, strung securely onto a sturdy brown cord. What most people might assume was a simple rock or a pendant, I immediately recognize as my ocarina, an instrument I hadn’t picked up in quite some time. It is humble and plain, but well made; the holes in the little flute are cut in just the right size to let air pass through and the fingerprints are still visible from the craftsman’s hands. Little imperfections, chips of glaze missing, a tiny crack running along the side, are the only bits of evidence of my time spent with the ocarina.2
I pick it up tenderly, as if its period of neglect from use had made it brittle and prone to shattering. It seems so much smaller, less substantial, than what I remember from so many years ago. I cover all five holes with the very tips of my fingers and blow gently, releasing a wavering, high C note.3
I revel in the nostalgia of how the holes feel beneath my fingers, noting that when I press on one and lift up, the shape of it remains imprinted on my finger as a circular puffed up patch of skin, which quickly disappears. The earthy brown finish on it is old and worn, and there are some places where the original orange of the clay shows through, but it still feels smooth on my fingers. The clay warms up quickly from my body heat, as if to say: “Welcome back, I missed you.” I press my mouth to it again, but don’t blow, as if delivering a kiss to my childhood treasure. I pull it away and continue to inspect the little object.4
The design impressed in the very center between the top four holes is one I know well: three triangles fit together to form a larger triangle, a triforce, three separate pieces come together to form the whole. I run my finger over the little ridges and valleys that make up the shape. Lightly, I loosen the cord and drape it over my head onto my neck. I think for a moment, pick it from where it hangs in front of my chest, press it to my lips and then suddenly realize: I’ve forgotten how to play.
Author notes
An assignment for my AP Language class.
Had to be around 400 words, a handful more or less was allowed but that's it.
I presented it today, but I'm still looking to improve. 
A contest entry
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Comments
1 - 17 of 17
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I decide -> decided
I discover -> discovered
A terrific short story...we have all had such moments.
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I loved it. The descriptions are fantastic, and the story is a short, simple one, but beautifully written. There are a few places near the beginning where you switch tenses, and it sounds a little awkward (i.e., "I decided I would find ... I discover"), but other than that the words flowed really well. This piece is just like a little treasure of a story!
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this was really good i was hooked from start to finish. good job
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well, the title caught my attention, I think you can guess why, but I really liked this, it was cute.
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very simple but well written. I agree with the tense thing but otherwise it was a really creative piece of writing. Personally I haven't played Zelda, so the description of the ocarina was particularly interesting, pretty cool
beginning: 4, language: 4, ending: 5.
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Yeah, i'm terrible with tenses. xD Oh well. Thanks for your input.
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Hi! When writing - I'm not always very good myself - you have to keep to the tenses. What is 'glaze' - do you mean 'glass'? If you cover 'all 5 holes', doesn't that also prevent the sound from escaping? Or are there maybe 6 holes in all? What finish is old and worn - your finger or the ocarina? (I understand, but you'll have to be a bit clearer than that ) How can you forget how to play an ocarina? Judging from the design that you describedon the instrument, there's no doubt you are a Zelda-fan. I love Zelda, too, but those songs are the easiest in the world, how CAN you forget how to play ANY of them? Nice. Well, wriiten, with little, but predictable twist on the end
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glaze is the finish that one puts on ceramics and clay that makes it shiny once it's out of the kiln. there are 5 finger holes, but two others: one to blow into, and one for the air to escape from.
Yeah, i'm lame cause i forgot how to play. xD;
It's just been so long! xP
I'll work on the tense thing. Thanks for your advice.
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You've got an ocarina yourself? I want one badly!
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Ha, when I saw the name of this I wondered if it had anything to do with a certain game... I was reading it and thought it didn't, until you mentioned the Triforce pattern xD
Very nice description and worthy of Link himself. xD -
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thanks! <3
I love zelda. When I first got the ocarina, i was dissapointed that it didn't look anything like the zelda one. but then I realized it still sounded just as cool.
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Aww...I love how you made something so simple full of life by detailing everything! Especially the circular puffed up patch of skin on your fingertips. So true yet nobody describes it...
It's the little things that make this story really nice.
And the ending, well its kinda sad and funny at the same time.
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Thanks! The first thing I thought of in the story was the ending actually.
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haha. I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!
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thanks!
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The ending was very funny, just since it struck me out of nowhere. Don't know if there's a length requirement, but the way you described the ocarina was detailed in full. Hope you do well on the assignment!
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Thanks!
Yes, it was supposed to be 400 words, approximately. So I had to work within a limit.
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