Oh Allah, if you can see my thoughts and heart you know that I did not mean in all my life to harm anyone. I only wanted my friends to be happy, and that's why I did what I did even now. I know it was a sin, especially as a Daroga, a chief of Police, I would never think I could do such a thing. But believe me, oh Allah, it was the thing I had to do. An old friend was begging me to do this.

All of it started that I heard a knock on the door. I slowly got up to see who might it be. I did not expect any guest, especially late at that hour. I got scared when I have seen Erik's skeletal body standing in front of me, even though he now did not show any warning sign. He was silently humming something as I slowly walked closer to him. He gestured with one hand to be quiet, and only then I realized the little bundle on his arm. I first thought it was a loaf of bread, but why would he carry a loaf of bread to my house in the middle of the night, was totally behind me.

- Erik... - I wanted to ask him about the reason of this late visit, but he silenced me with a worried look in his eyes and he looked down at the little bundle.

- Ssssssh! You will wake her up. - he hurried in the salon without my invitation, but I did not really mind it. I got used to Erik's unique way of defining visits in general. I followed him, and I saw he sat down in one of the armchairs. I sat down too and Erik slowly started talking. He did not look at me, and he spoke real softly, as he was afraid that someone will hear it.

-" There was no midwife present when she was born. Only Christine, my angel... my angel was suffering and... she cried out in pain. But you see... even her cries... were so beautiful. Like a Syren's cries. I had to... " - at this point he balanced the bundle in one of his arms while searching for something in his pocket, and finally gave me a piece of sheet music- " I had to write them down. Please look at it. Even her cries... are so beautiful that she hits high F while giving birth.

He paused for a few moments and I looked at the sheet music. They were only notes to me, but I knew Erik wanted me to congratulate Christine, even though I could hardly hide my disgust while thinking of Erik's strange reaction about Mmlle Daaé's labour. He just writes notes while that poor woman suffers from pain...

- Well done, Erik. - I told him and he nodded.

"She was such a talent... when she cried out for the last time, Erik saw she turned all pale and fainted... and he ran to her. He did everything to make her feel better, with smelling salts, and water... and... he could revive her at last... but she was all pale... and she whispered. She whispered "Little Lotte" and she closed her eyes... for the last time... Daroga... she is no more. It was her last song that I gave you, her last aria that no one but I heard. I wish you were there Daroga, to hear her last aria... it was so touching... and beautiful. "

- What has happened to the child, Erik? - I asked impatiently.

- Don't yell. You will eake her up. She will cry again... just as when you opened the door... she was crying...

I gasped. I definitely did not hear a baby's cry when I opened the door and I just realized that the bundle in his arms was a newborn baby. It was totally silent and did not move in Erik's arms since they arrived. Maybe she is just asleep? May Allah let her just be asleep...

" After Erik saw that Christine was no longer alive to be with her husband, he just looked down at the baby, quickly. She... she looks like,,, Erik... she... " - Erik bursted out in tears when he tried to forget the features he have seen. I understood well what that meant.

- Did you...

" I named her Little Lotte. That was Christine's last wish, how could Erik deny a last wish of his wife?... and... And I... I thought I did not have to do it... as she did not cry out... I thought she was already find happiness. When Erik touched her... she cried out... that cry scared Erik... he does not remember what he did... but the next moment... he held the little girl and she was finally... silent... thank she started crying... here... at your door... "

It was all obvious to me that Erik had lost all his common sense because of all the tragedies in his life. He hallucinated the child's cries even after the child was already dead.

" She starts it again... did you hear it too? Oh, Daroga, she cries so... accusingly." - he looked at me, seeking for help. - "I came here that you might help me... I was singing a lullaby for her all the way here... but she won't listen... "

- Look Erik... she must be buried... give her to me...

- No! - Erik cried out in horror - You won't put Little Lotte in dark cold ground... a tomb...

I did not tell Erik the truth, that this poor child would be in a tomb every way - even if she was alive, Erik would bury her down below the Opera House just as he has buried himself. I knew Erik was all desperate and crazy, so one should not argue with a madman, but accept his theories.

- Erik... Little Lotte is crying not because you have hurt her... but because she misses her mother. - I looked at him, waiting for his reaction. He slowly nodded as he seemed to accept my reasoned talk. - She will only calm down if she can meet her mother again in a place they can both sing and play music. They will both like it very much. They will be angels of music.

Erik smiled, but not the creepy wah he did before, this smile was honest, like a child's if something pleases him. He gave the child to me and said:

- Erik wants to go there too, Daroga.

- Erik, you have still job here on Earth and...

- No, Erik does not want to be here, he wants to follow Christine... and Little Lotte to sing with them.

I saw that it was useless to talk to Erik. He already decided what he wanted. He looked at me with begging eyes and said.

- Please help me.

- Erik you want me to... kill you?

- It is something you wanted to do earlier, no?

- I admit there was a time you made me so mad but...

- There is no but. Remember those times! - Erik was back to his old self again, demanding, provocative and malicious.

It did not take much time for him to convince me I still felt the urge to kill him, he listed all the things he has done against me, he provoked and insulted me until I finally shot him in the heart. I did it nearly against my will, I was unconscious with fury when I fired, and I only got back to consciousness when he fell in front of my legs. I started crying hard after I saw what I did and only after a while I realized Erik's dead child in my arms.

I am ashamed to admit that a way of morbid urge made me look at the child's face. I was shocked to see... a perfectly normal face. She was a total ordinary newborn girl, she would havehad a sweet life if she was someone else's child. Only the wide open blue eyes and the marks on her neck gave away what has happened to her - Erik was so obsessed with the fear of getting a child like he is, that he killed his normal looking daughter because he saw her deformed.

So, Allah, that is how it happened. Please forgive your servant, and save my guilty friend. I always liked you, Erik.