Here's the third chapter - hope you like it. Please R&R... Atrice

Part 3 - can ghosts sing?

He sighed when he had seen them leave the damaged Operahouse through a window. A blonde angel, was what she was. Who sang with such a pure voice. But something was special about her… her song contained a purity, one he had only heard from one other person before. Christine… and she was gone, forever. He would never see her again.

Erik took a shortcut back to his lair below the Operahouse, next to the lake. She heard him there… at one of his lonely times – to make time go, he often sang when he was alone. He had no idea that he could be heard – but this girl heard him. Lucille. He liked the name – it meant light, and she did look like one, with her golden hair and her precious voice. And then that special, strange appearance she had. Like she wasn't afraid, like she felt what he felt.

"But why do you do it? Fool! She'll leave you, and in the end, you're alone again, like always! Child of the wilderness, laugh in your loneliness…" he said to himself, but he couldn't laugh. It wasn't fun to be alone. But who would ever love him? With his unexpected rage, with his strange and deep emotions – and above it all, his dreadful face! Erik sat down by his piano, and began to play his strange tunes, the ones filled with anger and despair.

Coretta hurried inside when they got home, and helped Lucille off with her coat. Lucille hadn't said a word on all the way back.

"Miss, are you alright? What was that thing?" Coretta asked, still fear to track in her voice.

"I am just fine, Coretta, just fine. I don't know what it was… perhaps the ghost they say haunt the place?" Lucille said as they walked into the living room, and sat down.

"It scares me… Lucille, please promise you won't go back." Coretta tried. "I'll go make some tea for both of us…" she got up and went to the kitchen. Lucille just sat on the sofa, looking nowhere, since she couldn't see. That voice, it filled her head with a strange need. A need to be there, to care and to show compassion. How would it feel, never to be loved? Coretta came back with the tea and sat down again, still upset about the trip to the Operahouse. Lucille felt her fear, and decided to leave the subject.

"Have the mail been here? Anything from Artus?" she asked.

"Yes, the letters lay in the kitchen. There is a note from Artus… let me read… he would like to see you again really soon, and invites you and your parents for dinner next week. His father will be there too. Your parents come home in a few days, so it's just fine. Artus seemed like a really fine man…" Coretta said with smile in her voice, glad her friend was back to her old self.

"Yes he did, I liked him, I really did. So fine and gentle about me – he would make a good husband, Coretta." Lucille said, also smiling.

Hours later, when they both said goodnight to each other, Lucille felt Coretta wanted to say something, and waited for it before she went up the stairs. But Coretta didn't speak.

"What is it, Coretta? Tell me what is on your mind…" Lucille said in the end. After thinking a bit more, her maid finally said:

"I was just thinking about that voice… it was so beautiful. I had no idea – can ghosts sing?"