Silence.

The scariest things in the world are often just lonely things waiting to be heard. Have your own local legend? Share your story with us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured in next month’s “Folklore Today” column.

When she finished, a single chord answered from the ghostly keys: A major. The chord of resolution. The next morning, Kaori returned with her grandmother. Together, they found a hidden compartment beneath the piano bench—a yellowed envelope addressed to “The Child Who Isn’t Afraid to Play.”

Kaori took a breath. One. Two. Three.