DISCLAIMER: I don't own Phantom of the Opera or Swan Lake.
Chapter 3
A few weeks after I was told Erik's tragic story, I met a mouse named Alice. She had been chased through the opera house's kitchen and fell down some sort of hole. After swimming through most of the lake, I found her doing her best to not drown and offered a ride to the other side; Alice happily obliged. Erik didn't know that Alice lived in the steps that led down to the lake and I planned on keeping it that way. I could only imagine what he would do if he found out. Cecilia and Tom very soon became friends with Alice.
"Alice. Would you like to come visit Cecilia and Tom with me?" I called into her new home.
"Sure just give me a minute or two." she replied. Erik walked over to the edge of the lake and looked curiously around.
"Odette, I swear I heard a mouse. Did you?" he asked. I plainly honked and shook my head. "Well if I find one, it will be dead within seconds." I shuttered at the thought of Alice lying dead in the lake.
"Is... is he gone?" Alice said poking her head out of her home.
"Yes he is. Now let's go see Cecilia and Tom." I said as Alice climbed on my back and we made our way to where the siblings lived. They found home underneath a rock near a pillar that appeared to hole up the ground above us. "Tom! Cecilia! Alice and I are here."
"Hold on, Odette. I think you get pushier every visit." Tom's grumbly baritone voice said. A large catfish made its way out from underneath a rock and swam towards us. "Cecilia is on her way. We just finished up eating."
"I'm here now, Tom. So, what's so important that you have to see us?" Cecilia asked. Tom nodded in agreement with his sister; something that they never do.
"Well, I got to thinking of another idea to get Erik to stay." I said. Everybody pulled in closer to me to hear it. "Okay then. Well, it starts out with..." This plan is fail proof!
...
I was about to leave when I heard Odette honking like a mad swan. Quickly, I ran to where her obnoxious noise was coming from. Two catfish were trying to drag her under the water. As fast as I could, I removed my cape and shirt and dove into the water to save her from the fish. They let her go as soon as I was in the water and swam away. Odette swam over to me and snuggled up against me.
"Are you okay Odette?" I asked. She opened her beak to speak and the only thing that came out was her obnoxious honking. I covered my ears. How can she stand this noise! Odette was quickly swimming towards the shore and what I saw angered me. A mouse was running around in circles in an almost taunting way. Odette started chasing it and began trying to grab its tail. "What is wrong with all the animals today?"
...
So far the plan was working out. In 15 seconds, it would be sunset and I would change. When I looked back at Erik, he wasn't in the water and his shirt and cloak were missing from the place they were in. Shoot! I barely heard the door close behind him. Suddenly, I stopped chasing Alice and froze to where I stood. The light flashed and I was human again; without having Erik there to see me.
"That stupid man! If I ever get my paws on him, I will make sure he..." Alice was cut off by my voice.
How could I face the faceless days
if I should lose you now?
We're so close
To reaching that famous happy end
And almost believing this was not pretend
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are
So close
So close
And still so far
Tears cascaded down my face and fell to the cold stone ground. Alice walked over to me and climbed up my dress to sit on my shoulder. "Odette, don't cry, please. He'll see you some day as a human" Alice patted my cheek with her tiny paw.
"I hope sooner than we wish, Alice." I said. She smiled at me and began cleaning her whiskers. I walked over to the organ and began looking through Erik's music. Even though I had the time when he was away, I never looked through any of his music. Most of the notes were dark and hid something behind them. Suddenly, I came across a piece that was soft and innocent. Slowly, I placed it on the organ and began to play. It was an introduction and I started singing the words.
Think of me, think of me fondly
When we've said goodbye
Remember me once in a while
Please promise me, you'll try
Then you'll find that once again you long
To take your heart back and be free
If you'll ever find a moment
Spare a thought for me
We never said our love was evergreen
Or as unchanging as the sea
But if you can still remember
Stop and think of me
Think of all the things
We've shared and seen
Don't think about the way
Things might have been
Think of me, think of me waking
Silent and resigned
Imagine me trying too hard
To put you from my mind
Recall those days, look back on all those times
Think of those things we'll never do
There will never be a day
When I won't think of you
Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade
They have their seasons, so do we
But please promise me that sometimes
You will think of me...
After the song was done, I heard footsteps; very fast footsteps making their way towards the lair. Erik! I quickly looked at the clock. Crap! I spent my entire night looking through music. I was about to turn and run to Erik, but the transform took me over and I was once again a swan. Erik burst through the door and yelled "CHRISTINE!"