There once lived a boy and his name was Akiki. Most of all, Akiki loved to sing. He was the pride of his family, a boy wonder. He was free to roam the village, seeking out adventure in the sun, always humming a melody under his breath. There was one place he wasn't allowed to explore. His mother would remind him every morning not to play near the well. The warnings seemed unnecessary though, because the rotten smell kept everyone away. That is until one day, the smell was so appalling, his friends dared Akiki to touch the well for ten whole seconds.

Never one to turn down a challenge, he strode towards the well, shoulders proud and chin to the sky. His mother's warnings made his every step heavier than the last, but he was determined not to turn back. His feet felt like bricks hitting the dirt. Akiki looked back at his friends before placing a hand on the stone. He pinched his nose with his free hand and leaned over to peek into the hole. At first glance it looked empty, but when Akiki squinted and bent down closer, he could make out ripples of water, hidden under green floating mold. “I did it!”, yelled the young boy, bouncing on his feet. His voice echoed through the well, reciting his excitement. He began to sing, amazed at the sound surrounding him. The spell was broken by his anxious friends calling him back for their game. Akiki reluctantly abandoned the well, promising to return soon. And so everyday Akiki would sneak off to sit at the forbidden well and sing until the sun went down.

One day, Akiki had to stay home. Someone had told his mother about his daily escapades. She was not happy with Akiki, even though he tried to explain. He didn't feel well that day, he never liked it when his mama was mad at him. With a finger in his face, she told him a story about the monster in the well. She said that was why she didn't want him going there again. Akiki began to sweat as she recalled how the monster would reel children to the well, never to be seen again. “I've never seen a monster!” Akiki insisted through shivers, but his mother wouldn't listen. She shook him by the shoulders and made him promise never to go near the well again. Akiki promised, his fingers crossed behind his back. For days he wasn't allowed to go outside and so his song grew sadder.

One day, when his mother left to run her daily errands, he snuck out to the well. He struggled to climb on, dangling his feet on the inner wall and began singing, only this time something didn't feel right. Suddenly, the water splashed and his vision blurred. Akiki blinked away the confusion only to be met face to face with the monster his mother had described days before. He scrambled off the well as the monster crawled out, claws first and eyes sparkling with danger. Shocked and scared, Akiki ran back towards the village, his feet failing him and his breathing erratic. “Help me! Help!”, he screamed and screamed, but no one seemed to pay attention to the little boy. He begged. No one listened. In that moment, the singing angel seemed invisible. And so, the monster slayed the boy. The village forever silenced. The world left wondering why no one stopped to save the boy that once sang the world's most beautiful song.