You all must be bouncing off the walls for a quick update. I guess the last chapter wasn't so bad. I spent all morning writing this and now my parents think I'm insane. Well, I hope you enjoy this considering I skipped breakfast for it, and the slightest hint to my parents that I do in fact, need to see the ALW stage show again for the second time. They think I'm overly obsessed, but as we all know, there's not such thing. Well, enjoy AND REVIEW

ThePhantomsFlutist


Eternal Music

Chapter 7:

Terror

My eyes fluttered open to a dark room, it seemed to be large and very spacious. The only problem with this picture is that it was freezing cold. My whole body seemed to be shivering uncontrollably. Where in the world am I? I'm pretty certain that last night wasn't another nightmare, I was still in the dress I was wearing. Panic needs to wait for a little while until I figure it all out. I still can't remember all of last night though which is a problem.

Still with the extremely comfortable blankets around me, I rose out of bed to study the room I was in. As I guessed it, it was very large. There were three doors in this room: A door that was open which I'll check to see later if it leads out to whatever house I was in, and two other doors, one right beside the open door, and the other on the right side of me. It was time to see if I'm going to be able to get out. I raced over to the open door, and unfortunately, it only lead to an elegant bathroom, with a nice shower, toilet, and sink. I went over to the door right next to it, seeing that it was open as well, and it was an enormous walk-in closet. I turned on the light to see clothes in there, really nice clothes. Most from expensive stores that only Meg would dare to waste her money at. A few dresses were in there as well, some just very cute sundresses and some formal. I sprinted over to the last and final door, and the odds are it was going to be leading to the outside of this place. It was locked. Figures.

I continued to bang on the door as hard as I can yelling "Hello!? Is anyone there!?" repeatedly. So much for the theory on not panicking.

"Help!" I yelped, and slid my back on the door to sit onto the floor in defeat. This can't possibly be happening. All of the clues lead up to who has just kidnapped me: the man that just kissed me last night. I've never been kissed like that before. I must have fainted, thinking... wait, knowing... that this was the man terrifying me in my nightmares for the past months.

Perhaps I could pick the lock... Now I have something constructive to do besides sitting here begging a dormant door to let me out. I went over to the dresser that was to the left of the bed, and looked everywhere for a simple hair pin. No luck. He must have thought twice on providing me with those... wonderful.

I tried kicking the door down but I'm not that strong, and I groaned in defeat every time my toe seemed to get crushed. I was barefoot, so that was a problem. My shoes lay right next to the closet door which is good because I'm certain Meg paid a good deal of money for them... Then I just remembered... what about Meg?? She's got to know I'm missing from coming back from the opera! Maybe I could find my cell phone and call her, telling her I have no clue where I am! With that thought I went searching through the entire room to find my small little cell phone that was easy to lose anyway. Again, no luck. But, my eyes brightened when I found a forgotten phone on my nightstand. I grabbed it immediately, but... it was disconnected. I'm doomed.

The door handle twisted slowly, and I felt my heart stop. I ran to the bed extremely fast, and put myself on top, acting as if I just got up. I doubt that will work because I've already banged on the door multiple times. The door creaked open and a dark masked figure stepped in. No doubt the mask was there because he was the kidnapper... all of them do that so the stupid ingenues never figure out who they are and unmask them later to find what they don't want to see. Surprisingly, I'm not stupid, I just fell for the kill.

"Hello, Christine." The beautiful voice sang into my ear. I stood still, with an angry smirk on my face, staring at Erik with complete detestation.

"Where the heck am I!?" I screamed at him, throwing a pillow which he missed unfortunately, "How dare you kiss me!" I hissed catching up to last night.

"Now, now, dear, don't fret." He calmed down, coming closer to me, I edged further onto the bed each step he took.

"Don't fret? What isn't there to fret about!? You kidnapped me!" I replied letting acid to drip into every word. I hope it hurt him.

"You fainted!" He rebelled, coming even closer, so I literally almost fell off the bed, "I wouldn't just leave you laying there, would I? That's not very much like a gentleman, now is it?"

