Hey everybody sorry it took me longer to update this chapter! But on the positive side you'll all be very pleased to know that I've consulted a fellow reviewer on proofreading and advising the story.
So thanks a bunch to Luthien Amarie and all my other reiewers!
Hope you enjoy the latest chapter!
Disclaimer: ok, seriously you should all know by now just how little I own (sighs sadly) I had to put this plot of layaway for crying out loud!
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She had touched his hand!
Laughed with him and her eyes had lit up with glee as she did!
What kind of a fool was he now? Watching from the rafters above the stage, he had witnessed her taking his arm and walking off with him...certainly she had gone against her will... Somehow he had followed them as they went from the Opera House to the fine carriage and to a small cafe.
Why did she do this to him? What possible motivation could she have in seeing him! Then not to tell him about it? She deceived him! He trusted her, allowed her to fool him into harebrained promises…!
Erik slammed his fists against the organ, causing the keys to be painfully punctured and let out a dreadful sound in the progress. He flinched at the dissonant racket; hating the sound, himself and this perishing love he felt. Christine was still associating with that fop! She was still talking to him! Smiling and socializing with him!
...He couldn't stand the reality of it. He avoided her as much as possible, only coming to see her when he felt she was in dire need of direction or guidance with her voice. But other than these occasional formal visits he could not force himself to be around her. Or see that smile of hers that he had once believed was saved only for him.
Yes, she would be his Aminta. But nothing more. He raged on the ivory keys excruciatingly as he pictured how she and the Viscount were probably laughing at the proposal he bestowed. Well, fine! She could go! Leave him to the black amiss that was his home! Clearly nothing she said was true...and yet...
He loved her still!
"Damn her!" He called out, throwing some candles from their place on the table. He heaved in angry gulps of air, wishing he was incapable of breathing at all.
His eyes lowered as he approached his makeshift theater and, grinding his teeth viciously, he then proceeded to throw his arms wildly, knocking over all the imitation figurines of the company actresses and actors.
Tonight he would not think of this betrayal.
Tonight was his opening night after all…
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"Christine, are you ready yet?" Meg called impatiently from her place outside the door.
"Yes, just one more minute!" Christine exclaimed from the other side.
A mere moment later Christine emerged slowly from her dressing room, anxiously awaiting her friend's opinion on her opening attire. Meg, however, merely gasped and smiled fondly.
"Well it's certainly no wonder why Don Juan would want to seduce you!" In-between giggles she added in a more serious tone: "You really do look lovely, Christine."
"Really? Do you think so?" Christine replied nervously, going back inside her room to glance herself over in the large mirror. Meg followed, rolling her eyes at her friend's fretfulness.
"Oh don't tell me you're nervous, Christine! You were born for this role. You know all your lines by heart, your tone is perfect, and you look fantastic! What else do you have to worry about-"
"I have not seen him in weeks, Meg." She whispered hoarsely, staring down at her feet. Meg paused at this, unsure of how to respond.
"Well...you know, I'm sure he's very busy! With his work being produced and everything-"
"Something isn't right, Meg...", she began, sitting down at her bureau table. "I can feel it."
Meg came over and pulled her friend up playfully, a large grin on her face. "What you feel is nothing more than your nerves! Now don't worry. You'll be fine!" She would have continued further but a stagehand began roaming the halls, loudly shouting last calls.
"I have to go!", Meg exclaimed excitedly. "Good luck!", she called out to her friend as she disappeared though the opened door.
"Bye, Meg." She smiled wearily as she sat once more, relishing the silence that she lately heard so rarely. She closed her eyes lazily and bent neck from side to side, groaning as she heard it crack.
Her senses alerted her to the sound of soft footsteps behind her, and with the curtain opening so soon she couldn't think of anyone it could be except for...
"I'm glad you're here Erik." She whispered through her faint smile. "Actually there is something I wish to talk to you about before-" At this point she opened her eyes, but instead of seeing her angel's reflection in the mirror, she saw Raoul's. She turned briefly but was instantly met by a white cloth pushed against her mouth and nose. She struggled, but after a few sharp intakes of breath she found herself consumed by darkness and a hoarse voice whispering in her ear.
"Now I shall teach you the ways of love."
