Down in the House on the Lake

I awoke to the sound of a loud musical note, in a way it was nice to be awakened by music. But not a note that was so loud!

As I was becoming more a ware of where I was, I notice that the room that I was in, was neatly decorated with what seemed to be old Victorian Décor. The Décor included anything from the bed to a table lamp. I had never seen so many antiques in one place at a time. They had to be very old and very expensive. And somebody must have really went out of their way to make this little room like a dream house.

As I walked around the room studying all it contained, I notice a chair that had the most beautiful dress that I had seen in all my life. This dress was no doubt very old, but very much intact, like it was just made. I held the dress up to me to see if it would fit, and from the way it looked, in the giant mirror on the wall, it seemed that it would fit just perfectly.

I also notice a pair of shoes on the floor, next to the chair. I went back over to the shoes and saw that they matched the dress perfectly. I also notice about the shoes that they where very old French style that only high court of French nobles would wear. I chuckled a little at the sight of the shoes.

As I changed out of my costume from last night's Masked Ball, which was my wedding dress, I heard that the music had stopped, but then it stated again. This made me quicken my pace.

With myself completely dressed, I walk out into the rest of the house and found it in a very deem light. I could see much of the little house, but I could tell that the house was very roomy. The living or den, was very open in space, there was a big rug in the middle of the floor, a small dresser by the front door to the house, but with no mirror above it. There was also a medium size table over to my right side of the room, the only decoration on the table was a candle holder. The rest of the house had candles every- where. There was also a little fireplace in the house, which amazed me greatly.

But what thread me the most was, the music that I heard that had awoken me from my restless sleep, was a man playing at the organ, that was off the left hand side of the house. He seemed to completely involved in his music. He was totally unaware of my presence. I decided to move closer to see the man who was playing that beautiful music. As I moved closer and closer, I became more and more afraid that he might notice me. But some how he didn't, he just kept playing his music. Until I was standing right next to him, even then he didn't notice me. By this time I too was completely under the spell of the song that this great musician was playing. Without even realizing what I had done, I had gently slipped my right onto his left shoulder. With this action I made the man jump from the bench, and stair at me with the most shocked look that I ever saw.

He stood against the organ supporting himself, his cloak draped over his body as if he was hiding himself. But his face made a chill go down my spine. His face I will never forget, even though he wore a mask I know the look on it. His eyes were very large due to the surprise I had caused him. Those were a bright fiery yellow-red, the color of flames. I could only see half of his face, the rest was covered by a pale white half mask. Which covered the right half of his forehead came down over the middle of his nose, curved over his lips and stopped. There was also a place cut in the mask for a eye hole. As I closely examined his lips, I saw that on the right side on the bottom, it was disfigured. From the look of it, it seemed to be swollen and wrinkled. I was afraid at first but then I became very calm. The man saw that I was in control of myself and relaxed.

Then the man spoke to me, "Mademoiselle, why did you touch like that, do you not know that you where touching a demon?"

"No, I did not know I was touching a demon, and I could not help myself from touching you. The music you were playing was so wonderful and leading I couldn't help it, I'm sorry if I upset you," I said.

"Don't apologize, I should be the one who should apologize, I must be frightening to you."

"No! you are not frightening at all. Actually I am very relaxed, thank you. What was that music you were playing. It was very good. Who wrote it?" I asked.

"I wrote this music, and it is very sad, and thank you, but why don't you find me frightening, don't you want to scream with extreme terror and fear, and run away?'

"No, why should I run away, where would I go? How would get out of here, you are the only one who knows the way out of here. And I already told you, I am not a afraid of you. Actually I find you very comforting."

With this said, he gave a little smirk, I didn't see anything funny about it, but I wasn't going to nag this man the first day I am with him and getting to know him.

Then he started talking to me again.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you. Were you playing all night? I see that the candles are almost completely burned."

"Yes I playing all night, if you won't have interrupt me I would still be playing!"

"You say that as if you are angry at me for interrupting you. I couldn't help it, I'm sorry, its just that your music was so memorizing."

"Well thank you, when I finish my score I will die and then the world won't have to worry about me anymore."

"Don't say that! You will not die, you can't die, you're still needed, you will conduct you score, you have to hear it performed, you can't die, I won't let you!"

"What do you mean that you won't let me die, why do you say that I'm still needed?"

After I heard him say that, it hit me. I realized what I had said. I told him in a small way that I cared for him. But this angel didn't exactly know that I cared for him.

