…She slid open the mirror, and cautiously lit the two nearest candles on the wall.
There, that made it a little better she thought to herself. Meg kept walking and lighting candles every now and then. Becoming braver she started to hum a little and practice a few dance steps. She was so in the moment that she didn't hear the twinkling notes of a small music box coming from far below. Without realizing it, her humming began to hum the same small tune from the music box. It finally occurred to her that this music wasn't in her head; it was music coming from just a little ways down. Meg stopped and stared straight ahead, she saw that the walls were already lit, and there was a thick mist forming around the bottom of the stairs.
The tinkling music had stopped but instead she heard a soft voice and she stopped worrying for a minute, concentrating on only the music. She had finished walking down the seemingly endless amount of stairs and came to a lake, there was a small boat tethered to the side. She looked at the boat and lake and heard the same soft voice beckoning her to enter the small boat. She stepped in and thought about what she would say when she finally met the Phantom.
Should I introduce myself? Should I ask about Christine? Will he hurt me?
All of these questions and plenty more were running through Meg's head. The boat was moving on its own, and the song was getting stronger and closer. The boat reached land, and immediately stopped. Meg stepped cautiously out of the boat but slipped on a slick piece of ground which made her gasp and lose her balance. Before she could even fling her arms out to stop from falling, a firm hand grabbed her arm and held her steady. She looked into his eyes, afraid of what she would see…
"Are you lost?" "Or did you need me for something?" the Phantom asked.
"N-no I-I just…"
"You wanted to see just how hideous I am."
"No. I came here, to ask about Christine." Meg replied, more boldly than the last.
"Christine…She isn't here, she was never here." He replied while turning away
Stepping closer to him, Meg lightly touched his shoulder. He briskly turned towards her.
"Stop. You don't know what you're doing"
"I'm not afraid" Meg said while looking him straight in those melting, cold but warm, beautiful eyes..She shivered.
"Stay away…don't come back" he whispered, while turning back away.
Meg wanted to stay, but she knew she must get back, and it wouldn't be wise to remain here with the Phantom. I mustn't push it..take it slow..she thought.
When Meg had slowly walked away the Phantom was thinking…thinking too hard for him could be dangerous, last time people got hurt, killed even, and Christine…she had left.
"I have to get her back." "No..I can't…she's gone, with someone she...loves"
He walked back over to the dolls he had made so long ago, and stared at the only Christine he could keep…Thinking about ways he could maybe, if he was careful, get her back.
