Two updates in one day, must be a record. Not as exciting to write as the last chapter, but I've decided to get it over with. Please let me know if I'm rushing it because I really don't know whether it's too fast or not. Once the suspenseful parts come, then I'd take it nice and slow, to be the edge-of-your-seat, no doubt. PLEASE REVIEW MORE!! Thank you all for reading, I appreciate it sooo much!
ThePhantomsFlutist
Eternal Music
Chapter 11:
Return
Erik almost acted as if the whole ordeal never happened. The anger that shadowed him remained there as long as the way I looked at him changed. I was scared to look at him, because I saw right through his mask, the mask didn't even seem normal anymore, or apart of his face anymore. He's a whole other man when his mask is off. He already clarified that unfortunately, he isn't dead yet, and hasn't been for many years. I refuse to understand that, it's just too obvious for my own good.
"I was born like that," Erik confirmed, sadly, looking away from me and onto his organ keys.
"How? Why?" I questioned eagerly.
"They never clarified that," He firmly told me, in still, a very sorrowful way. I looked away from where he was looking, because he was looking over to me, and I was afraid I might be giving the wrong facial expression. My nose was scrunched up and I looked as if I smelt something bad, when really, I was just thinking of how his face looked like. I've grown up, as a Catholic, I've been taught to know that it doesn't matter how someone looks on the outside, and you shouldn't judge them from that. I felt a little guilty about it... but when you think about it, Erik isn't just... a deformed man, he has a very black heart, and actually... insane. I really judge him from that, and it's enough of a background, and makes the guilt go away, to better understand it.
I did eventually become very bored in between meals, lessons, and whenever Erik told me to go to my room, I happily would, finding it's my only place to hide. He showed me where the library was, and I was desperate enough to see where it was.
It's an incredibly large library for a house, with many shelves, books in different languages, and classical books. Some about the most disturbing topics, and others simply encyclopedias in many languages. Very rare did I see an English book that I've heard of. I found the library another favorite room of mine because it gave me something to do, and Erik didn't bother me as much in there. I didn't have to feel that pang of guilt come over my stomach, and I could dream about where I could be right now.
Nothing really happened during the next two days, except I had two more lessons from him. I also noticed how greatly my voice improved... even though I was hardly holding myself up as I went around the mansion. I was almost pale as a vampire, with dark circles under my eyes from hardly getting any sleep after the horrible event. I was so pale, and so... sad. The whole house was a bit darker, and more depressing. Making me more likely to cry, and mope about how I shouldn't be here. How nobody has noticed my disappearance, and when Erik cries, it makes me as well, seeing his pitiful eyes. Those eyes, I swear, held all the sadness of the world... more then I could handle. It shows me then, that Erik is not only a genius, and extremely talented person... but still a man, and he has feelings as well. That's what makes it even worse.
Well, the next two days weren't exciting at all... so let's get to when I finally returned after the five days of being held prisoner in Erik's prison of a home. I can tell you right now, that he wasn't head-over-heels for it as I was. My heart was pounding excitedly as we were stepping into his black Mercedes. And I said goodbye to the dark home for... I don't know, which is the problem-
"Christine?" Erik cooed my name carefully. I turned to face him with a straight face as he was driving the car. I guess that was my only, "Yes, Erik?" He produced a plain gold ring from his pocket, while keeping one hand on the driving wheel. My heart skipped a beat... the same gold ring that had been dusting away on my dresser at my apartment.
"Take this, if you keep this ring, Erik will protect you and always be your friend. If not, well... you just don't want to know what will happen." He told me, and gave me the ring into my palm, as he stopped the car in front of some place, I wasn't really caring at the moment. He put the ring into my palm, and he closed the hand to hold onto it. I looked at it strangely, as if it was something about to bite my hand off. He noticed I wasn't even going to dare to put it on, he took it out of my palm, and placed it onto the fourth finger of my left hand... my wedding finger. How dare he!
Before I said a word, he got out of the car and came to my side to open the door up. I just kept staring at the ring intently as he gathered my things out of his trunk and gave them to me. I carried everything on my right hand, still looking at the thing that seemed as if it was about to kill me.
"Goodbye for now, Christine." He said, lovingly, and came closer to me, just to put a hand on my face. And I backed up to get away from him, though his expression still lies in my memory today, right next to his wretched face.
I looked up to the tall apartment building, and head right in. I finally felt the sunlight again, warming my body, and giving energy like it never has before. I felt new and excited again, and happy, I put a big smile on my face, and walked right into the apartment building door... Just kidding! That would've been nice and happy and just something you would see in one of those stupid childish cartoons. No, it's not like that what-so-ever. If you think that it was like that, as I walked into the building with a huge grin, thinking I just defeated the bad guy, then I have no clue why in the world you are reading this.
