Here's the next chapter!
Chapter 10
Erik went back to his lair and sat at the organ. He was in a good mood after his visit from the girl. Emma, her name was Emma.
Emma huh? I like it said a certain voice.
Will you leave me alone? Erik thought as he quickly became annoyed.
Eh, I don't feel like it. So, what do you think of the girl?
Erik sighed. He had to be going mad. Against his better judgment, he began to answer. She's young. It will be easier to work with her I think. She is willing o learn, so corrections should be no big deal. Also, she seems to quickly catch onto things.
But… the voice said.
There's something about her. I don't know what it is, but it seems that something strange is going to happen.
The voice was silent.
With a sigh, Erik turned his mind to his music. he placed his fingers on the organ and began to play. A light, cheerful sound bounced off the walls as he played. Cheerful music? Really? He shook his head and continued playing.
Eventually the song ended, but Erik didn't start another one. A thought had crossed his mind. He stood up and walked to one of the smashed mirrors. Erik stared at his reflection. Would Emma have to see him? Would she ever want to see him? Foolish thoughts of course, Emma would definitely want to see the man that was coaching her. What had stopped Erik in his tracks was the question of if she would ever HAVE to see him.
If he was going to instruct her with her dancing, he could do so from the shadows. It would be very simple really. He could just instruct her to never ask to see him. Erik felt sure that she would do as told. But then again…she was a curious girl. Who knew what would happen?
Breaking his gaze, Erik walked to his dresser and removed his cape, jacket, vest, and shoes. He walked to his bed and sat down. Reaching up in an effort to remove the mask, Erik paused.
Why am I helping her?
Because you see part of yourself in her.
Erik slid his mask off and lay down on his back. Gazing at the ceiling, he thought of what the voice had said. He slowly drifted to sleep as he tried to find any similarities the two had with each other.
That night Erik was troubled with a confusing dream. It began with a group of about fifteen girls dancing on the stage of the Opera Populáre. Looking closely at the girls, Erik noticed that they were all identical. The confusing piece was that the girls would look like Emma one moment and Christine the next.
When the girls looked like Emma, they would take a step back from him while dancing as if they were afraid of him. Seeing the eyes, Erik saw that they were backing up so that he could see them more clearly and give them corrections. In the middle of a turn before he could say anything, they became Christines. The group would take a step forward as if inviting him to join them. Subconsciously, Erik would take a step forward too. Christine had that affect on him even in his dreams.
This little dance between the Emmas/Christines and Erik lasted for some time. Just as Erik was getting frustrated, everyone vanished except for one Emma and one Christine. The girls seemed oblivious to the other, only looking at Erik.
Christine held her hand out to Erik, inviting him to take it. As his fingers touched hers, she vanished. With confusion and shock written on his face, Erik looked at Emma who was still there.
She simply looked at him with her own confusion and pity. She opened her mouth to say something, but Erik woke up. Tears were slowly trickling down his face because of the dream. For the rest of the night, sleep evaded Erik.