Chapter 1
"Christine, why do you cry? You know it pains me when you cry, Christine please," Erik went to the floor on one knee and tried to take Christine's hand, but she quickly withdrew it. She turned her head from the living corpse and sighed.
"Christine," pleaded Erik. "Why do you torment me? Why do you torment us? We could be so happy that… that we could play at being lovers and might even be able to live in a home. Do you hear me Christine a home? I've never lived in a home before, not even with my poor mother, and it would be wonderful if the first one would be with you. Wouldn't you agree Christine? Christine, I shall play you a song. What would you like?" Not waiting for an answer Erik sat to his organ and pulled out a sheet of music which was scrawled in his childish handwriting in red ink. Erik cleared his throat and began to play madly in hopes that Christine would be listening to him. "I wrote this myself my love, for your long awaited return. I had plenty of time you see and I hope that you enjoy it."
He began to sing in his beautiful, angelic voice and to any listener, they would have become hypnotized immediately by this sweet music, but one actually has to be listening for this to happen and Christine was not listening, instead she moaned now and then and stared at the wall as if it would open up and give her a way to escape. To her dismay, nothing happened except that it had grown strangely quiet and she felt his eyes boiling holes into her.
Erik's jealousy overwhelmed her. She knew that he was hot with anger for her thoughts were not foreign to him. He could read that beautiful mind as one would a book and at this moment, he knew that Christine was not thinking or sighing for poor Erik whom deserved to be pitied but for that lover which he rarely named. "Christine, you do not love me? Ah, but what about the kiss which your beautiful lips had planted on my forehead, my forehead of the entire miserable human race? Was it all a joke my love that you had wished to play on your poor Erik? Was it? Did you do it all to please your, your pathetic Raoul whom could not save you from my wretched grasp?"
Erik stood up and slammed his organ shut as a child would when they do not get their way. Christine did not respond, but at the sound of her lover's name, faintly blushed. She tried to hide it by placing her hand up to her face as if she were about to cry for being spoken to so forcefully, but it was too late, Erik had seen it. Erik's skeleton frame began to shake like the leaves in winter and for a moment, Christine had become afraid for the walls, the ceiling, everything in his throne gave way to him. All he had to do was simply utter a word or a phrase and everything would obey him without question or without thought. Here, he was master and she his slave. He opened his mouth to his hideous death head and spoke so venomously that he added to her child like terror. "So you still love him, that beast, that wretch? He still possess' your heart? I should have finished what I had started, I should have…" Erik in full knowledge of his strength was careful not to say too much, but to make a point, threw up his arms in a fit of passion.
He wanted to hurt her, though, perhaps not physically, but emotionally as she had him. So he sneered loudly and through his jagged teeth asked, "Do you want your lover Christine? Do you want him so badly that you want him here at this moment?"
At the mention of her lover, Christine gained courage once more and faced Erik sharply and in the cruelest tone she could muster said, "If it did not mean his death then yes, I would want him here." Surprised at her tone, Christine was taken back as was Erik for she has said this so poisonous that he was afraid that he was losing his control over her, so he immediately began to grovel at her feet and beg for forgiveness.
"Oh Christine, forgive me. I am your slave and I shall do anything, anything that you ask…" Erik as a sign of penance brought forth his bony hands before Christine as a slave would do to their master and with great remorse said, "Lead me Christine to what you fancy to do with me; I am yours as I have always been."
Christine ignored the bony hands that she knew well smelt like death and tried to demand what she wanted and desired the most. "I want my freedom Erik," Christine stood up over Erik's corpse and tried to look away for his love for her was sickening.
Erik noticed this gesture and tried to gain her love if not her pity. "I would give you your freedom Christine, my love if you would promise never to run away again. I don't want to hurt you and yet that's all you seem to seek. You do not think that I do not want to share you and your magnificent voice with the world? You are wrong, that is my greatest wish, but you must promise me to never, ever leave poor Erik again, you must promise and, and Erik shall believe you. Christine, Christine, do you hear me? I shall give you your freedom if you only, only promise your poor Erik." Erik took hold of Christine's dress and pressed it against his mask in full knowledge that this would make her melt and feel sorry for her poor Erik knowing that she meant the world to him and through this, he would get her promise.
But she did not promise him what he had wanted and expected to hear, "Erik, I was fooled more then once by you and I shall make it a point to not let that happen again." Christine then pulled her dress away from his grasp and sat back down.
