Authors Note:: Allrighty loyal fans! Its time I kick myself into gear. Oi, I feel so badly. But my computer has been down with a bug for about two weeks now, and (if any of you have heard-- I live in Kansas and I have just barely been missed by all the tornadoes that are blowing through here lately! The closest one was 45 minutes away in the next town. Augh its traumatizing, but kinda cool… in any case-) I haven't updated at all. Which is sad because I have stuff to update. This next chapter is written by my lovely assistant Monka! ::cheers:: What would I do without her? Gotta go and here is the next chapter! Oh, yes, before I forget, Miranda, I have read the Gaston Leroux version, but my buddy Monka hasn't . She just goes off of what I tell her. I know Erik cries, and I'm truly sorry I never corrected it. Please understand. J
^.^ ~Miss Taken.
Disclaimer:: Why? I know not. I like him therefore he is mine for the liking.
My cloud with silver lining.
Erin heard the birds and knew that she would have to face another day. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to, though. With some difficulty, Erin strained to open her eyes, which had been glued together with the residue from the tears she had wept the night before. Carefully, Erin sat up and stared for a moment at Carley. She was sleeping in the corner of the room in a large arm chair. Carley had obviously tried to stay awake all night to watch over Erin, but failed.
Erin swung her feet over the edge of the bed and crept to the door, careful not to wake Carley. Slowly, she opened the door and made her way to the parlor. She thought of knocking on the door, but then realized that no one should be in there. So, instead she carefully opened the door. What she saw shook her soul.
Erik was on the small chaise, curled up in the fetal position with his back toward the door. But the real shock, was what was on the little table located close to the door. His mask. He had taken it off when he went to bed. Erin could not resist. She walked over to the night stand and bent close to it for a careful examination. It was made of smooth, white ceramic and the lining of the mask was a dark maroon, almost blood red, piece of velvet. Her hand came from her side and reached for the mask but she quickly pulled it back. No, no. I can't. Still her heart yearned to hold the mask and feel the ceramic and velvet lining. To place it on her face and feel what he has felt everyday of his life. But a new urge came over her. To lay next to the man she had been worshipping for so long. Erin put her hand on Erik's arm and felt the rough yet odd smoothness of his black coat. She cautiously lowered her body next to him on the bed so her front touched his back. He did not stir. Erin let out a long, happy sigh. For once in her life, at least since Josh, Erin could say she was happy and not lie. No, happiness was too weak a word. It was more like bliss. Sheer bliss.
Erin lay there a few minutes longer, but was startled when she heard a creak in the floor boards in front of Erik's door. As quickly as she could, she got out of the bed, trying with all her might not to wake Erik. Erin then flew out the door and into her own room where Carley was still sleeping. She was thankful for that. Looking at the clock, she realized it was still early and she climbed back in bed. Though she thought the high from lying with Erik would cause her never to sleep again, Erin fell asleep almost immediately.
* * *
Carley heard the birds outside and grumbled. Birds meant morning and Carley did not like mornings, nor did mornings like her. She finally decided to open her eyes and face morning, person to time of day, chica y tiempo de dia. As soon as her eyes opened, the light blinded her beyond all reason. She quickly closed them and decided to stretch before facing the early morn's light. Her legs stretched straight from her curled up position on the arm chair in the corner of Erin's room. Carley had decided last night that she would stay awake and watch over her sister but after one, long hour of trying to stay wake, she fell asleep. Now, Carley carefully shielded her eyes from the light then opened her. At first, the light was still so blinding that she thought she saw Erin's bed empty, but after rubbing her blind eyes, she saw that Erin's bed was empty. Carley hurried over to the bed and felt that it was still warm. She can't be far. Carley searched the closet to see if Erin was just being playful but did not find her.
Carley walked into the hallway and into the sitting area. Erin was not there either. She was beginning to panic. Erin acted very weird when she was depressed and Carley feared that she had done something drastic. She spun around with one quick glance of the sitting area and noticed that the parlor door was open a crack. Tip-toeing toward the door, Carley thought of the possible explanations for it being open. Erik could still be in there. Erin could be in there staring blankly at the music she could not and would not play. Or Michael could be in there just checking on the room or cleaning it. But what was in there was none of those things.
Carley leaned close to the open crack of the door. She saw Erin laying next to Erik. He seemed not to notice so Erin must have snuck up on him. Erin always talked about how she longed for an Erik of her own. Some one who would love her for her. Some one who would not care if they didn't have a penny to their name. Some one who would sing to her and tell her everything was okay. Now she had her wish. For a few moments, she would have her Erik. To hold, to love. Carley realized she was happy for Erin, but jealous that she was able to lay next to him. Carley rearranged her footing and made the floor boards creak. She saw that Erin twitched and was not asleep at all. Carley took long, quick strides to Erin's room. Her feet only made soft padding noises on the floor. Carley practically jumped into the chair and back into the same curled up position as before. Just as she had gotten into position, Erin walked into the room and only gave a quick glance toward Carley before climbing back into bed.
* * *
Erik was shocked to hear the birds. He had woke and thought he was still in the cellars of the opera house. Erik remembered last night. Remembering the night he kidnapped Christine had left him weak so he fell asleep on the chaise and in his clothes. The residue from his tears made his cheeks feel stiff. He used his hand and tried to flex his cheeks. When his hand came to the right side of his face, Erik gently traced over the scarred areas. More tears streamed down his face. He hated it. He hated the way he looked. The way people looked at him. He just wanted to be normal.
The sound of the door opening brought him to his senses. Erik would have rolled over but he didn't have his mask on and the mask was on the other side of him. So he sat very still and very quiet, waiting for the intruder to leave. He heard foot steps approaching the chaise. Erik told himself that he must remain still but relaxed. If the intruder saw him tense, they would know that he was wake. The intruder's foot steps were coming from the table with his mask on it. Fear grew in his stomach. Then the intruder walked over to him and placed a hand on his arm. Erik felt a mix of gut wrenching fear and yet gratefulness. He had not been in contact with another person for so long. Just then the intruder laid down next to him. He smelt the air. He could swear he knew that smell before but could not put his finger on it. The small sigh let out by the intruder helped to name the smell. It was Erin. Erik longed with every fiber of his being that he could roll over, give her a kiss and almost did. But Erik could already see the look on Erin's face as she saw his. So he remained stationary, not moving to preserve the moment. After a mere minute or two, a creak at the door caused Erin to jump and leave the room. Erik cursed at himself for not taking the opportunity to confront Erin. After he was sure Erin was gone, Erik rolled over, with his hand on the right side of his face, placed the mask back on his face.
* * *