Hello everyone! I've had a lot of time to push this chapter out. Whatever is in the bold itallic is Erik's conscience, you know if he had one.
I was having trouble with where I wanted it to go so I hope this will do. Enjoy!
Chapter 4
Erik's POV
After the doctors visit Christine spent most of her days in bed. The doctor confirmed to Madame Giry that the fall from the horse is what caused Christine's loss of vision. He did suggest that there was a chance of her regaining full capacity of her eyes. However, he also said that it was quite possible that she may never see again.
Madame Giry spoke to Monsieur Lefèvre about Christine and her condition. She told him that she will be taking care of Christine now as if she were her own daughter. Being the submissive man he was, Lefèvre happily obliged to every word that came out of Madame Giry's mouth.
It turned out that Gustave Daae, Christine's father, was a famous Swedish violinist's. Once news got out of his death many patrons donated money to have him buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery. Christine was grateful that her father had a suitable resting place however that did not stop her from drowning in her sorrow.
After the funeral Meg, the little Giry, took it upon herself to help Christine in anyway that she could. After learning about her condition Meg became like a little mother. She tended to Christine's every need. She often took Christine down to the chapel to pray for her father's spirit. It became a sort of routine for Christine. As the weeks went by Christine spent almost all of her days in there. She would only leave at night when Meg would beg her to come to bed.
In the times that Meg would leave Christine alone in the chapel is when she could no longer contain it anymore.
Wracked with anguish she would wail like a newborn child. "Angel WHERE ARE YOU?!" she said during fast breathes. Everyday she cried for her father, everyday she weep for her angel of music. After months and months of observing such heartfelt displays I felt as if I knew her pain. I knew every look, every glance. I could read her innocent face like an open book and yet I couldn't understand why. And it was maddening.
Crying and crying and crying all that girl knew how to do was sob. And quite frankly it was getting on my nerves. Day in and day out all I could hear was her constant wailing.
One day not unlike any other I went to survey Christine in the chapel. There she was alone and crying, again. I rolled my eyes and looked away, "Oh enough already." My eyes widened and I quickly covered my mouth with both hands hoping I did not just say that out loud. I turned to look back at her and my heart began to race when I realized that the crying had stopped. Oh no. Just pretend you didn't say that, just act like you're not-
"Is someone there?"
Damn. Well just don't answer her maybe she'll leave it alone.
"Hello?" she wiped her tears from her face and stood, "I heard you".
By mistake…
"Are you mocking me? Just because I can't see you doesn't mean I can't hear you…..Answer me!"
I remained silent and turned around to make my leave. But I stopped and looked back. My gaze locked on a clear reflection of myself, not of my appearance but of my soul. The poor girl looked utterly defeated. She was on the floor with her hands covering her eyes.
Ooh when did I become the salt of the earth?
I took a long deep breath and stepped out from my hidden door in the chapel. Before I could even register what I was doing, there I was standing in all of my form before Christine.
"I am not mocking you."
She immediately pulled her hands down from her face and tried to sense my voice in the room.
"Where are you?" she asked as she blinked slowly, her anger slowly starting to drain from her face.
"I am standing off to your right."
She followed my voice and turned her head to face me…..Why isn't she saying anything?...Why did she just stop talking?Well now she's not saying anything at all. Can she see my mask? What an idiot of course she can't. Can she?
I stuck out my hand and quietly waved it back and forth before her face. "What's your name?" Her abrupt question forced me to pull my hand down to my side as quickly as I could.
"My name is Erik."
"Erik."
I inhaled sharply as my name left her lips, never in all my life had I ever liked my name. I very much hated it because of all the pain in my past that I had to endure. But hearing it roll off such pure lips made me feel...feel….cared for?
"What is your name?"
"Mine is Christine." Her voice still shaking from her crying moments ago. "Have you come to pray too?"
To that I roared in laughter clutching at my stomach to make it stop. What a peculiar girl?
"What's so funny?" She said seemingly annoyed by response.
"Oh nothing you just… you just ask the darnedest questions don't you?"
She crossed her arms and turned her head away from me. "Well if you not here to pray, then why are you here?"
Watching you.
No you stupid you can't tell her that. "I heard someone crying so I decided to investigate."
"Oh.." She brought her head down and unfolded her arms. Obviously trying to change the subject she asked "Do you live here too?"
"Yes you could say that."
She sniffled "Well then you must know Madame Giry."
"She's a-an acquaintance yes. Why the question?"
"You think you can tell me what she looks like? I mean I'm just too embarrassed to ask her myself."
"Sure she is-"
"Wait are you still standing?"
"Um yes, but I don't see how-"
"Why don't you sit down here" she said as she patted the floor in front of her.
