((AN: Thanks guys for reading this  And here's the second chapter. Sorry it took so long!))

CHAPTER TWO : ''Forget all that's earthly''

Meg looked to the note the managers gave her.

From..O.G. they said with shaking voices to her. She took the envelope and opened it. The note read in fine blood red ink:

Dear Little Meg,

Follow these instructions carefully. You must only take three items with you: something that reminds you of your mother, something that reminds you of your dancing and one item that has nothing to do with the world above. You shall then go to Christine's

Meg stopped for a moment, staring at the way Christine's name was written. The handwriting was written by a shaking, unsteady hand. Still, she continued to read:

You shall then go to Christine's dressing room and wait till 11:30 pm. You mother is to tell everyone you are ill and you can't reveal yourself to be the opposite. At 11:30 pm, I will come for you.If you are not there, another one of the dancers will die.

O.G.

Meg crumpbled the paper in her hand, feeling anger overwhelm her. She threw the note away and sat down furiously on the bed. After releasing her frustration trough quickly drawn breaths, she picked up the note again and looked to the instrucstions. Three items...One that reminded her of her mother, one that reminded her of her dancing and one of something that had nothing to do with the world above. She didn't understand these demands. Truly, the Phantom, he had gone completely mad! She took a deep breath and got up. She knew well what could remind her of her dancing and she took out a black box from beneath her box. Inside she kept her very first pair of ballet slippers. She adored them because she knew they were from her father. He had given them to her before she died.

''Papa...'' Meg whispered, carresing the small ballet shoes. She shook her head, trying to get herself together. She put the ballet slippers on her bed and looked in to the old black box again. She saw a photograph of her mother when she was about her age, a proud ballerina of the Opera Populaire. She smiled slightly and put the photograph on the bed beside the ballet slippers. She pushed the black box back underneath the bed and stood up. She pondered now about the third item. What was she to choose? Something that had nothing to do with the world she lived in...With the world above...Meg slowly turned towards her dressing table, her gaze falling on the white mask. She walked over to it and took it in her hands. She studied it for a moment, like she did the first time she took it. She looked up at the mirror again and whispered:

''I won't be late...Don't worry.'' With that, she threw the mask on the bed.

Meg fell asleep on Chrstine's bed, hugging the black pouch with the three items that she was asked to bring. She stirred in her sleep a couple of times, but never awoke. She was dreaming the strangest dream.She was dancing on stage when suddenly she heard a grotesque laughter. As she turned around, she realised she was in a strange temple, and ifront of the makeshift altar was a gargoyle. When he turned to her, Meg saw his eyes filled with rage.

'Leave me! I am the Dominus! You do not belong here!'

Meg stirred in her sleep once again. The clock on the wall showed it was 11:30.

Meg screamed and backed away as the gargoyle grabbed her by her arm.

'Please, let go off me!' she shouted. The gargyole was now against her face.

The mirror suddenly opened and Erik entered quietly. He had chosen to put on the black mask he had from the performance of Don Juan Triumphant. He looked to Meg who was on the bed and half shaking in her sleep.

'I am trapped in here, don't you see! You foolish human!'

Erik approached her and sat down on the bed beside her. He reached out with his gloved hand to touch her face.

'Please! Please let me go!'

'I can't! I am the Dominus, this is my temple! You do not belong here!'' he suddenly pushed Meg away and she fell in to a black nothingness with no end.

Erik pulled back his hand, but hardly jumped in suprise as Meg woke up suddenly screaming. She only now realised that she shouldn't be afarid of the dream, but the man sitting on the bed beside her.

''Little Meg...'' he spoke, the silky voice filling her ears. She froze, trying not to shake or show weakness. She remebered what her mother told her: never look down for that is the easiest way to show your vulnerable. Instead, she codly looked in to Erik's eyes.

''Murderer...'' Meg whispered. It was suprising that Erik actually laughed. His laughter made her skin crawl. He stood up.

''I would appreciate mademoiselle if you knew my name.''

''Well, I don't know it.'' She replied sarcasticly. Erik was quite suprised by small Meg. He truly wasn't accpecting this. Erik offered his hand.

''Erik.'' Meg looked to his hand and looked up at him. She took her black puch and took his hand.

''Come.'' He whispered and showed her to be quiet as they went trough the secret passageway in the mirror.

Meg was rather confused when she and Erik stood for more then just awhile at the shore of the vast lake. At first she didn't mind, but as moments went on, she was getting more confused. Why were they just standing there and not going in to the boat? She turned to Erik who finally looked up at her from the lake.

''Show me what you have brought.'' Meg approached him and opened her black pouch. When Erik saw his mask, he looked up at her.

''You think I am not something of the real world?'' Meg went to answer something, but she knew it wasn't the right answer to give.

''Well, I am a living carcass, so you were right in choosing my mask.'' Meg didn't want to ask him if he wanted it back, but asked him:

''...Did...Did you askt he other girls to brings something?''

Erik didn't answer for a moment as he looked at the photograph of Madame Giry.

''She was the only beautiful thing in that horrid circus...'' Erik whispered to himself studying the photograph. He looked at Meg then and placed the photograph back in to her pouch.

''Those two items that remind you of dancing and your mother you are to throw in to the lake.'' Meg's eyes grew wide.

''Why!''

''Here, at the seat of sweet music's throne, you are to disregard all earthly things.''

''No, I won't do it!'' suddenly, the rope of the Punjab lasso appeared around her throat. Meg's eyes went wide and were filled with fear as she saw Erik's grip tighting on the rope.

''Do not test my patience, little Meg. Do you want your mother to bury you and you not bury her?'' Meg kept staring at him, her fear turning in to anger. Erik let go off her and said:

''Do it, throw them in the lake.'' Meg stared at him for a moment, her look cold. She looked in to the murky lake and threw her ballet slippers and her mother's photograph in the lake.

''You are just like him...'' Meg muttered angrily. Erik looked at her with a confused glance.

''Like who?'' Meg realised that she now said too much. She was close to tell this man about her dream! But, it wasn't a real dream...It was strange.

''Nothing...'' Erik came closer to her, placed his hands on her shoulders and held back his anger as he said:

''Never say nothing as an answer to me, Meg. Who?''

''It is...It is from an old tale my mother told me.'' That was a lie, but she couldn't tell him it was a dream. Erik chuckled.

''An old tale, huh?''

''Yes..A tale of the first Gargoyle, the greatest one that was ever built...But it is a tragic tale. You wouldn't like it...'' as Meg went to the boat, Erik grabbed her by the arm again. Suprisingly, it was rather gentle.

''It is a long boat ride, Meg. Endulge me.''