That night, Melanie heard a knock at the door of her room. "Come
in," she said and the priest entered.
"Good evening Melanie." He said, walking to her side. He had an extra coat slung across his arm. "Christine is here to pick you up." He watched Melanie's face light up. "Let me help you with a coat," he said, guiding her arms to the sleeves. He then offered her his arm. "If you take my arm, we shall go meet her at the front door." Melanie slipped her arm in his and together they walked in silence to doors of the church.
There, Melanie heard a familiar voice. "Good evening Melanie." Christine said, "Are you ready?"
Melanie smiled at the sound of her voice. "Hello Christine. I'm ready, but I must say I am curious as to where we are headed."
Christine laughed. "That's a secret." She took Melanie's arm and led her to the door. "Thank-you Father Joseph," she said before shutting the heavy doors behind her.
The priest stared after them, unsure of what Christine had been thanking him for. He dismissed the thought from his mind; she had always been a little different. He turned back into the church and walked back along the rows of pews.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Christine's heart pounded in excitement. "Where do we go from here?" She asked.
"Just keep walking straight. There should be an opening in the brush to our right." She said, feeling along the bushes. Her hand suddenly grasped at thin air and when she put her hand further in the space, there was an iron gate. "Here." She said. Her heart pounded as well, but for a completely different reason. She knew what was to happen, and she was going to try and stop it. She said nothing to Christine about what she had seen when she touched Raoul; she was determined to bring her and Erik back together. The two pulled the gate open and entered, not noticing the silent figure following them.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Melanie did her best to lead Christine and herself through the maze of tunnels. She acted on what she remembered and also trusted her intuition. The two walked in silence, the only sound was their footfalls echoing off the tunnel walls. As they neared their destination, Christine began to remember and it became her leading Melanie.
Suddenly the cramped tunnels opened up into a wide cavern. There sat the lake with Erik's house on the other side. Christine clenched Melanie's arm as buried memories rushed back to her. Melanie tensed as well, afraid for all of them. She was the only one who knew the danger that loomed close at hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Erik carefully watched the process of the two figures as they steadily made their way closer to his house. He frowned furiously. This girl had destroyed his seclusion and brought back painful memories. Now, when he had told her to leave, she brought back the very object of his pain and sorrow. He turned from the window in a blind rage, failing to notice the shadow that still pursued them.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Christine dragged Melanie along as she hurried to the house in which she had made some of her most fond and horrifying memories. She entered the house, not even bothering to knock, pulling the girl behind her. She raced from room to room, searching for the phantom she loved. "Erik," her voice cried out, "Erik, Where are you? I've returned." She entered another room and stopped. This room held his organ. She let her arm slip from Melanie's and walked over to the keyboard. Her fingers brushed lightly over the ivory keys as she remembered waking to the sound of this very instrument. She closed her eyes, remembering her curiosity as she ripped off his mask and the shock afterwards. But none of that mattered now; all that mattered was that she had returned and that she would soon be reunited with her angel of music.
Suddenly there was a voice behind her, "Christine?" It was barely above a whisper.
Christine wheeled around,"Erik!" Her cry was full of relief and she rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his chest. "I'm here Erik, I've returned." She looked up into his face, tears of joy glistening in her eyes.
Erik, however, responded with no warmth towards her. His mouth was turned down in a frown and his eyes were cold. He turned his face from hers. "Yes I know." He said. He looked back into her eyes. This time his eyes held the tears. "Why?"
Christine stopped smiling and backed away. She was a bit nervous now. She had expected him to respond to her with the same amount of passion, but she met a man with little more warmth than a brick wall. "Please forgive me Erik," she said, a few tears rolling down her face. "I'm so sorry. After I had left the tunnels I thought they had found you and killed you. I thought you were dead! I mourned for you. Don't you understand? I loved you then and I love you still!"
Erik's face softened at her last words. He suddenly looked weary. "All is forgiven." He stepped forward, his arms open and embraced Christine. "Mon ange."
"NO!" The exclamation echoed in the room. All spun to face the owner of the voice. A drunken Raoul emerged from the shadows, waving a gun in the direction of Erik.
"Please Raoul," Christine took a step towards the furious man.
"Shut up bitch," he shouted, pointing the gun towards her. She retreated a few steps back. Erik stepped in front of her protectively. "You stupid bastard," he shouted. "I loved her, you hear me. I still love her. But you, you imprinted yourself in her mind and I lost her to you, a deformed freak."
Erik's eyes burned bright and he shook with fury. It took all his strength to control hi rage. He spoke through clenched teeth, "She came to me freely Raoul. You're drunk. Don't do anything you might regret. Just leave."
