The Heart Always Knows The Truth

As Raoul ran with me through twists and turns though the sewers trying to find a way out and to not be discovered by the angry mob climbing toward Erik's home. I thought to myself what have I done? What choice have I made? Was this new life going to make me happy? I kept thinking of those sad eyes that were suddenly brushed into color when our bodies touched. At that time I saw something different in his eyes. I missed him I admitted it, I missed him.

I quietly took a deep breath in and asked Raoul

"What would have you done if I chose the phantom?"

Raoul looked at me' "I would have shot him he was to ugly to deserve such a beautiful girl that will go far in life I would have done anything to keep him from you"

"Why?" I asked with a curious voice

Raoul tensed up and began to speak but was cut off by a loud scream and a bang. It was Erik, a fire had been started and the screams of pain and sadness came from the masked man's lips. I heard running coming from behind with the sound of thin flowing air turning into sheets with music stroked on them. All at once the feelings of love and forgetting flowed into me as the phantom rushed by with the sound of tears dripping from his cheeks that had been turned red because of the music consuming flames. I heard a faint whisper as he ran past.

"I love you and will miss you, I'm sorry." Those word stuck with me for the rest of the night. They made me sick but it was the sickness of sadness. After about 1 minute a heard of people came rushing like a blur of red, they were seeking out Erik. They asked where he had gone. Raoul was about to answer but I was able to point them in a different direction before he could say anything. Once I uncovered his lips he began to scream in an uproar of a lioness fashion.

"Why would you do that this was our chance to get him dead, finally putting our lives at rest. You hate him I hate him why would you pity him!?'

"Well because I do, you never got a chance to know him, you never looked into his sad eyes and saw what neglect he had gotten!" I screamed.

"He is a devil a stupid criminal who deserves to die he put you through so much trauma the only reason I didn't just lash out and try to kill him while we were in his lair was because I didn't want you to see all that blood. Can't you see I'm trying to protect you from someone who is using you for the wrong purpose? I love you and I don't want that low life to take you away from me this was meant to happen we were meant to meet again and it was so we could get married and so I could help you realize that nobody can help him it's not like you ever loved him who could ever love such a monster such a vile….

"I did! I loved him I miss him he needed as much love as he could get. I know why he couldn't stay away he felt love and caring around me. He's no criminal, you are, he never used me I was his only happiness I love him and he loves me and I don't understand why I was so blind about it and how I never realized how I felt about him but you have no excuse to be so rude to someone who has done nothing wrong only want he loved and what his heart believed he had more love in a day for me than you in an entire life time. Maybe you're the one who's deformed!" I saw Raoul's face completely turn white it looked like he understood my feelings and I finally understood my feelings. I walked over to Raoul and made his focus on me and said;

"I'm I'm so sorry, Christine,... so you really do love him." Raoul said with an uneasy tone.

"No no that's not true I I love… you" I said but knowing it was a lie.

"I can see it in your eyes you love me but not in the way you love him, when I saw you kiss him and your eyes bursted in to color like a million firefly's brushing through the air" Raoul said as like he had recited it millions of times.

I could see that he understood and that it was time for him to let me go and follow my heart. Not what society wanted my heart to follow. I ran up and hugged him so very tight the room had just melted away and it was just me and him, I could feel the energy in our two bodies. Raoul looked at me then looked to the floor where a soaked piece of sheet music lay. He picked it up and crushed it in his hand. I looked at him curiously. Then he looked up and said;

"Let's go find him, for your love and I don't want to get in the middle of true love." Raoul said in a sad but proud tone.

He grabbed my hand before I could speak. And he started to run, pulling my hand along as well. I ran to his side releasing his hand from mine. Once I reached his side I came up to him and said thank you. I'm sorry I put you through this I still love you.

He responded with, "I know little gem" with a smile on his face and a nod. I nodded back and we finally put our feelings in stone.

We saw a bright sine at the end of the tunnel of the rising moon. We had reached the end. Raoul and I looked straight out to see a dark silhouette sitting near the edge of the walk way where it meet the sewage water as it roared to the sea. He was ripping apart music like it was his poor job to do so. His face was silhouetted so he looks like a normal human and it blocked off all the hate. You could see the tears of hate rushing down his cheeks like waterfalls even from a distance. They seeped into his skin like the Grand Canyons creases. His head turned right, he was looking straight at us you could see the fright in the whites of his eyes. He stood up shaking like a cold dog. I told Raoul to stay in the spot so I could walk over. He stood still breathing heavily. I reach him and looked up at the tall slender man almost like a ghost. I leaned in and hugged him with all my might. I felt his whole body shake as his hands wrapped around me. He began to speak as I released his body from mine. He said;

"Why have you returned to me, is it so you can toucher me even more? Shouldn't you be Raoul I see him standing there waiting shouldn't you be going home with your love?" He said with a pitiful tone.

