Too Late?

Erik pushed Christine away a few seconds after their lips met. He was shaking with passion, confusion, and rage. He could see that Christine was extremely upset that she had been pushed away. Deal with it, he thought venomously. "You made your choice. Now live with it! Did you really think that coming back to me would be your back-up plan if marriage to that boy did not work out?" Christine was now crying. She is still just a child, he thought. She is still the same person who left me three months ago.

"You must leave now. Mercedes is due down here any minute. I don't really know how she would react to your presence down here." he said. He then saw an oddly smug smile on Christine's face.

"Oh, she was already down here." she stated. At that Erik's eyes widened in surprise, and then fear. He realized that Mercedes had seen Christine and him kissing! Oh, damn, he though furiously. God truly is cruel. I beg for Christine to love me, and when she does I have to deal with another lovesick woman.

He dashed up to Mercedes' room, hoping and praying that Mercedes would understand and yet knowing that she wouldn't. When he made it to her room, he saw a letter on her dresser. At the top of the letter, in blood red ink, were the words Dear Erik.

She sat down on the black bench in front of her black piano. The polished wood reflected her face. She could see every detail. Her black hair, disheveled and unkempt. Her red lips, quivering with sadness and rage. Her eyes, shedding tears that made salty tracks down her porcelain cheeks.

Dear Erik,

I have left you the Opera Populaire in my will, as well as half of my wealth. Madame Giry will receive the other half of my money, as well as my home. Please forgive me for ever burdening you with my troubles; I know that it was unfair to you. You had every right to reject me. You said last night that you would never leave me. I am sorry that I cannot promise the same. I hope that you and Christine Daae lead a happy life, and remember that you are not alone. You will always have her.

I Love You,

Mercedes

Erik read the letter with trembling hands. He could not believe that she intended to die, only because he had kissed another woman! All thought escaped his mind, except for one idea alone. He needed to find her before it was too late.

Erik stole one of the horses in the stables and quickly galloped to the only place that he thought she would be. He was sure that everyone who saw him go by only thought him a mere flash of blackness as he rode to Mercedes' house.

Christine was furious! He had denied her! She stormed up to her old dressing room and noticed a letter that had been dropped on the floor. She read it, smiling. Well, at least Mercedes would be out of the way. Still, she felt that she needed to follow Erik, just to be sure that he did not stop her from dying. She borrowed a horse from the opera house stables and followed Erik at an easy canter. She had all the time in the world.

Mercedes pounded the piano keys in a random manner, her tears making the ivory keys slippery. Realizing that merely pounding on the piano would not pacify her, she picked up a lovely crystal vase that sat on a table nearby and hurled it across the room. The clear glass shattered into a million fragments and rained onto the dark burgundy carpet. Amidst the shattered glass lay a single crimson rose which had been in the vase. Once she had finally vented some of her anger, she went downstairs. Sneaking into the servants' kitchen, she took a bottle of brandy. She had never drunk before, but today was going to be a day filled with firsts and lasts. She poured herself a rather large glass of brandy and then added a little cyanide to the glass.

She walked back up to her music room and set the glass down on top of her piano. She sat, still crying, on the piano bench and then started to sing in a soft, shaky voice. "You alone can make my soul take flight. It's over now, the music of the night." She then picked up the glass filled with brandy and stared into it, thinking, now is as good a time as any.

Erik jumped off of the horse that he was riding and ran as quickly as he could into Mercedes' house. Not knowing where to go, he simply followed the sound of Mercedes' voice. He ran up the grand staircase, taking the stairs two at a time. Bursting through a large wooden door, he saw Mercedes sitting on a bench in front of her piano. Raised to her lips was a glass of brandy.