Song of the Past Chapter 13, a phantom of the opera fanfic

All was quiet as I awoke the next morning, remembering words struck on parchment yellow with age and the scent of roses. The bouquet in my vase beside my bed was dead, and as I stroked the dry petals, they broke away from the bed and fell to the dormitory floor. For some reason that was unknown to me, a tear fell from my eye and ran down my cheek. Shrugging out of my nightgown, I dressed and prepared myself for the day. How was it that I was so in love with Raoul, but yet consumed by Erik's fire? He was much older than me, more monster than man. Then why did I love him so?

My hairbrush slipped out of my fingers and fell the floor with a thud. My knees quickly followed, and I held my head in my hands as it began to throb. When I opened my eyes, I was met with the harsh white light of a hospital room. Memories came flooding back, and I began to cry as I realized that it had all been a dream- Erik, the lair, Raoul, the Opera Populaire, all of it. Someone whispered my name and started to stroke my hand. "Christine," Hunter gave me a half smile. He was lying in a bed right beside mine, holding my hand. "You're awake." His words were blurred, as if I was hearing them through water.

"Where are we?" My own speech was blurred, causing me to wonder if my hearing had somehow been damaged.

"We're in the hospital. The doctors say that we are very sick. Apparently we have been wavering in and out of hallucinations. You've been in a comma for two weeks, but you're awake now." His eyes changed, became filled with fear. "Christine, I don't know what is real and what isn't now. I had the strangest dream, only you were there with me…" he faltered and our eyes met. Something was wrong. His hair was growing longer, his clothes were changing…he was morphing into Raoul.

"NO!" I screamed. I couldn't loose him again, couldn't loose myself. And suddenly, Erik was there. He practically filled the room, he was all I saw.

"Christine," he cried. "I thought you had promised that you would never return." He turned and looked at Raoul with cold eyes. "It's him, isn't it? It's him who is doing this to you, pulling you in and out of reality." He stalked over to where Hunter was convulsing and pulled out a Punjab lasso.

"Erik, no! Please!"

I opened my eyes and found myself kneeling on the floor beside my bed, as if nothing had happened. Why did I keep having these hallucinations? I tried to shrug it out, but Erik's words echoed in my ears, the only thing that sounded real. Was it Erik who was keeping me chained to this life, or was it Raoul pulling me away?

The day passed by in a blur, and the vision was soon forgotten. Finally, a few moments before the party, Raoul managed to steal me away from the throng of people who occupied the main hall of the opera house. "Oh, Raoul," I fell into his arms, snuggling into his warm embrace. Remembering where we were, I shrugged away. The chorus on the stairs began to sing, announcing the start of the masquerade ball.

Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade.
Masquerade!
Hide your face, so the world will never find you!
Masquerade!
Every face a different shade.
Masquerade!
Look around -
there's another
mask behind you!

Beautiful dancers and gymnasts whirled about. A man dressed as a monkey danced past us, playing the cymbals, sending a pang of regret through me as I recalled the paper-mache music box that's music had awoken me from my slumber the first night that I had slept in the lair.

Flash of mauve.
Splash of puce.
Fool and king.
Ghoul and goose.
Green and black.
Queen and priest.
Trace of rouge.
Face of beast.
Faces.

Take your turn.
Take a ride.
On a merry - go - round
In an inhuman race.

Eye of gold.
Thigh of blue.
True is false.
Who is who?
Curl of lip.
Swirl of gown.
Ace of hearts.
Face of clown.
Faces!
Drink it in
Drink it up
'til you drown in the light.
In the sound.

Raoul spun me around and we joined in the fun. "But who can name the face?" I spun from dancer from dancer, whirling far to fast to stop. "Raoul!" The chorus started dancing and singing again, separating the two of us.

Masquerade!
Grinning yellows,
spinning reds.
Masquerade!
Take your fill -
let the spectacle
astound you!

Masquerade!
Burning glances,
turning heads.
Masquerade!
Stop and stare
at the sea of smiles
around you!

Masquerade!
Seething shadows
breathing lies.
Masquerade!
You can fool
any friend who
ever knew you!

Masquerade!
Leering satyrs,
peering eyes.
Masquerade!
Run and hide -
but a face will
still pursue you!

I finally returned to Raoul's strong arms, and he led me in a waltz as I reeled. "Oh, Raoul." The managers, Carlotta and Ubaldo made toasts, and Meg and Mme. Giry danced down the stairs to join them. I waved at Meg as Raoul led me away. We looked around us before slinking behind a statue. I picked up my ring and marveled at it's beauty. "Think of it!" I sang to him. "A secret engagement! Look- your future bride! Just think of it!" I twirled around, letting the dreamy fabric of my purple dress swish around me. He looked a little upset, just like he had when I had asked that we keep it a secret from the opera house. I hadn't even told Meg yet.

"But why is it secret? What have we to hide?"

"Please, let's not fight…" I trailed off.

"Christine, you're free!" Oh, if only he knew the half of it.

"Wait till the time is right…"

"When will that be?" he half laughed, half demanded. "It's an engagement, not a crime! Christine, what are you afraid of?"

"Let's not argue…" I sang quickly.

"Let's not argue…" He repeated.

"Please pretend…You will…"

"I can only hope I'll…"

"Understand, in time!" Once more, I was stolen away from Raoul and spun from man to man. But each one seemed to look more and more like Erik. I cried out and began to breathe heavily. Just as the chorus began to sing once more, Raoul caught me in his arms. "Thank you," I murmured.

Masquerade!
Burning glances,
turning heads.
Masquerade!
Stop and stare
at the sea of smiles
around you!
Masquerade!
Grinning yellows,
spinning reds.
Masquerade!
Take your fill -
let the spectacle
astound you!

There was a great bang and a chorus of screams as the music died off. I whirled around and looked to the top of the stairs where Meg was frantically pointing. A figure, a man dressed all in crimson red robes was standing on the top step, with a mask of death completely covering his face. Even with the mask, I knew that it was Erik. And the manuscript under his arm confirmed it. Picking up the score, he started down the stairs. I watched grown men and women alike shiver as he stalked down the stairs. No. Why had he come? After last night…this could mean nothing but trouble. As if on cue, he began to sing.

"Have you missed me, good messieurs? Did you think that I had left you for good?" He made people part like Moses separating the seas as he descended the steps. "Have you missed me, good messieurs? I have written you an opera!" He grabbed the familiar leather bound manuscript. It was much larger than it had been at midnight. The pages must still be wet with ink. I cowered behind Raoul as he threw the humongous book at André, who caught it rather deftly. His lips were pressed in a hard line, and he shot a nervous glance at Firmin.

"I advise you to comply- my instructions should be clear-" He unsheathed a huge glistening silver sword and gestured at the chandelier as he sung. "Remember, there are worse things than a shattered chandelier…" There was a collective gasp from the crowd. If they didn't know about what caused the chandelier, they did now. He had reached the foot of the stairs by now, and he walked right toward me. Suddenly, he was everything that I saw. He filled my vision, he was everything…and now he was reaching towards my neck. He grabbed the golden chain that was hanging around my neck and picked up the ring. It was so tense around us it was like we were suspended in the air, protected by a bubble.

Suddenly, he ripped the ring from my throat and took it. He practically shouted, half sung at me. "Your chains are still mine-you will sing for me!" Raoul took me and put me behind him, becoming a human shield. "Bravo, monsieur," I heard Erik whisper. "Bravo." With an enormous crack, he was gone; he vanished in a cloud of red smoke.

The only word I could manage was a whispered "No…"