~Yah!! I can finally get back onto fanfiction.net, I had a hard time getting on the site yesterday, I was going through withdrawals… and my room mates were all laughing at me ::Pouts:: That's okay though, cause I'm back! And I feel great! Okay I'm done, story time…

Rats! Lots of rats were in front of me and closing in. Stepping back I felt someone behind me and they grabbed my arms preventing me from escaping. He breathed down my neck and I let out an involuntary shiver. I thought about the bodies they found above, but no one ever thought of looking below.

"You have entered the home of the Rat King," He stopped and took a breath. "What is your business here? I've seen you walking along the sewers a lot lately and so has someone else." As he breathed his voice was raspy and he dragged out his s's as he spoke. The Rat King let go of my arms and I spun around to look at my captor. He stood at least six feet tall, dressed in rags looped around his body.

"I have no business," I said standing tall. "I was just out for a walk." The rats didn't bother me, growing up in Tennessee my grandfather had a barn always full of them. I didn't like them, but I wouldn't let them scare me either. The Rat King threw his head back and laughed. Looking at me he turned his head as if he was hearing something.

"I know someone who wants to see you," The Rat King stepped forward and grabbed me by the arm. The rats parted as he dragged me along. He took me by where I entered this maze and deep into the sewer that I was still getting familiar with. I could hear the organ music playing again and it grew louder as we walked. The rat king stopped and pushed me forwards.

"Follow the music," The Rat King said. "My rats will be behind you so don't even think about turning back. I watched as the Rat King faded into the darkness. I looked at area the music was coming from. I thought yeah right and took a step towards the rats that remained. Normally they should have run away but these hissed and even jumped at me. Stumbling back, I turned and followed the music. It led me to a hole where I would have to crawl on my hands and knee's to get into. The rats pressed on behind me. Making a face, I kneeled down and crawled into the hole and found to my relief that it was dry. Crawling forward the music got louder and a set of candles came into view. Then an organ, the candles were on top of, then a man dressed in a suit playing the organ.

He stopped playing and turned around. There was no mask on his face, he had high cheekbones and a straight nose. The candles threw shadows on his face as he turned one was then another. He hit a button and there was a sound of stone sliding against stone. Behind me were the startled squeaks of the rats. The guy got up and started to climb up a ladder right under me. I slide back, but he reached an arm in and pulled me back into view.

"Well, well, what have we here?" He pulled even harder on my arm causing me to topple out of the hole and hang by his hand. I yelped and looked up at him. He looked down at me with a grin. "Ah yes, Melody, I've been waiting for you." My eyes widened but I remained silent. He cocked an eyebrow at me and shook me a little. "Well, I could drop you."

"No, please," I said. He smiled and climbed down the ladder.

"That's what I was waiting to hear, that voice," He said. He let go of me and I backed away from him until the organ was at my back.

"Who are you," I asked. He did a sweeping bow and took my hand.

"I am Eric," He kissed my hand and I snatched it away. "Now Melody, sing, show me you're not like those other fools who were trying to claim they were better than you. Eric hit a key on the organ. "Now sing." Not wanting to encourage his ranting I tried starting a song not from the play.

Dancing bears, painted wings.

Things I almost remember.

And a song, someone si. . .

"No, no, something else," Eric interrupted.

Spend all your time waiting

For that second chance.

For a break that would make it okay . . .

"You're trying my patience, you know what I want to hear, Melody." With a sigh I gave in.

"Little Lotte thought of everything and nothing,

her father promised her he would send her the angel of music,

the angel…

You were once my one companion, you were all that mattered.

You were once a friend and father, then my world was shattered.

Wishing you were somehow here again,

Wishing you were somehow near.

Sometimes it seems if I just dreamed,

Somehow you would be here.

Wishing I could hear your voice again,

Knowing that I never would.

"Good, keep going." Eric said.

Dreaming of you won't help me to do,

All that you dreamed I could.

Passing bells and sculpted angels,

Cold and monumental. Seem for you

The wrong companions, you were warm and gentle.

Too many years fighting back tears,

Why can't the past just die.

Wishing you were somehow here again,

Knowing we must say goodbye.

Try to forgive, teach me to live,

Give me the strength to try.

No more memories, no more silent tears.

No more gazing across the wasted years.

Time to say goodbye, time to say goodbye.

"Beautiful, I knew you were the right person," Eric walked up to me and put his arm around me. "You must leave now, but you will come again, same time every evening. I trust you know the way." Walking me over to a doorway, he pushed it open.

"Tell no one what you saw, or the consequences can be worst than you ever feared." Eric said to me in a low tone of voice, then lightened up. "Now that you have come to me, I won't have to go out and search for you any more." It amazed me how he could be so cheerful, yet have killed people. Before leaving I turned to him.

"You were the one to kill those people," I stated. He frowned and shooed me away.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," He slightly pushed me out. "No go off with you." Once the doors closed I ran as fast as I could. My first resolve was to tell the guys when I saw them. About a block away, I heard Eric's voice.

"Remember Melody," I spun around looking for the source. "I am everywhere," he laughed. I stopped short when it looked like eyes were floating down the sewer towards me. There was enough illumination to tell if a person was there, but there were just eyes. Terror coursing through me I ran the rest of the way back taunted by Eric's laughter.