"Oh I will leave. As soon as I get what I've come for." He aimed his gun at Erik. Christine screamed and turned away. She heard two shots and time seemed to move in slow motion as she spun back around. She dreaded seeing that which she feared most.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Melanie listened carefully. The scene was playing out exactly as she had seen it in her mind. She heard Raoul's words and saw in her mind the gun pointed at Erik's chest. She shook with fear at the thought of what she knew she must do. She threw herself in front of the bullet meant for Erik. It hit her in the chest like a hammer and she fell to the cold ground.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Erik took a step back and gasped as soon as he saw that Raoul was serious. He reached inside his coat to draw the gun he always kept there, but he knew he would never be fast enough to stop that fatal bullet. It felt like time had slowed down. He watch in horror as the strawberry haired girl moved to intercept the bullet meant for him. In an almost instinctive motion, he aimed and fired his own gun, but he couldn't stop the bullet that pierced Melanie's chest. He was vaguely aware of Raoul staggering and falling, but his attention was focused on Melanie. He fell to his knees beside her and cradled her head in his arms.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Christine opened her eyes, fearing the worst. She was frozen for a few moments as she took in the horrific scene. Raoul lie on the floor, an entrance wound in his forehead. "Oh God," she whispered as her eyes found Melanie and Erik. Hot tears made wet trails down her cheeks. She knelt next to Erik, clinging to his arm as he silently cried, but her presence went ignored.
"Melanie," Erik whispered her name, "Can you hear me?" He brushed a few stray hairs from her face.
The girl's eyes fluttered open. Her face was a mask of pain, but she smiled through it. She seemed to look right through him, but in the back of his mind Erik knew she couldn't see at all.
"Hey," Erik said, smiling through his tears. He removed his coat and pressed it onto her seeping wound.
Melanie's smile change and a few tears slid down her face, "I'm sorry," she choked on the words, "I'm sorry it has to end like this."
"No, no," Erik insisted, shaking his head. "It's not the end yet."
Melanie smiled again, this time sadly. "It's okay Erik. It's mind time. You've got to be here to take care of Christine. She needs your love." The girl shivered in his arms.
Erik smiled once more, "Thank you," he said.
"You're Welcome," she said, her eyelids drooping. Her voice grew even quieter, "I wish it could have been happily ever after, like in a fairy tale." Her eyes closed and her head turned into his chest. Erik clung to her as her life slipped away. He clutched her body like a child would hold its favorite toy, as if he would never let it go.
"Erik," Christine's voice broke through his thoughts. "Erik," she repeated. He turned towards her, as if noticing her for the first time. "She's gone Erik. That's not her anymore; it's just an empty shell."
Erik looked back at the girl's body and slowly placed her on the ground. He turned back to Christine and wrapped his arms around her. The both silently cried into each other. But, in time, love would heal all.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Well, uh, I guess this is the end. The reason why the end is so late is because I didn't know what to do. I didn't know whether I wanted to kill Melanie or not and, well, I wrote two endings. If I get enough requests, I might post the other one. But, anyways, that's how it goes and they lived happily ever after. right? lol
"Good evening Melanie." He said, walking to her side. He had an extra coat slung across his arm. "Christine is here to pick you up." He watched Melanie's face light up. "Let me help you with a coat," he said, guiding her arms to the sleeves. He then offered her his arm. "If you take my arm, we shall go meet her at the front door." Melanie slipped her arm in his and together they walked in silence to doors of the church.
There, Melanie heard a familiar voice. "Good evening Melanie." Christine said, "Are you ready?"
Melanie smiled at the sound of her voice. "Hello Christine. I'm ready, but I must say I am curious as to where we are headed."
Christine laughed. "That's a secret." She took Melanie's arm and led her to the door. "Thank-you Father Joseph," she said before shutting the heavy doors behind her.
The priest stared after them, unsure of what Christine had been thanking him for. He dismissed the thought from his mind; she had always been a little different. He turned back into the church and walked back along the rows of pews.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Christine's heart pounded in excitement. "Where do we go from here?" She asked.
"Just keep walking straight. There should be an opening in the brush to our right." She said, feeling along the bushes. Her hand suddenly grasped at thin air and when she put her hand further in the space, there was an iron gate. "Here." She said. Her heart pounded as well, but for a completely different reason. She knew what was to happen, and she was going to try and stop it. She said nothing to Christine about what she had seen when she touched Raoul; she was determined to bring her and Erik back together. The two pulled the gate open and entered, not noticing the silent figure following them.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Melanie did her best to lead Christine and herself through the maze of tunnels. She acted on what she remembered and also trusted her intuition. The two walked in silence, the only sound was their footfalls echoing off the tunnel walls. As they neared their destination, Christine began to remember and it became her leading Melanie.
Suddenly the cramped tunnels opened up into a wide cavern. There sat the lake with Erik's house on the other side. Christine clenched Melanie's arm as buried memories rushed back to her. Melanie tensed as well, afraid for all of them. She was the only one who knew the danger that loomed close at hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Erik carefully watched the process of the two figures as they steadily made their way closer to his house. He frowned furiously. This girl had destroyed his seclusion and brought back painful memories. Now, when he had told her to leave, she brought back the very object of his pain and sorrow. He turned from the window in a blind rage, failing to notice the shadow that still pursued them.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Christine dragged Melanie along as she hurried to the house in which she had made some of her most fond and horrifying memories. She entered the house, not even bothering to knock, pulling the girl behind her. She raced from room to room, searching for the phantom she loved. "Erik," her voice cried out, "Erik, Where are you? I've returned." She entered another room and stopped. This room held his organ. She let her arm slip from Melanie's and walked over to the keyboard. Her fingers brushed lightly over the ivory keys as she remembered waking to the sound of this very instrument. She closed her eyes, remembering her curiosity as she ripped off his mask and the shock afterwards. But none of that mattered now; all that mattered was that she had returned and that she would soon be reunited with her angel of music.
