Zac settled down uncomfortably. Too tired to sleep, his mind too busy to sit still, and his hands were fidgety.
Sighing from his growing frustration, he squirmed under his covers, before tossing them off and onto the floor. Only to, a minute later, to grab the sheet and resettle in his bed.
"Zac, if you don't lie still, I swear I'm gonna tie ya down to your bed." Isaac warned from his bed, at the top of the bunk.
He shifted again, "I can't help it." He said between clenched teeth. "I can't get comfortable."
"Well, go walk off whatever it is you have." Taylor mumbled.
Groaning, Zac jerked off his sheet and started stalking towards the door.
Shutting the door behind him, he trailed his hand along the wall as he walked slowly down the hall and towards the stairs. Carefully getting down them, he walked into the family room and seated himself against the piano.
He fiddled with the keys for a little bit, reacquainting himself with them all. Then getting himself situated, he sat up straight on the hard bench, and poised both hands above the ebony and ivory.
Then as if in a trance, his fingers started to gently glide across them. "Lonely Boy" poured from the large instrument as he hummed along with the words.
Quietly he started singing, "Is there no one, who could love a lonely boy. At the end of the day, there's no one to hold his hand. Is there no one, who could love a lonely boy. At the end of the day, there's no one to understand. He's looking in the spring, looking for another place to start. Trying to find the switch, and turn on the light in the dark."
He faltered there. His voice breaking, and giving away his sadness and fear, as well as his fingers crashing against several of the keys.
Zac was about to stand up, and get away from the memories and thoughts that seemed to keep chasing him, but reluctantly, he sat back down on the wooden bench.
Cracking his fingers unsurely, he poised he his hands above the ebony and ivory once again.
Pressing down on the keys again, he started singing almost instantly. Refusing to listen to the tears that strained and stretched his vocal chords.
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace that fear relieved. How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. 'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home."
"Zac?"
His fingers pushed dumbly on several keys, making another crashing sound, as he jumped from the intrusion. Slowly turning, he recognized his mother's scent. "Hi." He said softly.
"Honey, are you okay?" She asked worriedly, her cool hand pressing against the warm skin of his forehead.
He nodded silently, willing himself to steady his voice before he spoke. "I'm just fine, Mom. I just couldn't sleep is all." He said, forcing himself to shrug in nonchalance.
Giving him an loving hug, she wiped the hair away from his face and gently kissed his cheek. "You better get to bed soon, then." She told him softly. "You have another big day ahead of your tomorrow."
Zac nodded again, "I know." He whispered hoarsely.
She patted him on the back, then slowly went back up the stairs and to her room.
Sighing, he stood up and stretched his tight shoulders. Rubbing the back of his neck, he started back up the stairs as well. Attempting one more time at sleep for that night.