I stared at her for a few moments in utter confusion, but after her gesture I hesitatingly placed myself right in front of Christine. Not too close but far away enough for her to hear me clearly.
"Well," I began "she is a normal sized woman, not too tall not too-what are you doing?" I asked as I watched her scoot closer and closer to me.
"You're sitting too far away" she admitted. Once she was all settled she fixed her skirt and apologized for the interruption and willed me to continue.
"Okay well uh where was I? Oh yes like I said she is not too tall and has long light brown hair which she usually has in some sort of braid everyday." I scoffed "Why I'll never know."
She giggled at my comment- and look at that she's still smiling. That's new.
"She is also the leading dance instructor here at the opera house."
"Oh yes Meg told me that's how they're able to live here. I'm told she is very good."
"Yes she is. Is there anything else you would like to know?"
"What do you look like?"
I froze. I tried to say something, anything. But I couldn't, even with my mouth agape I couldn't make a sound.
"Is everything alright?"
I cleared my throat "y-yes yes everything is alright. I'm rather normal looking myself" Liar! "just like anybody else." Any other monster that is.
"And?"
"And what?"
"Draw me a picture. I want to imagine exactly what you look like."
Oh God no!
"What color is your hair?"
Light copper.
"It's a jet black."
Such deception. Oh shut up!
"And what about your eyes? What color are they?"
Whew now that I can answer. "My eyes are light green but they tend to change sometimes and appear light blue."
"How pretty." Pretty? "You're lucky, mine are just plain brown. Nothing special about them and on top of that..they're useless now." She said as she gave me a sad almost tearful smile.
"Don't say that."
"But it's true!" No please don't start crying. "I've lost my father, my sight, ev-everything. And I'm afraid-I'm deathly afraid of this neverending darkness. It's a nightmare.."
She was openly sobbing before me now with both of her hands covering her face like how she was earlier when I found her.
What do I do?
I didn't know whether to just sit there and wait or attempt to console her.
I closed my eyes and started to hum which steadily lead to softly singing.
"Shamed into solitude, shunned by the multitude.
I learned to listen. In the dark, my heart heard music."
While singing I could hear her breaths becoming quieter and then stop.
"I long to teach the world, rise up and reach the world.
No one would listen, I alone can hear the music…."
I opened my eyes and found Christine smiling in content. "Why did you stop?"
"Because I haven't finished that song yet."
"You wrote that?"
"Y-yes."
"It's beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me."
Sharing? Well I suppose I did, didn't I.
"You're very welcome." With her face beaming in delight she cautiously held out her hand. After just staring at it for sometime she finally said "Aren't you going to shake my hand?"
"Oh." I raised my hand from my side and paused for a moment. These sort of things were so much easier weeks ago, at least she was unconscious then. But now sitting here in front of her in this awkward moment, it was quite challenging. I slowly reached for her hand and once we made contact she readily grabbed it with both of her hands.
"Do you want to be my friend Erik?"
"...Why?"
"Well other than Meg and Madame I don't know anyone. And I like talking to you very much." She looked down and tucked some of her wild curly hair behind her ear. "I mean if y-you want to. If you don't I understand. Who wants to be friends with a blind girl right?" she said with a dry chuckle.
A friend?
"No one's ever asked me to be their friend before."
She squeezed my hand and beamed "Well you have one now."
I narrowed my eyes and sat their staring at her to see if she would change her mind. But the sincerity in her face could not go a miss. I eventually relaxed and squeezed her hand in return. A friend. I finally have a friend.
Just as I was about to say something I heard a noise.
"Someone's coming."
"Oh that's probably just Meg coming to check on me."
"I have to go." I said rising to my feet.
"So soon?"
"Yes, I can't let her see me."
"Meg? Wh-"
"Please Christine don't tell Meg that you spoke to me."
"But why?"
The worry that grew on her child-like face reminded me of a begging puppy. I sighed, "I can't explain now."
"Wait… Can we meet again?"
"Yes yes now goodbye Christine."
"Goodbye." She said as she struggled to rise from the floor.
I stepped into my hidden entrance and turned back to look at her through a concealed peak hole. I brought my mouth up to it and took a deep breath "...Chrrrissttinne…"
Her head shot up and she questioned "That was you?"
"What was me?" Meg asked as she entered the chapel.
"Oh nothing, nothing I wasn't talking to you."
Meg giggled "Christine then who were you talking to?"
Christine smiled delight and turned her head about the room.
"To my angel… my angel of music."
What do you think?
So we finally have the long awaited Erik/Christine meeting.
The lyrics are from the deleted scene from the 2004 movie, it's called "No One Would Listen". I've posted it on the tumblr I've made for our story. Thanks for reading!
Please feel free to leave a review, comment, or even a suggestion(I might use them!). I also changed my username to DaaehardPhan. As always thank you so much for reading! Until next time.