Wow, I'm amazed! I'm glad you like my story - but patience, I can't update before I've finished another chapter.

Please R&R - Atrice...

Part6 - Encounter in the Dark

She let out a little scream, as someone suddenly touched her shoulder, put a hand there and held it. Someone was standing right behind her, swiftly and without a warning.

"Schh… do not be afraid… I won't do you any harm." A voice whispered, deep, yet beautiful and pure – him!

"But who are you? Will you please tell me…" she whispered, barely breathing.

"Lucille, I'm nothing but a Phantom… just a Phantom…" he whispered back, and she put her hand up on her shoulder, touching his hand. It was warm, silky. The fingers long, and he held her shoulder with might.

"You feel very much alive, for a Phantom. What do you want with me?" she then asked, taking his hand in hers and turned around, facing him but not seeing him. She felt that he was taller than her though – she wanted to touch him, her way of seeing people. But she had no idea who this man really was, and didn't dare. Silence fell for awhile, and then he began to sing.

"You were the shape in the shadows, I had to see you for real. Lucille I want you to be there, to be here with me… Light up my darkness, world of moonlight, you are a ray of light…" the voice seemed to stay in the air, long after he stopped singing. She had not only heard the song, but felt it move her heart, and she knew he was sincere. She sighed when she finally dared to do so, as everything was quiet again. "Lucille?" he asked, worried.

"Sorry, I was just… taken in by your voice. I don't know who you are – all I know is your voice, and I feel it deep inside. You're very… powerful, for someone who claims to be a Phantom. But how can I be a ray of light – I have never seen it myself." She said, and she felt him hold her hand tighter, and they walked a bit – her steps very careful, she didn't know where they were heading.

Finally he stopped, below a roof, she could hear it on their footsteps. She didn't like walking at places she didn't know. Her mind couldn't decide, if this was a good or a bad idea. He could do anything to her, she was alone with him. But he just held her hand – watching her not watching him?

"What do you mean? What have you never seen… light?" he hadn't understood her words. He didn't know her yet, didn't know her world of darkness. Yet he said that she lit up his world of darkness, which she couldn't really decide what meant.

"I live in a dark world, Phantom – not the world you live in. But I am a good listener, and when I hear your voice, I feel it too… perhaps deeper than you think. You sang I light up your darkness… but is it the same darkness that I see?" she asked, and he suddenly finally understood her. Although he knew it must be hard for her, he couldn't help but smiling. She wouldn't mind! She would never have to look upon his hideous face, or see his dark lair as a bad place, for she had never seen anything else but darkness. She seemed to be made for him, he thought.

"Living a life in the shadows, I often feel so alone. If you stay with me I know it, I won't be no more! Lucille… will you stay?" his song echoed below the roof, and she felt tears in her eyes. His song had been so pleading, so true, that she almost felt bad she had to go home.

"I can't stay with you, Phantom, even if I wanted to. I'm afraid I need to go home now – will you follow me to the streets, where I can call for a carriage?" she said, and he did as she asked him to do, without answering her. Soon they stood in front of the Operahouse again.

"Lucille… why?" he then suddenly asked, letting go of her hand. She knew what he meant.

"I'm engaged… to a man I like. I'm sorry…" as she said it, she felt a swish of air behind her, and he was gone as suddenly as he had arrived not so long ago. She was sad to leave him, she knew he was alone and always were – although she couldn't understand why. When she soon sat in a carriage on her way home, she wished she could see for real. She would have liked to see him, this man who seemed so gentle and devoted, this man who was alone even with that.