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Sounds of the people streaming into the Opera House could be heard from even the lowest level of the building. Erik dressed himself slowly, a morbid and sad feeling creeping into his soul. He almost felt as though he was dressing himself for his own funeral. Everything around him seemed to have an aura of death to it. Now it seemed as though his own mask was the coffin which he hid from...the lair a tomb that was never large enough to keep his music sane, to live a life in which he had never believed... a life with Christine. It was hopeless. He knew that now. The charade that he kept up for a pitiful life was all hopeless! No change, love or light of any kind! He would never know beauty or the sun's light on his face... He started walking around the caves absent-mindedly. It seemed no longer his home now but a cruel dungeon... he was to be kept here until the day he died. Nothing... nothing would ever again be as heavenly as Christine.
He was interrupted in his anguish as the sound of a throat being cleared intruded his thoughts. Madam Giry smiled fondly and approached his gracefully, straightening the mask he wore with her thumb.
For some reason unknown to him, he allowed her to do so.
"What are you doing here?", he asked her coldly.
"Well now Erik, I dare say you look rather torn.", she said with a slight frown, bringing her hand to her mouth in an concerned manner. "What troubles you?"
He just laughed. He knew not why, for the statement was far from funny in any way...he supposed it simply seemed appropriate to mock the ironic question. What was troubling him?
"What is troubling me, Madam!" He bellowed, turning to face her fragile form.
"What is troubling me!" He continued to repeated in-between laughs. "Humanity troubles me! This concept of love and devotion that the people above this prison speak of and so highly recommend!" He shook his head viciously back and forth as Mme. Giry stood by, saddened by his display.
"I have trained her! Taught her everything I know, made her a star overnight! Gave her everything I have inside of me... including my music! How am I repaid, you ask? With lies! She still lies to me!"
"Erik, what-"
"I have loved her from the moment I saw her!" He sat down in a defeated manner this time sighing ashamed, expressing that he would be ready to forfeit everything he ever wrote or sang, every talent he possessed, just to know that Christine would love him.
Madam Giry approached him then, resting her hand on his shoulder, and sighed. "True love is like a ghost which everyone talks about but only few have seen. I know you love Christine, and she cares for you as well. Why do you two not simply have faith in that and get on with your lives-"
"If she ever cared for me she does not now! Her heart now belongs to someone else." Madam Giry was clearly taken back slightly by the violent outburst, but persisted further.
"Is the Viscount the one you speak of?"
"He has tormented me to my last breath and I fear will do so up to the hour of my death."
"Oh for heaven's sake, Erik! Nothing is miserable unless you make it so! Life is too short for you to constantly be consumed by your jealousy and fear! Christine loves you! I can see it in her eyes when she speaks of you. Perhaps if you simply confronted her about her feelings instead of pushing her into your own then you two could find a solution!"
Erik looked up at her then, hesitant of what to say as an oncoming headache approached his skull. He wrapped his arms around his head at the words of harsh affection she spoke. Perhaps the older woman was right.
Wait...
Christine loved him? How could this be? He would have easily been content with simply having her as a companion...it was difficult to believe that an angel like Christine could be capable of loving a creature like him.
"You really think she loves me?" She merely laughed at his insecurity and hugged him kindly before responding.
"I believe in it with all my heart.", she alleged.
The answer made Erik smile and he soon became engrossed in the thoughts of his beloved and the life that they might indeed share one day. He only looked up once more when Mme Giry began her voyage to the outside and turned to him slightly.
"When the both of you are ready, make sure Christine comes up before the curtain is drawn."
"What?" He looked up, the confusion evident in his eyes.
"Well...she is down here with you, isn't she?" , Mme. Giry asked, the concern growing more apparent with every word she spoke.
Erik rose instantly. "No, she isn't."
"Oh dear..." The woman paled considerably and approached Erik once more.
"No one has seen her since Meg left for the last call nearly half an hour ago! I assumed she was here with you somewhere!"
Mme. Giry was cut off as Erik rushed passed her in a frenzy.
"Perhaps she simply became nervous and went for a walk to clear her head?" Madam Giry continued onward with her suggestions as she watched Erik gather his things in preparation of his journey. "Or maybe she just had a last minute problem with her costume or something that she had to take care of-" She stopped suddenly as Erik began lifting the curtains of all the nearby mirrors and only stopped as he found the one he was looking for and began to trek through it.
"Erik! Where are you going?"
Her question went unanswered as Erik was long gone from hearing anything but the voices inside of his own head. Nothing mattered but Christine, for he knew she would not just have left without telling someone something of her destination. And though it was possible she was jumpy about the performance there was no way she would just leave the opera. Erik knew she was far too devoted to her art for this. He sighed as he moved along the tunnels, his main priority of a successful show changing to finding his beloved.