Note to readers: Been really busy lately so I apologize for the long wait on this chapter. I'm a bad author. The next few chapters should be speedy so I hope you enjoy them and continue to read on.
Chapter 7
The room was empty, and I was there all alone. Candles were lit around me and suddenly there were hundreds of people around me. They weren't people, they were shadows. They were after me, and I ran from them screaming. One pulled out a gun and shot me and I fell to the floor gasping for breath. Then they shot a shadow next to me and once it hit the ground the shadow turned into a person. The person was Raoul, and his eyes were cold and he starred into me. Thousands of angry shadows danced around the room and I tried to reach out for Raoul, take his hand. He didn't move, but his cold empty eyes looked angrily at me as he started yelling.
Why Christine? Why did you let this happen?
The shadows around me all started to scream out in a haunting moaning tone.
Why Christine, why…
Christine!!!!
I woke up screaming in terror. My head felt dizzy, and I felt tears on my cheeks. It felt like the blood from my face had completely drained. Gaining a little bit of consciousness I looked around to find Erik right in front of me saying my name in a panicky tone. Like a small child I clung to him, warding off the thought of my nightmare. He held me tighter, and tried relaxing me by rubbing my head.
"It was only a nightmare my dear, hush now," he said, and patting the side of my head.
I looked up at him, then at my bed and realized it was indeed just a horrible dream.
"Christine, what are all these terrible nightmares that haunt you so?"
I just shrugged, unable to speak. My head was hanging low and Erik took my chin and raised it a little. I looked deeply into his eyes, and he tried reading mine.
"It brings me such worry to see you so frightened by dreadful dreams. Aren't you sleeping well?"
I wiped a falling tear from my face and clung on to him again, afraid I would slip into that nightmare again. Erik rubbed my back as I let out a small cry.
"Would you like me to play you something?"
I nodded against him and he stood up slowly and led me to his piano. I sat on the bench next to him and he put his hands on the keys and a soft beautiful melody filled the room. I sat there next to him and listened intently like a child listening to a lullaby. He played deeper, adding more chords and I could feel the hum of the keys inside me. It felt so wonderful, how he could touch me with his music. I tugged on his arm and laid my head against his shoulder, and slowing down a little he put his arm behind me, still reaching the keys with both hands while cuddling me.
I slipped into daze and I found myself daydreaming the very next moment. Erik's music could take me places I could only dream of. He stopped playing for a minute, and when I finally lifted my head I saw him grin slightly.
"Are you back to me yet?" He put his arms closer around me, leaving the keys.
I looked up into his eyes, feeling bashful by his romantic tone. We both slowly leaned in closer to each other but our tender eye contact was interrupted by an unrecognizable sound near the lake.
It wasn't a suspicious noise to me, but Erik stood up abruptly and looked out toward the water. He reached for a rope but alarmingly I slid off the bench and ran to him.
"Erik its nothing, don't worry-"
"I'm not risking that chance again." He said grabbing the rope.
"Erik please that's not necessary!" I tried snatching the rope from him but he was faster and pulled it away still looking toward the lake.
He swiftly turned toward me accusing me with his eyes.
"It's that child again isn't it?" He said in a cordial aggravated tone.
I looked out toward the lake to satisfy him, and shrugged it off.
"There's no one there, it must have just been-"
My stuttering didn't help at all and he started to walk into the water.
"She can't get enough can she?"
I let out an exasperated sigh, but suddenly through his rant I could sense hurt and I stood there listening.
"She must not be that scared if she wants to return. Or maybe she just finds joy in being frightened, yes! Screaming and pointing at me brings her pleasure, and how I just love to bring this world entertainment and pleasure! Yes, I love being taunted and screamed at, and why not just start throwing things at me and continue calling me vile names, what kind of man would I be if I couldn't bring hatred and detest?!"
Meg's reaction to seeing Erik without his mask had really got to him. His deformity was shoved in his face once again, and he stood there choked up and shaking. In terrible sobs he continued.
"Why can't she and the world just leave me alone, this – this - "
He lifted his hand to his face and covered it, hanging his head low.
I walked into the water to meet him from behind. I touched his shoulder and he turned around to face me. I took both of his hands in mine and led him out of the water. He dropped the rope while following me and I sat him down next to me.
I spoke to him in the softest and most gentle tone I could.
"She's just a girl Erik." I made him keep eye contact with me, making sure he wouldn't start putting up walls around his emotions.
He looked at me, shaking his head.
"And I am just a man."
We were quiet for a moment, and I reached up to wipe the tears from his face. He took my wrist and buried his face in my hand. I swallowed back tears, and took a deep shaky breath. I put both of my hands on each side of his face and squared it with mine.
I opened my mouth to say something, and when I struggled to say it Erik took interest and looked intently at me. I took a slight breath and tried again, and his eyes pleaded for my words. I gave up and looked down at the ground, unable to even speak. Erik took my hands from his face, and kissed them.
"I love you," he said whole heartedly.
I looked up at him and he gave me a small smile with his eyes.
"You know that, don't you Christine?"
"Yes, Erik."
I reached up and hugged him, and didn't let go for the longest time. What chaos Meg had created. I was finally able to get Erik comfortable with his looks and she put us back to base one.
Erik then stood up and slowly walked over to the other side of the lair. He picked up his mask and studied it, and I stood up.
"You don't need that," I said.
"I've needed this all my life," he said more to himself than me.
"My mother used to make me wear it, and she wouldn't even look at me until I put it on. No one would even think of seeing me without it."
"And when my mother passed away they didn't know what to do with me."
He stared intently at the mask and continued.
"I used to wander the streets as a child, not knowing what I was supposed to do or where I was supposed to go. What I wanted most was love, Christine. Oh how I longed for that one person who would show me any kind of love! But no one did, and I lived my life a slave to the horror of my face."
"But then when I first lay my eyes on you Christine, and I heard you sing… I knew I had found the one person who could possibly see me."
I walked over to him and took his mask from his hands. I lead him away from the lake and he allowed me too, seemingly no longer worried about the strange noise.
"Christine-"
He said my name rather uncomfortably.
"Yes, Erik?"
"Do you enjoy living down here?"
I paused and looked up at him. I wasn't sure what to say so I just smiled at him. He smiled at me and held my hand in his.
"I enjoy having you here, Christine. Nothing in the world could ever make me happier."
Living with Erik was honestly stressful. You could never escape the fear of being discovered. Nor could you escape the desire to be involved with the rest of the outside world. Since I didn't have any family it didn't bother me as much as one might think it would. It was harder to be alone as well, and I had to get used to Erik always needing to know where I was. But I learned as time went by that Erik's company was something I enjoyed. However, there would be times when he would get irrational or go through these emotional spells, and it was difficult getting through them because he took it out on me most of the time.
If it was one thing Erik was fascinated by it was having the luxury of someone to talk to. Sometimes he would just sit and talk to me for hours, and when I would stand up and tell him I was growing tired he would come up and embrace me, thanking me for listening to him and talking to him. It felt wonderful being so appreciated, and it was times like these he helped me slowly raise my confidence.
