Soul Music - The music takes over

Whaaauum.

Imp stood like a discus thrower as the chord filled across the noisy room. It rang like an iron bar dropped on a library floor at midnight. Echoes bounced back from the corners of the room. Each one bore its own load of harmonics. It was an explosion of sound in the same way that a Hogswatchnight rocket explodes, each falling spark exploding again . . . Imp's fingers caressed the strings, picking out three more chords.

The axe-thrower lowered his axe. This was music that had not only escaped but had robbed a bank on the way out. It was music with its sleeves rolled up and its top button undone, raising its hat and grinning and stealing the silver. It was music that went down to the feet by way of the pelvis without paying a call on Mr Brain. The troll picked up his hammers, looked blankly at his stones, and then began to beat out a rhythm. The dwarf took a deep breath, and extracted from the horn a deep, throbbing sound. People drummed their fingers on the edge of the tables. The orang was sitting with a huge rapt grin on his face, as though he'd swallowed a banana sideways.

Susan looked down at the hourglass marked Imp y Celyn. The top bulb was now quite empty of sand, but something blue flickered in there. She felt tiny pin-like claws scrabble up her back and find purchase on her shoulder. The Death of Rats looked down at the glass.

SQUEAK, it said, quietly. Susan still wasn't good on Rat but she thought she knew 'uh-oh' when she heard it.

***

Soul Music - p75-76