Here's how it truly went. The whole scene was completely unwelcoming to me. There was no sun out at all, and it was raining. It's as if all the warmth had been sucked out of the world for me, leaving it all cold, and my heart aching. Painful, perhaps. When I walked through the huge doors to the apartment building, stares from many of the residents were glaring at me as if I was some alien. People staring at me makes me uncomfortable and nervous. I just realized they had no clue why I had been missing for a full five days, and here I could have thought they did.
I thought that as soon as I walked through the door of Erik's car, Raoul would be waiting for me, with open arms, kissing me with so much love, and he would say everything was going to be alright. Meg would come and assure me she'll take care of the rest, and everything horrible would end right there with the door closing. Erik would've been forgotten. See how depressing that is for me?
I tried to completely ignore the rude stares I was receiving, and went straight for the elevator. I got out the key that Erik gave me, and put it ready for me to dash into my apartment, and kiss the floor I stood on. I'm that desperate.
Once I felt the elevator stop, I dashed out of the door, and headed down the hall to my apartment quickly, finding Meg just getting in as well. I was almost jumping up and down.
"Meg!" I called so happily, "Meg!"
"...Christine?!" She questioned, turning around, stunned. I came running to her and threw my arms around her.
"Oh Meg! I'm so happy to see you, you have no idea!" I exclaimed.
"Where were you?! I was so worried, and Raoul would bang on the door every five hours to see if you were back yet. Oh, Christine, the look in his eyes were horrified, they only grew worse and worse as the time went on! My mother almost died from her worry for you! Please tell me everything!" She kept going on about how she missed me even though it was five... long days. I paused right there, and thought of how many ways I could explain how a man I've met in a former life met me at the opera, and after he kissed me, he took me away to his home. Oh yeah, he's insane and a madman, and he's desperately in love with me. By the way, he wears a mask, and he's also a living nightmare! Ha ha! Isn't that a fairy wonderland!?
"I-I-I really can't explain," I stuttered, trying to get into the door to put my things down. Meg blocked me with an arm, and I knocked it down with my good hand, and barged through the door, "I'm serious, questions aren't really necessary." I confirmed.
"But Christine, you weren't with Raoul so who were you with?" She questioned, begging me to answer.
"I'll tell you, but you must swear to tell nobody else," I said, sighing, and sitting onto my bed, "Thanks for ruining my time back, it's been really great with all the stares and uncertain looks, I enjoy the attention." I acidly said, she didn't care about that part, and ignored my sarcastic comment. "Anyway, you know how I had a teacher for my singing?" I questioned, she nodded, "He took me to the opera, and he brought me to his home because I fainted for a while." I told her.
"And you were there for five days?" She asked, suddenly confused. I sighed, looking away to the closed window. I simply nodded, not wanting to say anymore.
"Do you mind if I open this? It's dark in here." I question, grabbing the curtain, about to throw it back.
"Sure..." Meg replied, shrugging, her face very concerned. I stood there looking out to the busy city buzzing beneath us. I missed it so very much. As I said earlier, it was raining, but the light was nice to come into.
"What's his name...?" She had to ask, always wanting to know about my love life... supposedly.
"What are you saying, Meg?" I said sternly, giving my annoyed look.
"You must like him somewhat. He took you to his home for crying out loud!" She said, exasperated.
"Shut it." I threatened darkly, "I'm going to call Raoul." I said, going out of the room to the kitchen to get the phone. I quickly dialed Raoul's number... so anxious to hear his caring voice again. I was so anxious for his touch, and his embrace. The phone rang many times... and my heartbeat immediately slowed... He wasn't there.
"Raoul!? Raoul, if you're there, please, please answer! I need to talk to you... I have so much to say... please answer!" I cried into the phone, and I tried so hard to keep the tears back... but it's been so easy after what I've been through. I dropped the phone, suddenly angry. Why wasn't he picking up the phone and-
"Christine, Raoul has been out looking for you for the past five days." She confirmed.
"Where is he?!" I questioned.
"He'll probably be here within the next few hours..." She said, taken aback my my abruptness, her eyes wide with unconscious surprise.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I beat her over to there to answer it. I opened it quickly... finding it was only the delivery man for Meg's order from the Internet. She shrugged me aside, and gotten through to him to sign the paper, and gave me a strange glare. I got out of the way instantly, and went to go to the couch to attempt to get this stupid golden ring off my finger before anyone notices.
