CHAPTER 1

Days, weeks, months had past since Erik had last seen Christine, and he had spent, what seemed to him, an eternity without her. The day she left, up until now, he had locked himself in his house by the lake, refusing to open the door on countless occasions for the stubborn Persian, Nadir, and had immersed himself in music. He played the score to Don Juan Triumphant, the opera he had written for Christine, over and over in his agony.

But not today. Today was different. Today, instead of toiling restlessly at his organ, Erik sat on the bank of the huge underground lake, brooding. He sat with his arms wrapped around his knees, which were pulled to his chest, staring into the dark water.

He hated what he saw. He cursed what he saw, rather. For the image glaring back at him was not that of a handsome young man that it should be, but was almost that of a monster. Usually, to hide his hideous features, he wore a sleek but tasteful white mask. Why he wasn't wearing it now, he did not know or care. There were no mirrors down here in the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, excepting the natural mirror of the lake, of course, and it never occurred to him until just then, looking into the water, that he wasn't wearing it. Again, he did not care.

This hauntingly calm silence was shattered as Erik's fist came in contact with the cool water, causing it to ripple and splash, the reflection of his face disappearing. He sat back and, almost with a smirk across his face, refused to look into the water again. He fell back into silence.

This silence was disrupted on account of the sound of footsteps made by a small pair of feet. Erik, whose head rested on his knees, did not look up. Nobody was supposed to be down here! He resisted the urge to stand up and shout at whoever was invading his territory and merely sighed.

"Why are you here?" he asked, still not looking up. "I-well.I--" stuttered a female voice. Erik's surprise at the feminine voice almost caused him to look up, but he kept his head down. "I was." she continued "Well.a man, Jean-Claude.um.he said that." He rolled his eyes. Jean-Claude was the man who worked the ticket booth and was much to kind for his taste. For all he knew, he had probably suggested the girl live down here!

The girl seemed to find untapped bravery and stopped her once incessant stuttering and said, "He said I could stay here."

Erik's mouth dropped open at this comment. She was NOT going to stay here. Ever! What had Jean-Claude been thinking? Surely if this person had not been a girl, he would have thrown her out immediately! What was he thinking? He calmly lifted his head from his knees. "Well, you will not stay here."

He looked her over. She was small for her age, with dark hair and dark eyes. What little skin she had was stretched over her obviously malnourished features. She held her cloak closely to her shoulders. She was dripping wet! He arched an eyebrow.

"It is raining then, I presume?"

It must have been, for the only other explanation he could think of for her wet ensemble was that she had jumped in the lake, which he knew was not possible. She nodded. "Will you let me stay?" Erik stood, and paced the bank of the lake a few times, deep in thought. He finally stopped and looked calmly at her. "No." "Bu--" He cut her off angrily. "No one is allowed down here! NO one! Only myself. " "Why?" "I'm not going to tell you," he said scathingly. "now, go." "Monsieur, I can't.I have nowhere to go!" she said pleadingly. "Please."

He looked at her. It seemed as if she had not eaten for days, let alone had a good night's rest. His arms dropped from his hips to his side in defeat. ".Alright, alright." The girl jumped with joy and looked as if she could hug him. He prayed she wouldn't. "Follow me."

He took her to the small room by the lake that Christine had slept in.Christine.Just thinking of her pained him.

Somewhat disheartened, he showed her the entire room and where to find everything.Why am I DOING this.? He thought to himself over and over. He left.

He went back to his house by the lake and sat at his organ. Before he could play, he noticed, with horror, his small white mask sitting on top of the organ. His mask!! He has not worn it in days! And the girl.she had seen his face.

* * *