So, how was waiting for this chappie, my reviewers? Naw, I'm just kidding. Actually, I would have put it up before now, but my dad got mad at me for leaving my candy wrappers all over the computer desk and wouldn't let me go on the computer yesterday... Boo. Oh, and in response to your concern, Ridel, about Erik being all black in stuff, too: That's true, but #1: When he last saw Anna, her laughter was joy-filled and she was almost like a summer day, so light and beautiful, and #2: His darkness is like, musical and magical darkness, full of beautiful sounds and things, while Anna was in the darkness of despair, which is like a hopeless, dark abyss... thing. I don't know, it's hard to explain, but they are two different darknesses, and Anna was like a summer day, so yeah... thank you for showing me what I can do better; I appreciate the constructive critisism (sp?).
Disclaimer: I don't own PotO; I only own Sasha and Anna.
Erik was stunned. Had Anna's despair really left her with so much madness? She stood now, with her back to him, after yelling at him to leave, and did not seem to care. She thought he was a figment of her imagination, for God's sake!
"Anna..." he whispered, approaching her slowly.
"Go... away... now," she demanded to her "imaginary" Erik. Anna didn't even turn around to look at him, for she believed that if she did, she would only see him in her mind. Erik didn't move, and Anna sneaked a glance at him after a while. When she still saw him standing there (to her, it was in her mind), she turned to face him.
"Why are you still here? Don't you see? I hate you! I hate you for haunting my thoughts all day and night! You aren't real! Leave me alone!" Anna was crying now, the tears flowing freely from her eyes. Erik reached out to her, but she ducked away from him and ran out the door. The sharp sound of breaking glass reached Erik's ears, and he looked down the hallway to see a shattered picture frame lying on the ground.
His heart filled with sorrow, Erik walked down the hall and picked up the picture. He turned it over, and gasped as he saw Anna's picture. It had been hers that had fallen from the wall; Hers that had broken.
Holding the photograph to his chest, Erik silently left the house. The front door was open, and he knew Anna had run through it. For a second, he was tempted to go after her, but he decided (with a clenched jaw and hard eyes) that maybe, just maybe, she needed to be alone... just for tonight.
But... she could get hurt, Erik thought as he shook his head in feeble amusement. One decision was always being countered by another pesky, mind-changing thought...
He peeked around Anna's front hedges and saw her small figure running down the street. He watched as she suddenly turned the corner, into a dead-end street that was adjoined to hers.
Making sure that his cloak was firmly pulled over the right side of his face, Erik started off down the street as fast as he could. His breathing was even, and he was glad that he had managed (somehow) to stay in shape (A/N: I'm am sooo not saying that Erik is fat or anything! In fact, he is downright HOT! I just mean that, well, he has been in jail for the last 4 years, so normally a person would not be able to run so fast).
Erik turned the corner just in time to see Anna enter the third house down on the street. He slowed his pace to jog, then a walk, until he stopped altogether.
Well, at least I know where she is. I think I can even see the backyard of this house from my hill, so I can watch over her tonight, just as I should...
Erik cut through another house's backyard, jumping over their fence and coming to his hill. He set up a little cave-like thing in the ground with some fallen tree branches, and sat down in it.
"Anna, my dearest," he breathed aloud to the silence, "I suppose today isn't the day that I am to hold you... But I swear to you and to myself, that that day will come."
Night came upon the town sooner than Erik expected, and the lights in the house were turned on. Erik could see through the many windows in the house perfectly, which pleased him, since he could see Anna better that way.
Anna and a girl close to her age entered a room together, and the girl turned on a stereo only slightly different from Anna's. Erik watched in wonder as the two girls danced wildly in the room to the music that was so loud it could reach his ears and he could clearly understand it.
Obviously, Anna has made a friend, he thought, and he found that, for some reason, that fact comforted him. At least Anna can have fun tonight with someone she knows is real...
Just thinking about that suddenly brought tears to Erik's eyes. Anna, his beloved Anna, had actually told him that she had hated him! She had said it, plainly and clearly, to his face.
No! That wasn't Anna speaking! Those weren't her words, and they never will be! Those were the words of the darkness that has consumed her, the darkness that I must save her from.
Erik woke up the next morning groggily, surprised to find that he had fallen asleep. He immediately aimed his gaze at Anna's friend's window, and saw the two girls asleep. Anna was on the ground, her hair spread fan-like around her, and Erik smiled as he watched her sleep.
Erik sat there as Anna roused herself from her sleep. She had the most unpleasant feeling that someone was watching her, though she quickly dismissed the thought. It couldn't be so, she reasoned. Since she hadn't brought any spare clothes (and her house was right around the corner), she waited patiently, staring at the ceiling, for her friend to wake up.
"What are you doing up so early, Anna?" her friend asked.
"Oh, I just woke up a few minutes ago, Sasha. Why are you so worried?"
"Well, I don't know. You just need your rest, after all that emotional stress yesterday. I mean, having to see that daydream guy again? That must be tough, especially if he is as perfect as you say he is."
"Was," Anna's corrected softly under her breath, her eyes slowly glassing over with tears. she let them stay visible, though she did not let them fall from her eyes.
Anna and Sasha ate a quick breakfast, then Anna said goodbye.
"I have to go home. I'm really sorry though," Anna apologized, "Here I am, like 19 years old, and I have to come and spend the night at a friend's house down the street because of a daydream-nightmare thingy."
"No, it's okay," Sasha assured her, "I haven't had that much fun in a long, long time. I enjoyed it. You should have those daydreams more often, if it makes you come over for a night of dancing and fun!"
Anna blushed at her friend's outgoingness and began to walk along the sidewalk. She gave Sasha one last wave, then turned the corner.
Erik saw her leave, and followed her along the hill. In between houses, he sometimes caught a glimpse of her walking, and quickly saw that she was going home. He wanted again to go and confront her, but he felt that she needed time to herself for maybe another day.
Oh yeah, and did I ever tell you guys how I much I love y'all? Seriously, I totally love all the great reviews! Even constructive critisism (sp?) is appreciated! God, I even have family members and friends who don't read my work... So yeah, thank you to all my great reviwers (so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so much!) and... Oh yeah! I have created a new twist to the story which shall make it a little longer and more interesting, so I hope y'all will like it when I get it posted... it's not in this chappie, though
