"I have not broken your heart - you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine."

― Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

Chapter 21- Release

He did not turn.

"Rose, why?"

I felt close to tears, I could not restrain my emotions for any longer.

"Erik, I..." I dissolved into tears before I could complete the sentence.

He turned towards me. His masked face was contorted with anger and his aura was dark and threatening. Had he really seen the monster inside me? Was I about to lose him?

He walked upto me and grabbed my shoulders, tightly.

"Why did you try to kill yourself?" His words were trailing with fire, but I realized that he was only inquiring about one thing.

"Is that why you are furious? Because I tried to end my life? Is that the only reason?" I was tempting fate.

"What do you mean, the only reason? Have you completely obliterated your sanity, you foolish girl?"

So he did not know, he had not seen the execution of my powers. I had expected relief to invade me, instead I felt a heavy burden settle onto my heart. One part of my soul wanted Erik to know the whole, sordid truth. I realized that I wanted him to know. The question that whether he would come to love me in spite of my monstrosity, was slicing through my heart like a sharp knife, with every passing moment.

"Why are you so quiet? Yes, why did you? Why did you, Rose? After the mirror cracked, I heard you setting the fire in the room! You cannot fathom the torment I endured in that moment! It sliced through my soul. You have to tell me, Rose. You have to tell me everything tonight. Tell me the reason behind the hatred you hold for yourself, for your life. I will not leave you until you do so."

His eyes were burning with rage and pain. I knew that I could not conceal my true self from him now.

"Before I tell you anything, Erik, know that I love you," I whispered.

I looked into his eyes.

"Look at the sky, Erik."

He eyes remained fixated on me.

"I said, look to the sky, Erik!"

He hesitated and turned his eyes upwards, to the clear and cloudless night sky.

"Now, close your eyes."

"Rose, what..."

"Just do as I say, Erik."

He closed his eyes.

After some moments, I could see the consternation outline his face; he was growing impatient.

"Open them."

Thunder ignited the sky with light and the terrible melody of demise. Surprise covered Erik's face as the first drop of rain hit him.

"How..."

"I don't understand why you don that mask in my company, Erik." I was crying now, but I had to show him everything. He was near the edge of the abyss that I held within myself, now was the time for him to look inside it.

The mask gently left his face and travelled towards me. I extended my hand and grasped it. Erik was astonished. I could see the shock move from his heart to his face. This was it. He was going to leave me. He would abandon me just as everyone had. But the hurt was a thousandfold excruciating. I could not describe it, I could hardly bear it.

I felt myself collapse on the floor. The tears that I had held within myself, commenced to abandon me through my eyes. I started to sob silently, covering my face with my hands.

"I'm a witch, Erik. I'm a witch! Go! Leave me! Go away."

I felt like I was suspended inside a dark eternal abyss. Hope had entirely abandoned me, and misery had possessed each part of my being.

Suddenly, I felt someone embrace me. I looked upward and saw that it was Erik. The shock had entirely left his face now, and sadness had taken its place.

"I did not want to hurt you, Erik. Forgive me," I said, through my tears.

"I am not hurt because you did not tell me about this, I am hurt because of how you've tortured yourself within. You are not a monster, Rose! You are beautiful. Within and without."

And then he embraced me firmly. I lay my head against his chest and cried. It was a release unlike any that I had experienced. My torment was flowing through my tears as I wept in the darkness, in Erik's arms. I was loved for what I was. There were no secrets to hide. I was crying out in elation, and in despair of what I endured in my life till then. It was a beautiful release.

"Erik, I love you."