"You kissed me!" I spat angrily. I only allow Raoul to do that, but even he never kissed me like that. Raoul... what has become of him? Could he be searching for me? "Let me go back home!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, dear." He told me, not moving anymore, because I'll fall off.

"And why not!?" I said, panic dripping in as well. It took him a while, and the masked man looked as if he was trying to find words to say. His expression was thoughtful, and I looked back at him confused and terrified.

"I-I'm not so sure about how to put this, Christine. I never have been, not even back then... You must understand at least a little... I've brought you here out of love... can't you see? I've provided everything here for you! I'll feed you and everything! Love you just as much as that boy would have. You'll be the happiest woman alive!" He was almost pleading to me now. There's no point in deciding already that taking lessons from a voice behind the wall was stupid. And accepting him to take my life away. I looked at him with both confusion and disgust.

"Love..?" I questioned, hardly audible. This can't be... I knew where this was going and it's not going to be pretty. I know what's going to happen and it's going to be too much to handle. Curiosity sucks. Fear is what leads to it. Now that's something to ponder about.

"Yes, my dear! I've already told you, I've loved you forever! You love me, you do, you admitted it yourself!" He seemed to be a dog begging it's owner for a treat.

"I have never!" I spat back, confused again.

"You have to! You might not remember it, but Erik certainly does. I remember everything!" He told me. I knew that this wasn't nescicaraly all insane... in fact, I remember it too. It took place in the first dream I've ever received by the gold wedding band that I found off the street. I remember replying the positive to the masked man when he asked me whether I loved him or not. The last dream I've ever had, though, was the one when he killed Raoul. Yeah, I can't "love" him now. Even though he is begging me, and is at my feet now, and I don't think anyone has ever done that to me, except in these stupid nightmares. "You have loved me, Christine, and you will again, oh you will." He seemed to be taunting me now.

"I don't understand..." I whispered quietly again, "please take me back. I need to see Meg again, just to tell her I'm alright. And Raoul, just to say goodbye... please, just those two. I don't need anything else, and you wish to make me happy." I was the one pleading now.

"No." He said, with decision.

"What?! Why!?" I yelled.

"Because you won't come back. I might be mad, but I'm not stupid. In fact, I would be the farthest thing from that. You won't be leaving here. You will learn to love me back. But you will be performing again, that I assure you. Carlotta will never see what's coming until after I've taught you everything the world doesn't know! You'll be the top of them all! The world will be at your feet!" He seemed to be bribing me to stay with him. Does it work with my conscience, and my own self? In fact, it was something to consider. I've never wanted stardom, but he was sitting here offering it to me. You can only go so far though... what the world doesn't know? He must be good somewhat... If you play with fire, it only comes back to you. That's what I'm trying to get at now.

"I'm never going to sing for you, unless you let me go back to my friends." I tried. His eyes seemed to widen. Weakness point... at least temporarily. My voice is what he wants for now. I must be his instrument or something. Now that's mad. He got back up to his current position: at my feet, and rose up to his own. He seemed to be trying something, finding how to ordeal with this... just thinking. It seemed to be about another long few minutes while he was deciding that he's not going to completely win me.

"Very well," He said with decision, "You must spend five days with me before returning though. And you willreturn. Do anything stupid, and I'll be coming back early to get you. Right now, you'll be staying here with me. Just so you know I do in fact love you, and I'm not lying when I said you told me you did as well. You may come get breakfast whenever you want. I will be in the basement if you need me. Tomorrow you will have voice lessons, and you will be singing for me." This horrified me to wit's end. "I'll see you later, Christine." With that he stalked out of my room, and I was left alone again, in the dark room. There must be some light in here, if I'll be staying here for five days, I don't want to look like the walking dead because I've never seen the light. One thing was for certain though, I won't be eating any breakfast. He most likely drugged it. I'm not hungry anyway.

I traveled back to my bed and laid down, I didn't want to think for a while of what I might be encountering in the near future, and this might be the only bit of sanity I have for a while.