500 Words 2025/26: read a finalist's story from the 5-7 category

Remember, spelling, punctuation and grammar are not taken into account for a 500 Words story, therefore all the top 50 stories have been published how they were submitted.

The Witches' String Quartet by Ellen L.

Some people say that music is a kind of magic, that is, of course, because they have heard the Witches' String Quartet play.The Witches' String Quartet - four remarkable young women who were born with the rare gift of Harmonymagic, the ability to enchant their music, and started this band of their own.First violin - a rebellious high-society runaway, Clara was the founder of this unique troupe. Like a danseuse to her dance, Clara had always let herself be intoxicated by the piece when playing.In contrast, the second violinist, Iris, rather than succumb to the beautiful chaos, controlled it, with the most precise playing. Many viewed her as something like a machine, incapable of emotion, due to her stunning yet expressionless face.Lily, playing the viola, was so vague and her expression so blank that perhaps the same could be said for her. Yet there was this gentle sweetness about her, which made her music even more enchanting.Serious, silent Mary seemed to represent the cello herself. Her voice was deep and serene, and her music always seemed to have a calming resonant to it.Together these four lived in a townhouse in the sleepy White Hart Street where anyone could hire them to play for any occasion.Every morning the girls collected ingredients for their magic - the witches didn't need guidebooks, they simply felt that pull of some emotion from an object, like the calmness of a seashell or the fervour from a new-born chick's feather. Then, they placed the items for their latest music in front of them, before playing the piece. These items are of course carefully selected for the affair like roses of love and entwined branches of bonding for a wedding, when the ladies played in front of them, they strengthened the intended emotions of the piece. At the occasion, the objects were not needed as they had already enchanted the music being played.This was an overview of the Witches' String Quartet daily lives, but stories always start a twist of the ordinary…One moonless light, a nameless shadow destroyed the musicians' stock and sucked all the feelings from every object he could find. After the witches found out, they travelled far and wide to find ingredients for their music but the thief had done so well, everything seemed pale and faded, the people around them seemed to grow colder and emptier.Everything changed on Christmas Eve, when they passed a crooked, wooden shack.A young girl draped in rags rushed to them, 'You must be the Witches' String Quartet!' she cried, 'I have heard of your magical music, can you please play for my dying sister?'Clara explained their situation but the girl insisted that they play "Canon in D", her sister's favourite.So the troupe took out their instruments and played. Something shifted as the witches performed, they felt hope pulsing and the music felt different too, for this was the purest of Harmonymagic - the kind that came from one's heart.

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