He was taken back. He had not expected her indifference so he tried another approach, reminding her of all the good he had done for her and could do if she only allowed him to. "Erik?" He questioned, "Erik that worships the floor that you stand on? Erik that saved Raoul and the Persian from death because Christine his love wished it? Erik that taught Christine lessons in her dressing room to sing like an Angel? Erik that played the resurrection of Lazarus for Christine's father's death? Surely not that Erik for he loves Christine Daae' with all his heart and soul. She is the air which he breaths, the legs which he stands she is everything to him. And if there is any request or fitful whim which comes into that Angel's head, Erik shall answer to it!"
In case the reader is confused on how Christine is still with the Phantom after he had released her to be free to be wedded to Raoul, the reader will soon find out. "Yes, it is this same Erik that lied to me and gave me your blessing to marry Raoul. I cannot believe that I had such child like faith in the man whom had tried to kill my betroth. I should have remembered what a monster you are, you!" Christine hid her face in her hands and began to sob loudly at the memory that still pained her heart. "I had thought I had had a chance at happiness, real happiness, but you went after us with your red eyes that can only be seen in the dark and your chilly demeanor that can make the warmest room unconformable. Oh wicked, wicked Erik. Why had you needed to follow us in every carriage and place that we chose to be? Oh…" Christine uttered a mournful cry once more and continued in a sad tone, "I should have recognized your hand at work Erik, but I did not for even then, I trusted you. I… I," Christine wiped her nose upon her hand kerchief and carried on, "I believed your tears and I cried with you. I said, 'poor Erik' because I had really felt sorry for you.
'What a fool you have played me to be, Erik. I had mourned for you, you monster when I had seen your death in the paper. That day I had shed many tears for you, for you memory, for all that you had given me. I had come to back here to fulfill my promise to you about the ring when I had felt your chill above us, surrounding us like the air we breathe when you attacked my poor Raoul. What poor wretch met his fate to imposter you, Erik? Whose poor blood was spilled for such a nasty cause? I pity them, I pity him."
"You do not even know this poor fool and yet you pity him, but what about your poor Erik whom had to watch your lover caress your cheeks which belong to me, hear your voice which belongs to me, be with the person whom belongs to me?"
Christine completely flushed began to pace the floor, but it was of no use for the tears began to flow freshly upon her white cheeks. The Phantom still jealous only laughed and went away to play Don Juan Triumphant where he would stay occupied for quite some time. Christine knew that he was still angry with her and knew that this was the reason for his play, but she also knew that this task would completely consume his mind and would aid her in finding a possible way out from this deep whole in the ground, so that she might be able to gain information on Raoul if he indeed was alive and well, which she hoped for with all her being.
The only matter that beset her with this plan was that it was close to impossible of escaping without him knowing. She knew the danger in this as he was everywhere. He was in the walls, the cellars, secret passages, wherever she might hide, he was there. But when she thought of Raoul, all these dangers seemed to melt away and all that really mattered was finding if Raoul really was alive as the Phantom had promised. Christine heard the strange music of Erik's Don Juan fill the room, making every other noise that she might make, unheard. Frantically, Christine began to gather provisions that she might use if she did indeed escape from the prison. Then she looked around for her cloak, which would veil her from all wandering eyes.
She found it draped on one of the little furniture Erik possessed from his poor mother and coached herself to be quick about it, but her hands were trembling, reminding her constantly that she was still captive and a slave to the monster that if he caught her again, threated to tie her to a chair ruining every chance she had to find her poor Raoul. He told her so and he never went back on his threats, never. She placed the cloak over her head without tying it and looked at herself in the only mirror he allowed her to keep for her benefit, but wouldn't dare look at himself, when she caught a face next to her reflection.
Her heart stopped beating and realized her foolishness at not being more careful and vigilant as to know her status of her keeper.
"Off so soon my love?" Inquired Erik sarcastically. Before Christine could respond, a hand smelt of death went over her mouth. Slowly, Christine fainted into Erik's arms and he carried her off to a chair. Like an artist he was, he began to quickly tie Christine in artistic knots that no one but himself would know how to untie. Seeing her unconsciously lying there, he had an urge to kiss her on her forehead as he had down once before. She was the angel of music in his eyes, so beautiful, young and an angelic voice. She was perfect. The Phantom leaned over the limp body to plant a kiss on the porcelain forehead, but stopped short. He had heard a noise, the bell had rung, and someone was on the river. The Phantom said to himself, "Siren, open the door to our guest." He looked back at Christine and smiled, "It may even be your Raoul my precious angel, but no one shall touch you, you are mine. I'll be back soon my dear for now I must see whom the siren has in its grasp."