"Well what I mean is, that the needs you to perform your Opera, you have to hear it performed. You can't just die after it is finished without hearing it on stage. Besides someone out in this world might be waiting for you and you properly haven't found her yet. Or she could be someone that you know and haven't realized it yet."

"What brought this up, do you know someone who thinks they like or calms that they love me. Or do think that you are in love with me?"

"Well people just might surprise you, and I'm not going to say if I love you or not, that is for you to figure out. And there could be a possibility that I like you, we'll just to see now won't we."

"You can't love me, I'm a living corpse. I'm nobody!"

After he said that, I walked right up to and held his face in my hands and said.

"You are not a living corpse, and you are not a nobody. You are a somebody, you are a wonderful person, a great musician, and a very handsome man in my eyes. So you are not a corpse, so don't say you are one, okay?"

While I was saying that he just looked at me, and tears started to come to his eyes. He tried to pull away to hide his tears, but I didn't let him. I also hugged him to show him that I was not afraid of him, and that I really meant what I said. Then I asked him,

"What is your name, I have told you mine, so what is yours?"

"My name is Erik, but you must utter it to another living soul. If you do, it will your freedom!"

"Don't worry Erik, I won't tell another soul your name I promise."

With that said I gave him a little kiss on the lips and pulled myself away and blushed. Nothing was said for a few minutes it seemed like an eternity.

"What was that for, why did you kiss me?"

"Because I wanted to. I thought it just seemed right for the moment."

I felt so stupid, with that comment. I wanted to say something else, but I didn't want to spoil the moment or feel even more stupid. I just wanted to change the subject.

"So, I heard you sing, how long have been singing."

"Yes, I sing, but not professionally. Not yet at least, anyway, I plan to go to college and get a Masters Degree in opera singing."

"Well that is a good choice, but where will you go to college?"

"Actually, I would like to go to school here in Paris, but I don't think my parents would let me. So I'm going to college back in San Antonio, in the United States."

"Oh, so your not from Paris?"

"No, I here on vacation, I also have family in Brittany. And after a month, I'm going to go see them for two months, then come back to Paris for two weeks and then go back to the States."

"That sounds interesting. Have you ever meat them before."

"No."

"Well, enough talk, lets sing for a while."

"Alright!"

We sang for what seemed hours, in between singing, he told taught me singing techniques. I learned so much the whole time I was there, I didn't know how long I was there, and I didn't care because, I was with Erik, my angel and I was happy.

"That is enough for now, and every one must be looking for you by now. I will take you back to the surface. When will you be back at the Opera?"

"I will be back tomorrow night, tonight I need to rest. Will you meet me tonight, please. I want to see you before tomorrow night; that is too long to go without seeing you."

"Yes I will meet you tonight, where would you like to meet?'

"My hotel balcony at midnight, if you don't mind?"

"No, that will be fine, I will take you back now."

"Okay!"

I gathered my things from the room that I woke up in and we left his little house on the lake. All I remember was that it was very dark, and we toke a different way out of the cellars from when we came in. When the little boat reached the shore, I saw a light off in the distance. Erik led me by the hand towards the light, as we got closer and closer to the light, it got more and more blinding.

When my eyes finally got adjusted to the light, I saw that I was in an ally behind Palais Garnier, and my hotel was right in front of me. From that spot I was able to see me hotel balcony. I decided to point out to Erik which balcony was mine. He nodded in approval and whispered in my right ear that he will meet me tonight at midnight. I nodded and said that I will wait until then.

When we finished I walked to the front of my hotel and started humming a little tone that seemed right for the way I felt. My heart felt light and gay, I had a little smile on my face.

The hotel manager came over to me and asked me where I had been all night, and if everything was okay. I told that I stay the night at the Opera and that everything was okay. I also asked the manager if he could have lunch brought up to my room in about fifteen minutes. He said all right and asked if I needed anything else. I told him no, and went up to my room.

When I reached my room, I went out to my balcony and looked down to the place where Erik and I had said goodbye until tonight. And what I saw at that moment sent a jolt of excitement right though me. What I saw were the same two fiery yellow-red eyes that could only belong to Erik. I guess Erik just knew that he would see me out on my balcony. If it was Erik, I was glad that he was there and I didn't want him to leave.

While I was standing out on that balcony, I thought of the whole night I was in Erik's house. The whole time I was there felt great, I didn't want it to end. But I knew it had to, but Erik had promised to meet me tonight and I could hardly wait till then.