Cold
'The nightmares have been troubling me again, Erik. Why won't they go away! Do not speak to me as if I were a child, darling. I love you more than anything, you know that! Do not doubt me! Do not doubt me, please.. please... I have done nothing to deserve such darkness, Erik! Oh, you cannot mean to hold that once against me. I did come to you without permission that time, beloved. But it's hardly a reason for you to ignore me, and keep me from the light! Why won't you answer me! I cannot apologize, I cannot..
But what is one more retelling betwixt us? I do believe that you haven't heard my side of the story yet, precious.
Ah, I should have known better than to come down to you then, dear. But I was cold.. So cold... And with only the thought of warmth in my mind, I climbed out of my bed and crept silent as death, down to where I knew you would be.
Darkness lay cloaking all around, but I could hear you. Your murmured melody broke the stillness, your song caressed my ears. Carefully I made my way across the lake and into your house, peering past shadows and giggling under my breath, "My dear, my dear, which one is you?"
Suddenly twin yellow orbs flashed angrily before me. Smiling, I reached out my arm, crying softly, "I knew I would find you, love!" They dimmed in intensity, those dreadfully emotionless eyes of yours, and you made a gasping, choking sound.
Painful, dearest? Why, it couldn't have been! I would never have hurt you... No, no, it was sweeter than sweet. And as I heard you fall to your knees in the deafening blackness, I lay beside you, placing the dagger (which was stained with something sticky) off to the side as I embraced your stiffened form, sighing happily as I felt a warm, liquid like substance begin to wash over me,
"It was cold, so cold, my love... But now all I can feel is you, and you are warmer than I ever dared to dream. Can't you feel it, Erik? Oh, of course you can! And isn't it the most wonderful thing you ever felt...?"
There, you see Erik? Nothing so terrible as you make it out to be. I only wanted to be warm, tis all. Just to be warm...'
Christine wept, then. She was dressed in a simple cotton shift that had, once a long time ago, most likely been white, but was now stained completely crimson. Blood also spotted her hands and face, and she rocked back and forth, cradling the decaying carcass of her dear Erik, while continuing her one-sided conversation with his grotesquely grinning skull. Her blue eyes sparkled with feverish madness as the tears fell down her hollowed cheeks, and she continued to shake him, sobbing for her long dead beloved to answer her.
She had stolen all his warmth, and now she would pay for it with her sanity.