Under The Spell Of A Phantom.

Ten: The Reveal

As the weeks went by, Ruby sneaked out of her house to have the three and a half hour lessons with her mysterious teacher.

Not once did she ask who or why to it but with each passing time, her curiousity grew to a point that was quickly driving her mad.

Whenever she had a break, they would talk of things like the upcoming opera it was planning or how the weather was changing from spring to summer.

Every time they parted, it always kissed her hand and watched her walk away until there wasn't a sign, a trace or even a shadow left of her.

As Ruby slept, her dreams would be of her teacher...

It begins with her entering the room to find it in a golden glow by the candles, her eyes fell on the proud piano along with a broad back facing her.

Walking towards it, her heart beats like a drum with it's never ending beat. The nerves bubbling inside her stomach reach to a peek point.

She stops all the sudden as her teacher rises from the stool and slowly turns around to face her at long last from the constant darkness.

But to Ruby's disappointment, she would always awake before it revealed the long-awaited truth. Tears would fall down her face until sleep captures her once more.

I can't handle this anymore. Hiding in the darkness to watch her, breathe in her scent and long for that touch before kissing her hand and watching her disappear.

Agony and pain is a many emotions I'm going through, if only I can step out to show myself to her! But I can't, not now. Not yet. And it's killing me.

When I revealed myself to her all those years ago, the desire was in her eyes in that night but died away the moment she discovered my mask.

The same thing happened with Ruby but it was strangely different. While she knew the emotion with that fop, Ruby was new to it all and it surprised me greatly.

I will never forget the moment her eyes laid on mine, that gentle touch on my shoulder as I played and the way she slept in my bed like a peaceful angel.

But curiousity always won, she found out the truth and ran away just like she did though I did not see Ruby land in a another man's arms which gives me hope.

Every time she arrives for the singing lessons, her eyes always come alive especially when she opens that beautiful mouth of hers to burst into a song.

I could sense her despartly wanting to know who was this person that could bring out so much in such a short space of time but could I just appear?

For the first time in all these years I've been living in this cruel and rejected world, I was afraid and scared of what could happen. Losing her for good would end everything that meant life.

But if she took my face in her hands, caress and kiss it, accepted the truth once and for all, my soul would forever sour across the endless skies.

As I lay on my bed, thinking the postive and negative outcomes, I knew that I couldn't last any longer. The next lesson, I will show myself to Ruby and await for the verdict.

Picking out the same naked pink dress yet again, Ruby put it on with all the usual things alongside it and sneaked out of the house.

But someone was hiding in the bushes, watching her every step until she was out of sight. It was time to find out what she was up to.

Arriving at the building, the front door was open which made her stop in her steps. "That's strange," Ruby said to herself, heading towards it.

Entering inside, she didn't notice the shadow behind her following in quiet tiptoes as she went up the staircase and walked along the hallway.

Reaching the door, it opened by itself to discover the room was covered in the golden glow by the candles all around the four walls.

Her eyes darted towards where the piano stood only for a tall, broad back was facing her that was elegently sitting on the stool.

The pounding of her heart appeared, the sweat formed on her palms, the mad turning began in her mind. This was so like her dream.

Slowly walking towards it, the figure rose that made her stop a few meters from it and the piano. Her body started to tremble of what could happen next.

"Good afternoon Ruby. I've decided to reveal myself to you today. Please don't be afraid of my image, I just want you to see who I really am after all these weeks we had together."

With every pain-staking second, it slowly turned around to face her. Her eyes fell on the feet, then the legs, the chest and finally at last the face.

Erik.

The shadow that lingered at the door opened their mouth in pure horror, so he was still alive and was now capturing a another teenager for his prey.

Ruby let out a howling scream, tears flowing down her face. It couldn't possiably be, the dark figure that haunted her dreams was the same man all along.

"Stay back!" She wailed, stepping away from his out-reached hand. "How could you do this? Why can't you just leave me alone! I saw your face!"

"I know, at least let me explain the truth to you Ruby. Please don't leave me like this!" Erik begged, slowly coming towards her but she ran to the door.

The shadow hid deeper in the darkness, watching her run away from him. "Just like before." It muttered silently to itself, shaking it's head.

Ruby dashed down the staircase, igorning Erik's cries and headed towards the front door but he soon slammed his body against hers.

He gripped her tight with his hands, shaking her like a rag doll shouting and raving in a another langauge she couldn't understand.

"Please let me explain everything, Ruby! I promise you that I will let you go if you listen to my story." He pleaded, his thumbs stroking her arms.

The touch wasn't left unnoticed to her, raw and pleasureable shivers ran down her spine but she quickly pushed it aside for now.

"Why should I?" She cried, sobbing. "Because I need this one chance with you, if I can't have that then I will die this very day." He replied, softly.

Ruby's eyes widened, the thought of him lying in a pool of blood because of her appeared in her mind. The image shocked her to the core.

She looked at him, such despartion and pleading was in those amazing pools. If she could only let herself go, there would be no chance of escaping those orbs.

"You promise to let me go after I hear your story?" She said, sternly. A bout of strengh came over her, there was no need to cry now so she wiped the tears away.

"Yes, will you let me?" He replied, loosing the grip on her. Ruby turned away to think this through, one side wanted her to stay while the other demanded her to leave.

With a heavy sigh escaping her lips, she rose her gaze back to him. The answer didn't need any words, Erik already knew what Ruby wanted to do and for that he was grateful.