She opened the cellar door. "Hello, are you still there?" There was no sound. Not a single sound. Could he have escaped?
"Je suis ici."{I am here} A soft voice spoke. She could feel his warm breath in her neck. It made her feel weird. She turned around, he was in front of her. "You can't stay here, they might discover you." He was taller than she thought. In the cellar was everything dark, so she didn't saw him clearly. Here he stood in the soft light of the sun. He had ink-black hair, golden eyes and was fully covered in black. But the most weirdest thing of all was that he wore a white mask.
She walked to the window. He watched as she walked by. "Come." She climbed outside. He followed her and glanced at her while she closed the window.
She was lucky, her parents left home early today and wouldn't be back until two weeks from now. They went to England for some business. Her parents worked as musical artists. "Upstairs, is my room." He looked at her with those golden eyes of his. The next moment his eyes where all over the place. And he especially looked to the TV. Of course, he had never seen a TV, if he was from the past. She turned the tv on. He didn't came closer. Maybe he's afraid, she thought. "TV." She said. He looked at her again. "TV?" "Yes that's right. And do you know what this is?" She held up the remote control. Silence. "This is a remote control." She zapped to a different channel. He came a bit closer, just a bit. Do you want to watch TV? She gave him the remote. Do you want to eat something it's almost 6 am? Again silence. She made a eat movement with her hands. No response either. Never mind. She would prepare a simple meal for them. She could hear the TV in the kitchen. Who was he? Where did he came from? Why did he wear that mask? The only thing she knew about him was that he spoke French.
She went into the living room again. He was still watching TV. She gave him a plate with pasta. He had been watching an opera. She graphed the remote and turned the TV off. "Where do you come from?" He didn't say anything, of course not, what was she thinking? He doesn't understand her. Oh god! She wished she had learned to speak French. Wait! She stood up and walked to the computer which stood in the study. She took an atlas from the shelf and some paper and a pencil and went back. "Où venez-vous?" {Where do you come from?} The man wrote down two word.
Paris 1871
This can't be true? 1871?
"Ce qui est de l'année?" He asked.
She didn't knew what it mend but she wrote:
America 2011
"Amérique?" His voice was soft yet powerful.
After they finished their meal, they went up stairs. "This is my room." She opened the door and stepped inside. She picked up a cd from the floor. Phantom of the opera. "Do you want to listen to some music?" She turned up the volume. One speaker was broken, she still needed to repair it. The music of the night began.
POV Erik
It was music I had never heard before. Beautiful music and it came all from small boxes. This girl is kind to me and maybe I could stay here. But would she accept my hideous face? It's 2011, maybe people think different of my appearance? No, people never change!
POV Emily
He seemed lost in thoughts. I gazed at him. He had strong arms, beautiful golden eyes and a soft yet powerful dark voice, which could swep me away. He is giving me a weird feeling in my stomach. Could I be in love with him? No! Stop! He is much older than I am, no doubt about it. And he doesn't even speak your language.
He looked her in the eyes. She woke up from her thoughts. "Piano," he said. Piano? He wanted to play? He must be a musician. They didn't had a piano, but she had a keyboard in her closet. He kept staring at her as she walked over to the closet. Why did she feel so weird?
I placed the keyboard on my desk and turned it on. Go ahead. He began to play and I heard the beautiful sound of the music of the night. He had listened just once and he could play the whole song? It brought tears to my eyes. I do not know why but I kept crying to the end of the song. Somehow it seemed to fit him well. A cold hand touched my face and wiped away the tears. I wanted him to hold me. I let myself go. I grabbed his hand and dragged it towards me. Please, hold me. The next moment his strong arms were around me. What am I doing? His hands were cold but the rest of his body was warm. I felt save.
I woke up. I felt a warm body next to me. He had a cute face when he slept. The mask however was still on his face. Her hand traced the edge of the mask. Should she take it off? Suddenly his eyes were open. She felt his cold hand on hers. His eyes turned cold and he seemed furious. She could only feel pity for this man, the man who would never show his face but would hide behind a mask.
The next moment he was standing beside the bed. His golden eyes pointed at me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take unmask you." I gave him a small smile. He turned and walked to the keyboard. His music was like music of the gods them self. This man, he must have been very lonely. Alone with his sad music. She could feel his emotion in the music. She steps out bed and walked up to him. "Chanter." She knew what that mend. He wanted her to sing? He started playing music of the night.
Night-time 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 your thoughts 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 ...
Softly, deftly, music shall surround you ...
Feel it, hear it, closing in around you ...
Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind,
in this darkness which you know you cannot fight -
the darkness of the music of the night.
Let your mind start a journey through a strange, new world!
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!
Let your soul
Take you where you long to be!
Only then can you belong to me ...
Floating, falling, sweet intoxication!
Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation!
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 song take flight -
help me make the music of the night ...
"Belle merci." He took her hand and kissed it lightly. She got an idea, what if she teached him English?
She had found an old French-English dictionary in her father's study. Now she could teach him English. She gave the book to him and he started to turn over the pages. She gave him paper and pencil. The next few hours she did her homework while he wrote down words on the paper.
That evening while she prepared diner for them, he came in the kitchen. He looked her in the eyes and said: my name Erik.
"Erik." She repeated. She realized she had never asked his name. "What your name?"
"My name is Emily."
"Erik, do you like some eggs?"
"Yes, please." She was impressed if he could learn that quick than it would be easier than she thought.
