Oh my goodness! Three reviews! Yeah, that's not a lot, but it's the most I've ever gotten for a single chapter... and the first one, yay! That really made my day... well, anyway, here's the second chapter... and as always... REVIEW!

( And here are the cookies I promised)

Thankies!
ThePhantomsFlutist

Eternal Music

Chapter 2:

Shadowed Teacher

"Come with me, Christine..." The angel's flowing voice was coming from my mirror, where it has been coming from for the past five months. Come with him where, though? Is my angel not here with me, as his spirit? My own decisions cannot be made right now, for it is what my angel wants, not any selfish want or desire. He had promised me fame in the Paris Opera House, and the world. I must trust him.

"Forward..." The voice whispered. Before my eyes the mirror opened up, to a dark figure. My childish beliefs thought it was truly my Angel of Music, but my conscience is telling me otherwise... it's danger. I step forward without any word, as the area around me all of a sudden grew black. A man wearing black dress clothes, and a fedora on top of his head was standing before me. It smelt horrid, the place I was in.

"Who are you? Where's the voice?" I questioned, terrified.


"I am right here Christine." He told me. He was close to me now, enough for my to notice that a black mask was covering his entire face, besides his mouth. His eyes glowed in the darkness like yellow flames.

"But you are a man!" I replied, backing away.


"Yes, it is true, Christine. I am not an angel, ghost, nor genius, I am Erik." He said gently, but now the trust vanished, he tried comforting me, but I eased myself out of his grasp.


"Don't touch me!" I rebelled, shielding him away from me with my arm, it didn't block anything.


"But you must come with me!" He told me, grabbing my arm firmly, but still gentle. I tried to scream, but a cold hand muffled it, and it smelt horrible. It smelt of death. And with that, I fainted, with Erik's arms to catch me and take me to my doom.

I woke up screaming. The dreams are back again, and it's been a nice full month without. I opened the drawer to the ring again, and look where it got me. Oh, the stupid things I get into, and the stupid mistakes that I will regret later. Meg came racing into the room, hearing my scream. She's my roommate now until she can find a house to move into with the money coming from this production, and her job at a cafe.

"What happened? I thought someone came to kill you!" She yelled, her eyes wide, and she was still in her night clothes, and her hair was a mess.

"The stupid dream again, Meg. It's different now. They are really scaring me now. It's all about the same man and everything!" I admitted.

"Have you ever met this man?" She questioned curiously.

"No... well, not that I know of." I shivered, thinking of ever meeting this man of my nightmares. He was a dark shadow. I hope with all my strength that this isn't a real man. It's some figure of the imagination, this masked man, at least I hope so.

"Well, we need to get ready, thanks for waking me up, Christine, thanks a lot." She rolled her eyes and marched out to her side of the house. I got out of the covers, at least I got up at a decent time... not when it's still dark out.

Today was the premiere night of the musical I'm still in. It's a good thing this time that I woke up early, because I need to get over to the theater to have a quick brunch with the cast and crew before we start trying to get ready. The costumes had to be in perfect order so we could change easily and proficiently, and it took some time. Many people of the cast who had the leading roles were very egotistical, which isn't great to work with. Some of the dancer girls are nice, and Meg knows many of them, because they travel together, one of them, Sorelli, is also a very nice girl who has wound up to be a good friend as well. I know a few of the background vocals. One of the men named Josh have been in few Broadway shows, none of them big, but good enough. He shares his experiences with big names in the theater, including these big-time composers and directors, whom he believes are full of themselves like most stars. Meg always teases me about being Josh's girlfriend, but she never accepts the concept of have a boy as a friend. Besides, someone else once won my heart, but he's gone now.

That's right, I too had a good friend names Raoul de Chagny. He was in the navy, unfortunately, and he left this past year to go on a job overseas, and before he left, he kissed me. That was the first time anyone, besides my father, had kissed me. It made me feel like a widow now, because I don't dare go on to someone else, even though Raoul won't be coming back. I don't need a boyfriend right now anyway, with my job, I don't have enough time... and my heart is too breakable.

The cast rented out a nice breakfast place on the side of the highway that my friend Sorelli and I went to many times. Meg hated breakfasts, so we never taken her. In fact, I haven't seen Sorelli for a long time, which is very strange. Her father is a very rich man, and sometimes very corrupt in order to get his daughter good parts in productions, in order for her to get enough money to leave, and him to live the rest of his own world alone. I never understood people like that. Sorelli never taken after him which is always a good thing. She's still sometimes self-absorbed, which is predictable.

"So, tell me Christine Daae, why don't you ever go any bigger then these little productions?" One of the co-starring girls had questioned me. I sunk into the pit of my shy self, and didn't know what to say. I can't ever talk to someone I didn't know well. Which explains many things, like how many friends I have.

"Well, for one, I don't think I have the talent-" I started looking just above her head so I don't look into her eyes.

"You have self-esteem issues then." the man sitting next to her interrupted.

"No, it's just... family. My dad is gone, you see and... it'll be hard. I don't have any family to support me if things go wrong." I explained. This was my usual answer to a question like this.

