Emma here! Hope you guys liked the last chapter! I'm so happy for those of you guys who reviewed, and for those of you who didn't, you should. I convinced my teachers to let me type this in school and save it to a flash drive, so that means more frequent updates Ok here is the second chapter, Nine Years later. This chapter is longer (I think) and more romantic. They're 14 now. Hope you enjoy it!
Alex sat silently on the stage, thinking, as usual. He always came here on nights he couldn't sleep. It reminded him of when he first met her. He hadn't seen her in the nine years since, but he swore sometimes he could hear her singing in his sleep and dreamt of her often. He had the sudden urge to sing so he sang the first thing that came to mind.
In sleep she sang to me, in dreams she came.
The voice which calls to me, and speaks my name,
And do I dream again, for now I find,
The Phantom of the Opera is here,
Inside my mind.
Behind him, an angelic, soprano voice replied:
Sing once again with me, our strange duet,
My power over you, grows stronger yet,
And though you turn from me, to glance behind,
The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind.
"Erika?" he asked. She moved forward from the shadows. "I've come to tell you that my father says you need your sleep. "She said. She looked exactly as she had nine years ago, but taller with longer, curlier hair and a much curvier figure. "I couldn't sleep. I was thinking of someone I hadn't seen in nine years." He said. The years had been kind to him, too. He had grown to be about 6'2", at least half a foot taller than Erika, and was well built with jet black hair and a nice tan. "Yes. I heard about your parents. I'm sorry." She consoled. "Thank you, but that isn't who I was talking about. I happened to be talking about the young girl I met one this very stage nine years ago who scared and fascinated me." He said, walking towards her as he spoke, putting his arms around her. She looked as if she were enjoying the position they were in for a few moments before she came back to her senses and she pulled away. "This isn't right! You should be wooing young vicomtesses, not wasting your time on some sewer rat!" she shouted, "Now go to bed, Alex. You aren't nocturnal like me! You need your sleep!" "One, your birth father is a vicomte, so you are a vicomtess, not a sewer rat, and two, what do you mean 'nocturnal', do you mean you sleep all day?" he asked. "No, I mostly sleep from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. My father sleeps all day though. Now quit stalling and go to bed!" she scolded. "How can I sleep not knowing when I'll see you again?" he asked. She laughed and replied "You'll sleep just find knowing that all you have to do is call my name. I'm the Phantom of the Opera! I know all, hear all, and see all." She said. "How do I know you'll hear me?" he asked. She laughed again and said "Keep trying until I do. Now you really need to sleep, it's almost time for me to go to sleep!" "Goodnight, Erika." He said, yawning. "Goodnight, Alex." She replied, and they each walked to their own rooms.
Half an hour later, Alex still couldn't sleep. "Erika?" he called, though he didn't know why. It was 2:30 a.m., she might already be asleep. "Yes?" her voice rang through the room. "Where are you?" he exclaimed.
"I'm in my home in the very bottom of the Opera House. There are a series of pipes down here that allow me to hear what's going on up top." She explained. "Ahhh that makes sense…" he trailed off. "What did you need, Alex?" she asked. "Nothing, I couldn't sleep, and I wanted someone to talk to." He admitted. "Would you like me to sing to you?" she asked. "If you do not mind." He answered. "I do not mind. Lie down and relax, Alex." She instructed. He did as she said, and she began singing.
Nighttime, sharpens, heightens each sensation,
Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination,
Silently the senses abandon their defenses.
Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor,
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender,
Turn your face away, from the garish light of day,
Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light,
And listen to the Music of the Night.
Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams,
Purge all thought of the life you knew before,
Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar,
And you'll live, as you've never lived before.
Slowly, deftly music shall caress you,
Hear it, feel it,
Secretly posses you,
Let the dream begin,
Let your darker side give in,
To the power of the music that I write,
The power of the music of the night.
You alone, can make my soul take flight,
Help me make the music of the night.
Alex felt himself slowly falling asleep, but before he could do so, he heard a soft sliding noise coming from the general direction of the mirror, and he felt someone brush his hair back from his face, as his mother used to. "Erika?" he asked. "Shhh, Alex. Sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." Erika instructed. He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.
"Where have you been, Erika?" her father asked upon her return. "I went upstairs to make sure the boy was sleeping." She explained. "And was he?" he asked. "Not when I checked on him, but I snag to him and he fell asleep. "Ok. Speaking of falling asleep, I think it's time for someone else to be doing so." Erik said. "Yes, father" Erika laughed and headed to her room to sleep.
Whooo, 930 words of story! I think that's a record for me. Anyways the next chapter is either longer or about the same length. Please review, you know you want to! Is anyone else going to Songbird of Night's sleepover party?