Read Star Carol for Celeste for Free Online

darkest night,
    Lead us to that sacred place,
    Where we might see the Savior’s face.
    The children sang in unison and without music, their voices blending into one perfect, pure sound and silence settled over the hall. Celeste canted her head ever so slightly to the left as the first verse finished and the quintet began to softly play as the voices divided for the second verse.
    Even though we are so cold,
    We hurry on for night grows old
    Even though we are so cold,
    We hurry on for night grows old
    Guided by the starry glow,
    Showing us the way to go.
    The bell-like quality of the voices in three part harmony filled the room with their warmth while the strings and keyboard wove a tapestry of shimmering sound around them. Micah’s heart swelled with pride as he watched the woman he loved conduct children—who until just a few weeks ago had never sung outside a church—sing now for a room full of professional musicians. A quick glance at the crowd took his breath away, and he gently touched Bart’s arm.
    “Barty,” he whispered, using his childhood name for the brother he had found. “The audience. They’re standing. They’re standing. ”
    “Steady as she goes, brother,” Bart whispered back. “We’ve got three more verses.”
    See the baby lying there.
    In the manger rough and bare
    See the baby lying there.
    In the manger rough and bare
    While high above angels cry again,
    Peace on earth, goodwill to men.
    The singing stopped and the quintet played on, the music of the strings and keyboard cradling together the tune Micah had composed for the children of Saint Alban’s Choir. The music floated and soared gently wrapping the listener’s in a cocoon of sound. A nod from Celeste, and the children sang again.
    Mary gives us a gentle smile
    And bids us stay and rest awhile
    Mary gives us a gentle smile
    And bids us stay and rest awhile
    So Joseph leads us to where we can see
    This tiny king of Galilee.
    Micah looked at the judges and choked back the gasp rising in his throat. Rochelle Durham was openly weeping. Daniel Hastings was blinking hard as if trying his hardest not to cry, and Phillip Tate sat in open-mouthed amazement while the audience remained standing as if waiting for some signal to start breathing again.
    And so like them we all do sing
    Praises to our Heavenly King
    And so like them we all do sing
    Praises to our Heavenly King
    Sent to us from high above
    This God of peace, this God of love.
    The harmony dissolved back into the melody, and the children sang again as one, becoming softer , until the final notes from voices and instruments hung in the air like a perfect glittering jewel until nothing remained but silence.
    But only for a second. A roar of approval swept around the concert hall accompanied by a thunderous wave of wild applause. The sound spun Celeste around and Micah choked back a sobbing laugh at her expression. She quickly moved to stand between the children and the quintet, gesturing at them both. The men stood, the string players clutching their instruments, while the children remained on the risers, their faces calm as if this kind of thing happened to them every day.
    And then Toby came to take Micah by the elbow, lead him to Celeste and pull them both forward to stand before the crowd. Micah had just enough time to see the quintet and the children clapping too . Another roar rose and Micah reached for Celeste’s hand. “I think we did it,” he whispered.
    “Hush,” she mouthed back.
    Who knows how long the applause might have gone if an ashen-faced Phillip Tate hadn’t turned to face the crowd, put two fingers in his mouth and issued a piercing whistle that brought them to silence. He bent forward for a second’s consultation with Rochelle and Hastings before straightening and staring back at the last group of musicians for the day.
    “While intended for amateurs, this competition is designed to celebrate and honor the best of the best,” he said. “And occasionally