Erik swam swiftly and carefully as to keep the allusion of the siren. He curled up beneath the boat and watched it float stealthy on the water, the occupant thought they were safe, but little did they know that they would meet their own death upon that water. Erik stuck his rod above the water and began to sing in his tremendous, enchanting voice. He knew the listener was enthralled, enthralled enough that they would look into the water and once they did he would reach up and drown them or strangle them, whichever was more convenient. Slowly, the boat began to tilt on its sides and Erik knew that it was the perfect moment, he thrust his arms into the air grasping at the listeners neck, but instead of the usual squirming and kicking he received, there was nothing, just air. Confused, Erik grabbed the ledge of the boat and peered inside. He realized it was empty. Still more confused he looked to the bank where he saw a tall man with an askan cap, but before he could utter a word, the man laughed.
"Erik, you have finally been out witted and by me of all people."
"Did I not tell you to never to come here again? Did I not tell you to never meddle in my affairs again? You are a fool drago, a fool. I shall not be lenient this time. I have warned you too many times that I have grown weary of you, very weary of…" Erik swiftly jumped into the boat and began to paddle furiously to the shore, huffing and puffing to let out his anger. "… of you, this is where you have drawn the line. Be ready to meet your death!" The Phantom hit the shore and began to charge at the Persian with the quickest speed the Persian had ever witnessed before. Out from somewhere hidden Erik produced the Bun Jap Lasso. Frightened, the Persian put his hand at the level of his eyes so that once Erik snapped the instrument and lassoed the Persian, he would have an advantage of taking out his arm and his head from the knot.
"Erik! Erik! Please listen, listen to me before you draw your blow. Erik!" cried the Persian. He knew this lasso well, it was the very one that had hung Joseph Buket, the very one that had tempted him in the torture chamber and the very one that would kill him now. He cried again to Erik, but he had already disappeared somewhere behind him. He heard Erik's laughter next to his ear so he turned sharply, but then he heard it on his shoulder then from his own lips, next to his shoe, behind him, in front of him, his voice was everywhere. Already the Persian had forgotten that Erik was the greatest Ventriloquist that had ever lived if not the first. This was his game; he would make you believe he was every where except where he really was until it was too late. The Persian began to frantically implore Erik in full knowledge of this trick.
"Erik, please listen to me. Remember that I had saved your life, oh remember!"
The Persian through himself to the floor, ready to beg for mercy if he had too, but before another cry came forth from his trembling lips, Erik had lassoed him.
"Did you really think that you could outwit me Drago? I, Erik? No amount of leveling at your eyes will protect you from me or this lasso." Erik tightened the lasso about the Persians neck, giving him enough room to breath.
"A-a-ah Er-Erik loo-loose me," struggled the Persian. He pulled on the lasso, but Erik only tightened it. "You-you had-ha-had fooled me-me. You had-had told me you were-we-were dying from love and I and I had-had believed you. You-you Erik…" Erik tightened his lasso more as the Persian struggled on, now in a fetal like position, gasping for some air "…keeper of- of Christine- Christine Daae." Erik froze his hand and stared into the Persians bloodshot eyes.
"That is none of your business!" snapped Erik, pulling the lasso still more.
"But it is- it is my-my-my dear-dear, good-good frien-friend. You-you promised me that-that you would-would keep-keep her if it was-was her own free will and only-only through that way would I…." The Phantom squeezed the lasso still more until the Persian's forehead was blue and purple and his veins bursting at his temples. "… which right-right…" The Persian was kicking his legs and pulling at the lasso and in rasped breaths struggled on. "…now yo-o-you not even-eve ave affairs a-a-as you ad made quit-quite a- a show on yo were dying and-and all your path-pathetic speech. I-I-I not leave pa-pa-place til release he-her."
"If it was not that you had saved my life or that I had made that bet with you, I would have strangled you by now. I suggest drago that you remove yourself this instant or else I'll remove you and you won't like where I put you." Erik took out his knife and cut the lasso from the Persians throat and without looking back to see to the health of the Persian, he got into his boat and began to paddle quickly out of site.
The Persian's eyes began to blur as he watched the fleeting boat and then, he saw no more.