Erik stormed from the room to his only comfort, his music. He sat
down at his organ and played furiously, his hands flying over the ivory
keys. He played out all of the anger, the sadness, the heartache. After
all, that is what the music was for. The notes expressed his feelings in a
way words never could. They had soared on the wings of love and had sunk
to a whisper when his heart had nearly died. Tonight the notes screamed in
agony, a bittersweet mixture of love and anger creating enrapturing
melodies.
Why, his mind screamed. Why has this girl come here? I've spent these past months burying my pain and sorrows so that I could survive. And this girl has suddenly entered my life and uncovered every emotion without even lifting a finger. She has reopened old wounds that are now bleeding as if the blows have just been received. With his mind, the music screamed. He was not even thinking of his song anymore. Christine! His mind cried out, a cry of desperation, of a love that was forever to remain unrequited. Memories flooded his mind and he shut his eyes against the tears that scalded the back of his throat, but nothing could stop their coming. The music ceased as Erik was reduced to tears, the last chords still ringing throughout the lowest level below the Paris Opera House.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Melanie struggled to control the emotions that came with the memories of this poor tortured soul. She was only vaguely aware of the crash of the bowl hitting the wall. Erik and the bowl were like a far off dream. The only reality now was the thoughts in her head, someone else's memories. She felt dirty every time she had these visions. They were always things the person was trying to hide from the rest of the world and she felt like an intruder of the highest sort. In her mind she saw this man and the woman he loved with an intensity she could never comprehend. Unlike Erik, she saw that this woman had loved him back almost as intensely. Perhaps believing that she didn't love him allowed to more or less accept that she had left him. This was what Melanie didn't understand, why this woman had left. There was some piece of the puzzle missing. Melanie had a feeling it lie with the woman. She would have to find this woman. What was her name? Ah, yes, Christine.
Suddenly music filled the air. It wrapped her again in a blanket of his agony. She saw now his need for music. It was the only way he could tell the world what he felt. It flowed from him like it was the most natural thing in the world. She heard now the opera he had written. The one he had written for Christine. She heard that woman singing to Erik, telling him of her love in his own words, and meaning it. She would have to make him remember, make him think of that opera and her voice. He would surely believe her then. The music ceased suddenly, the last notes still lingering in the air. Melanie waited for Erik to return. When he did not she pulled back the covers and swung her feet off of the bed and onto the floor. She stood up despite the painful protests of her aching body. Slowly and carefully she mad her way towards where she thought the source of the music was. She passed through a doorway and could hear muted sobs to her left. She headed in that direction, her bare feet padding noiselessly as she made her way. She could here Erik in front of her.
"She loved you," Melanie pleaded with him, "I know she did."
"Then why did she leave," he snapped in return.
"I don't know why Erik." Melanie shook her head. "I'm sure she had good reason to do what she did. But that's beside the point. You need to realize her love. Think of the opera you wrote for her. Remember her singing to you. You must remember. Think of her voice. She wasn't just saying those words. She meant it. Please, you must remember."
"What do you know? You weren't even there." He spit the words out and tried to control his anger. He didn't want to hurt the poor girl but if she continued like this he would surely loose control.
Melanie was now angry, "Do you even know what has happened to her? Or have you buried yourself so deep in self pity as to have forgotten the woman you love?"
"Enough!" Erik shouted, his voice ringing in her ears. He rushed forward to her and grabbed her by the arm. "You must leave this place and you must leave now." He propelled her through a winding maze silently. Melanie's mind worked to remember the twists and turns of the long corridors. Suddenly, she felt the cool night air on her face.
He spoke again in a hurried whisper, "If you follow the sidewalk straight you will reach a church that will allow you to stay as long as you need. I suggest that you not return to my home."
"She loves you and you know it Erik. You're just too afraid to admit it." Melanie tried once more to reach him, but no longer sensed his presence. She hoped he had heard. There was nothing more she could do about Erik. Right now she must find the one known as Christine Daae. After that, she would decide what to do next
Why, his mind screamed. Why has this girl come here? I've spent these past months burying my pain and sorrows so that I could survive. And this girl has suddenly entered my life and uncovered every emotion without even lifting a finger. She has reopened old wounds that are now bleeding as if the blows have just been received. With his mind, the music screamed. He was not even thinking of his song anymore. Christine! His mind cried out, a cry of desperation, of a love that was forever to remain unrequited. Memories flooded his mind and he shut his eyes against the tears that scalded the back of his throat, but nothing could stop their coming. The music ceased as Erik was reduced to tears, the last chords still ringing throughout the lowest level below the Paris Opera House.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Melanie struggled to control the emotions that came with the memories of this poor tortured soul. She was only vaguely aware of the crash of the bowl hitting the wall. Erik and the bowl were like a far off dream. The only reality now was the thoughts in her head, someone else's memories. She felt dirty every time she had these visions. They were always things the person was trying to hide from the rest of the world and she felt like an intruder of the highest sort. In her mind she saw this man and the woman he loved with an intensity she could never comprehend. Unlike Erik, she saw that this woman had loved him back almost as intensely. Perhaps believing that she didn't love him allowed to more or less accept that she had left him. This was what Melanie didn't understand, why this woman had left. There was some piece of the puzzle missing. Melanie had a feeling it lie with the woman. She would have to find this woman. What was her name? Ah, yes, Christine.
Suddenly music filled the air. It wrapped her again in a blanket of his agony. She saw now his need for music. It was the only way he could tell the world what he felt. It flowed from him like it was the most natural thing in the world. She heard now the opera he had written. The one he had written for Christine. She heard that woman singing to Erik, telling him of her love in his own words, and meaning it. She would have to make him remember, make him think of that opera and her voice. He would surely believe her then. The music ceased suddenly, the last notes still lingering in the air. Melanie waited for Erik to return. When he did not she pulled back the covers and swung her feet off of the bed and onto the floor. She stood up despite the painful protests of her aching body. Slowly and carefully she mad her way towards where she thought the source of the music was. She passed through a doorway and could hear muted sobs to her left. She headed in that direction, her bare feet padding noiselessly as she made her way. She could here Erik in front of her.
"She loved you," Melanie pleaded with him, "I know she did."
"Then why did she leave," he snapped in return.
"I don't know why Erik." Melanie shook her head. "I'm sure she had good reason to do what she did. But that's beside the point. You need to realize her love. Think of the opera you wrote for her. Remember her singing to you. You must remember. Think of her voice. She wasn't just saying those words. She meant it. Please, you must remember."
"What do you know? You weren't even there." He spit the words out and tried to control his anger. He didn't want to hurt the poor girl but if she continued like this he would surely loose control.
Melanie was now angry, "Do you even know what has happened to her? Or have you buried yourself so deep in self pity as to have forgotten the woman you love?"
"Enough!" Erik shouted, his voice ringing in her ears. He rushed forward to her and grabbed her by the arm. "You must leave this place and you must leave now." He propelled her through a winding maze silently. Melanie's mind worked to remember the twists and turns of the long corridors. Suddenly, she felt the cool night air on her face.
He spoke again in a hurried whisper, "If you follow the sidewalk straight you will reach a church that will allow you to stay as long as you need. I suggest that you not return to my home."
"She loves you and you know it Erik. You're just too afraid to admit it." Melanie tried once more to reach him, but no longer sensed his presence. She hoped he had heard. There was nothing more she could do about Erik. Right now she must find the one known as Christine Daae. After that, she would decide what to do next