Suddenly there was a voice behind her, "Christine?" It was barely above a whisper.
Christine wheeled around,"Erik!" Her cry was full of relief and she rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his chest. "I'm here Erik, I've returned." She looked up into his face, tears of joy glistening in her eyes.
Erik, however, responded with no warmth towards her. His mouth was turned down in a frown and his eyes were cold. He turned his face from hers. "Yes I know." He said. He looked back into her eyes. This time his eyes held the tears. "Why?"
Christine stopped smiling and backed away. She was a bit nervous now. She had expected him to respond to her with the same amount of passion, but she met a man with little more warmth than a brick wall. "Please forgive me Erik," she said, a few tears rolling down her face. "I'm so sorry. After I had left the tunnels I thought they had found you and killed you. I thought you were dead! I mourned for you. Don't you understand? I loved you then and I love you still!"
Erik's face softened at her last words. He suddenly looked weary. "All is forgiven." He stepped forward, his arms open and embraced Christine. "Mon ange."
"NO!" The exclamation echoed in the room. All spun to face the owner of the voice. A drunken Raoul emerged from the shadows, waving a gun in the direction of Erik.
"Please Raoul," Christine took a step towards the furious man.
"Shut up bitch," he shouted, pointing the gun towards her. She retreated a few steps back. Erik stepped in front of her protectively. "You stupid bastard," he shouted. "I loved her, you hear me. I still love her. But you, you imprinted yourself in her mind and I lost her to you, a deformed freak."
Erik's eyes burned bright and he shook with fury. It took all his strength to control hi rage. He spoke through clenched teeth, "She came to me freely Raoul. You're drunk. Don't do anything you might regret. Just leave."
"Oh I will leave. As soon as I get what I've come for." He aimed his gun at Erik. Christine screamed and turned away. She heard two shots and time seemed to move in slow motion as she spun back around. She dreaded seeing that which she feared most.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Melanie listened carefully. The scene was playing out exactly as she had seen it in her mind. She heard Raoul's words and saw in her mind the gun pointed at Erik's chest. She shook with fear at the thought of what she knew she must do. She threw herself in front of the bullet meant for Erik. It hit her in the chest like a hammer and she fell to the cold ground.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Erik took a step back and gasped as soon as he saw that Raoul was serious. He reached inside his coat to draw the gun he always kept there, but he knew he would never be fast enough to stop that fatal bullet. It felt like time had slowed down. He watch in horror as the strawberry haired girl moved to intercept the bullet meant for him. In an almost instinctive motion, he aimed and fired his own gun, but he couldn't stop the bullet that pierced Melanie's chest. He was vaguely aware of Raoul staggering and falling, but his attention was focused on Melanie. He fell to his knees beside her and cradled her head in his arms.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Christine opened her eyes, fearing the worst. She was frozen for a few moments as she took in the horrific scene. Raoul lie on the floor, an entrance wound in his forehead. "Oh God," she whispered as her eyes found Melanie and Erik. Hot tears made wet trails down her cheeks. She knelt next to Erik, clinging to his arm as he silently cried, but her presence went ignored.
"Melanie," Erik whispered her name, "Can you hear me?" He brushed a few stray hairs from her face.
The girl's eyes fluttered open. Her face was a mask of pain, but she smiled through it. She seemed to look right through him, but in the back of his mind Erik knew she couldn't see at all.
"Hey," Erik said, smiling through his tears. He removed his coat and pressed it onto her seeping wound.
Melanie's smile change and a few tears slid down her face, "I'm sorry," she choked on the words, "I'm sorry it has to end like this."
"No, no," Erik insisted, shaking his head. "It's not the end yet."
Melanie smiled again, this time sadly. "It's okay Erik. It's mind time. You've got to be here to take care of Christine. She needs your love." The girl shivered in his arms.
Erik smiled once more, "Thank you," he said.
"You're Welcome," she said, her eyelids drooping. Her voice grew even quieter, "I wish it could have been happily ever after, like in a fairy tale." Her eyes closed and her head turned into his chest. Erik clung to her as her life slipped away. He clutched her body like a child would hold its favorite toy, as if he would never let it go.
"Erik," Christine's voice broke through his thoughts. "Erik," she repeated. He turned towards her, as if noticing her for the first time. "She's gone Erik. That's not her anymore; it's just an empty shell."
Erik looked back at the girl's body and slowly placed her on the ground. He turned back to Christine and wrapped his arms around her. The both silently cried into each other. But, in time, love would heal all.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Well, uh, I guess this is the end. The reason why the end is so late is because I didn't know what to do. I didn't know whether I wanted to kill Melanie or not and, well, I wrote two endings. If I get enough requests, I might post the other one. But, anyways, that's how it goes and they lived happily ever after. right? lol