I said "I am home with my love"

He looked puzzled as I invited Raoul to come over. The phantom tensed up as Raoul walked over. Raoul looked at the man and said,

"I have finally realized Christine's feelings for you, I am her best friend nothing more all a best friend needs to do is be there for you. So I'm giving her up to you so your love can be free."

The Phantom was speechless I looked into his eyes and I thought he really does know now. Where I'll take him will be far away from disgust and hatred I said in my mind. I grabbed his hand and held it tight as if it was an unbreakable bond. I looked into his eyes to see some of the terror melt away like water. I turned my head to Raoul.

"Are you going to be okay?" I said with a worried sigh

"I'll be alright Erik will take care of you, my angel."

I gave him a kiss on the forehead and turned my attention behind him. A mob was heading our way with the light of the burning opera house in the background. It looked like a vision from hell. Raoul pushed us away and told Erik to run and that he would hold the group off. Erik picked me up and started to run. I told him to find the nearest carriage so we could hurry faster. I was going to take Erik to my home then sleep, pack, and leave the next day. I looked back Raoul was pushed down and the group was beginning to run toward us. I screamed what were we todo. Erik began to run faster he saw a carriage in the distance. He stopped and put me down and said,

"I can't go up there the diver will kill me or take you away from me and I would die if you were taken away from me once again! What are we todo?"

I ran up to the cart and invited Erik over. Once he finally came over I shoved him into the car and spoke to the diver to take us home as quick as possible. I payed the man and we were off. We sat in the warm cart and hugged as our two shivering bodies gapped for air. I put my face into Erik's neck it was warm and you could hear him swallow. He leaned his head onto head, And we became whole. Through the back window of the car you could see the group with there flying pitch forks stabbing the air. They had stopped looking like they had lost us. I was relived in my mind but I was worried about Raoul I didn't want him to get in trouble. I was scared for what would lye ahead the fear rushed in my like a stampede of emotion.

I looked at Erik he was sweaty and looked tired. His eyes like whispers to his soul. I asked him,

"Are you alright"

He gave me a shy look and said

"I don't know, I'm feeling mixed emotions. I feel like I got what I want but is that really what I want. I have you now but I don't know what to do. Are we just on the run are you sure you want to live this way with this horrific face."

I gave him a pitiful look and shifted my way next to him so our bodies were touching. I put my hand on his head and rubbed it gently. It was cold and it needed warmth. I leaned in and kissed his check that had not been infected by the distortion. Once I finished he looked at my with water in his eyes about to fall like little rain drops.

"I would never leave you, your my love and I would so sad to watch you go without me. I shall never leave your side. I think your the most handsome man I have ever met and I don't know what I'd do without you. I don't care what other people say you need someone who loves you dearly and that's why I live to bring your music to life and be your love that shall never leave."

He started to cry and began to hug me close. I could hear his heart begin to beat faster and faster as if it would pop out with of his boney chest. After that I asked about his past and other personal things that I never knew.

He told me that he grew up as an outcast. Abandoned by his mother and the whole family ashamed of his existence. They dropped him off when he was 5 at a special orphanage for the mental and physically disturbed. The rest of the time he spent in his dark room with a piano and paper. And began to teach himself to past the time but he would only do it at night to keep it secret. Then when he turned ten a woman came along to become a care taker. She was the only one that could stand to look at him. He never spoke because He thought no one would want to hear. The lady constantly tried to make me until that fateful day where his life would take a turn for the worst. A group of circus performers came into town looking for a new attraction at the orphanage. And to no surprise it was him. Before they took him. he said one word to the lady, Thank you. So he spend 10 years in the circus being abused and constantly laughed at. He could never taste love again. Then one day he made his way to Paris. There was a fair in town just beyond the opera house. He said a woman with a daughter came to the circus. The people did what was usual. They threw stuff at him kicked him beat him but this woman and lady didn't. They looked at him sadly. After people left the younger lady rushed in and helped him out and ran him to the sewers at the bottom of the opera house. He said it was madam giry and Meg. I was shocked. I never thought they would know.

Once he had finally finished his story. I just stared at him in awe. I could see he was beginning to feel very emotional. We were almost at the house and the sun was rising. We were passing a field with beautiful flowers all around. I told the driver to stop so I could take in the the magnificent view of the quiet country.

... To be continued