"I've heard the director thinking about moving you up a role." Another girl started, before I knew it, half the table's gaze was on me.

"I really can't accept that." I flushed a pale red.

"Sure you can, Christine! Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Meg was excited for myself. I nodded no, and ignored whatever everyone was looking at me for, and went back to eating my bagel. "You're so anti-social..." Meg whispered under her breath. I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up." I replied, nudging her with my arm.

That night was the largest opening night I've seen for any of the productions I've been in. Many people were there, all gathering to see a popular off-Broadway musical. This theater was large enough for me to get a nice dressing room for myself.

I was in my dressing room, getting into the first costume, and warming up my voice so it will have a bigger sound once I get out there. I swore I was alone, but I felt something was watching me. Fear from the dream last night came over me. Is this dream going to come real? Is it even possible? I've never seen a man wear a mask before... just to hide his face.

Before I was going to turn off the light, and go to the back stage, I could've sworn I heard a voice whisper in my ear, "Good luck." I quickened my pace as I sprinted out of the hallway, and to the back stage.

The show went on perfectly, I don't think many people missed a line besides the co-star I had talked to earlier today. It was just another performance for me, nothing special. I just enjoy the unique feeling of being on that stage, singing, and being myself, because I can't do that anywhere else in the world. I also feel relief every time I open my mouth to sing, like my whole soul gives itself over to the pureness of the beautiful music. Relief that I can finally connect with my dear father who listens in every time I'm on stage. I belong there. My life is planned there... even though I'm blocking it.

I head back to my dressing to get dressed into my clothes I was wearing earlier, and then I'll be getting back to the apartment. Some flowers were in there from my friends who were watching, but there was one in there that was unexpected. I grabbed the bouquet of flowers, it didn't have a tag on it. My expression twisted with surprise and shock. Who else would've possibly sent me flowers? Nobody really knows me, I'm just in the background. It's nice to know, though, that someone else has been watching besides my friends.

"You did well tonight." A melodic voice filled the room, making me drop whatever I was holding, and I froze in shock. Terror came over me... it's just like in my dream... a voice in a dressing room, and it was a man... and the man kidnapped me. I might be hearing things... my ears are just getting used to the quiet because of the uproar of the audience from an opening night.

"Who's there?" I squeaked.

"You know me." The voice replied coolly.

"No... no I don't," I stuttered looking around the room to see where it was coming from. "Who is in my room, watching me undress?" I questioned, disgusted by the thought of it.

"I wasn't watching you." The voice... it was a man's too, replied, reassuringly.

"Like I trust a voice that won't show itself. Please do that now." I demanded the empty room. I felt like I was going mad.

"Why, Christine, I am your angel." He assured. His voice was familiar... I just can't put a finger on it... so hauntingly beautiful, but horrifiing at the same time.

"Funny, but not funny enough. I'm obviously not going to believe you, you might as well show yourself." I demanded once more.

"I refuse." Was the simple reply. It was just as much demanding as mine was at the moment, and I froze in my place nor daring to move an inch.

"What do you want?" I forced out of my air.

"I want to help you." It calmly replied.

"May I ask with what?" I questioned, my shoulders relaxing, just because his voice was relaxing. I was still afraid. This voice wants to help. Something tells me not to fall for it... some memory... my conscience? No. A memory... but what? I must know.

"With your voice. I am willing to teach you, but in return, you must sing only for me." He replied. My eyes widened.

"I don't even know you..." I replied, less tense.

"I beg to differ." He replied.

"Can I trust you?" Was all I could ask. By the authority of this voice, I'm not going to win this argument, and I can't pitch a fight to save my life, so that will be a problem.

"Yes, Christine, you can always trust me." He assured.

"How do you know I want this?" I questioned. It was true. I needed to get some better help with my voice, every classical part of my voice drained away with the whole Broadway thing. Classical was what my dad was yearning for, and it shall be my desire as well. Inside myself I've been looking for a new vocal coach, on the outside, I didn't care. But it meant so much more then what everyone else thought.

"Your voice today was a very pure voice, Christine. But I can make it better and it will have everyone on their knees before you. You have a golden voice, and I can mold it into something great, as long as you use it only for me, every time you come onto that stage. You must trust me. You want this don't you?" His beautiful voice made me forget that he was hiding somewhere, but it made me think of him standing right there, makes all trace of fear disappear from wherever it came from.

"I do, please... anything." I replied, involuntarily. What am I getting into? This could be dangerous... but it could also be something wonderful, and beautiful. "Teach me..." I begged silently.

"Very good, Christine. I will be everywhere you will be, you will have a lesson every night, either here, or wherever you are alone."

"May I know your name, so I can properly thank you?" I questioned without expression

"No." He firmly replied, that left me without another question, "I shall be with you tomorrow then, Christine. Good night."

"Good night, teacher." I replied, and with that, the room was silent, and evidently the voice left. So did I.

I went back to the apartment without saying another word to Meg or anyone else. I was too busy thinking over any thoughts of what I just gotten myself into. What I might not be able to get myself out of. What could possibly be the most ultimate change of my life.