"Christine, What's wrong?" Raoul asked.
Oh Raoul, I can't tell you yet." Christine sobbed.
Erik stood behind the mirror listening. He was glad that Christine was not telling Raoul about him. Erik heard Christine cry. How he hated to hear her cry on the other side of that mirror! He was tempted to burst through the mirror and take Christine in his arms and apologize. But what should he apologize for? What he had said was true. Christine was his. She was Erik's little girl. Erik turned to go back to his house, Christine would return later that night.
Raoul let Christine cry into his shoulder untill she stopped. Raoul wanted to kill who ever was causing Christine so much pain. No child deserved this.
"I'm alright now." Christine whispered.
"Who is causing you so much pain? Is it this Erik fellow?" Raoul asked.
"I'm sorry Raoul, but I can't tell you yet. I want to, but I can't, not yet." Raoul had no choice but to accept this. Raoul resolved to spend as much time as he could with Christine from that moment on. So he spent the rest of the day with her. Christine took him all around the opera house. She introduced him to all her friends backstage. They had a good time. But as all good things, Christine and Raoul's time together ended. Raoul had to leave, and Christine had things to do as well.
"I'll see you tomorrow Christine." Raoul said as he left.
"Yes, tomorrow." Christine said. As soon as Raoul was out of sight, Christine was filled with dread. She knew she must return to Erik. She walked to her dressing room slowly. Christine was starring at the floor, so it came as a shock when she ran into the door. Christine didn't know why the door was closed, because she always kept it open when she wasn't there. Christine opened the door and had to stifle a scream. There, leaning back in a chair in front of the mirror, was Erik.
Erik looked up at Christine and smiled.
"Why, what's the matter child?" Erik chuckled. then he got up and went over to Christine. He grabbed her upper arm, then closed the door. "I don't want people to think you're being kidnapped by the Opera Ghost." Erik joked. Christine was still too shocked to say anything. "Shall we?" Christine just nodded. Erik led her to the mirror-door, which he had propped open. Then Erik and Christine stepped onto the Communist's Road, and the door swung shut behind them.
"Thank you for not telling that boy aboout me earlier." Erik said.
Christine looked up shocked. "How do you know about that?" Christine asked.
"My dear Christine, I know everything about you, and what you do. I am everywhere you are." Erik chuckled in reply. They were silent the rest of the way to the house.
When they got there, Erik got out of the boat and held out his hand to Christine. Usually she never took it, but this time she did. Erik pulled Christine to her feet, and guided her out of the boat.
"Shall we sing Christine?" Erik asked walking to the piano. Christine nodded, and they began to sing. They sang untill Christine nearly fainted with exhaustion. Erik got up and went over to Christine. She was half asleep. Erik gently grabbed Christine's upper arms and guided her to bed. He then proceeded to lift her onto the bed. She fell asleep immeadiatly. Erik turned and walked quietly out of the room, closing the door behind him.
The next morning Erik took Christine back just in time to meet Raoul. For the next month Christine's life fell into routine. By day she roamed the opera house with Raoul, by night she sang with Erik.
But one night Erik paused before letting Christine into her dressing room.
"Do not come to the Communist's Road tonight. When it is time for you to come back, I will fetch you." Erik said.
"But why Erik?" Christine asked.
"I am going to work on Don Juan Triumphant." Erik replied. Christine nodded and Erik let her into her dressing room. Just as the mirror swung shut Raoul came in. Christine looked very excited.
"Come Raoul. We must get away from the trap doors!" Christine cried excitedly. That was exactly what Erik wanted to hear. As Christine led Raoul higher and higher into the opera house Erik followed close behind, silent as a shadow.
"Where are you taking me Christine?" Raoul asked.
"We must get away from the trap doors!" Christine cried glancing behind her. Christine and Raoul went all the way to the roof.
"Why are you taking me here?" Raoul asked.
"I keep telling you Raoul! We must get away from the trap doors! He must not hear what we are going to say!" Christine explained. Then she opened a door and she and Raoul stepped onto the roof. "Raoul, there is something very important I want to tell you." Christine led Raoul over to a bench under the statue of Apollo and his lyre.
"Christine what is you want to tell me?" Raoul asked.
"Raoul, I am frightened for my well-being. You have heard of the Opera Ghost, haven't you?" Raoul nodded. "He is real! He is not a ghost but a man. His name is Erik."
"Christine, you must have been dreaming. The Opera Ghost isn't real!" Raoul said. Christine looked at Raoul with such hurt in her eyes, Raoul instantly regretted his words.
"Raoul, I have been there! I have been to his house!" Christine exclaimed. Then she began to tell Raoul the whole story. While she did, Erik crept behind them and silently climbed into the strings of the lyre.
When Christine was finished with her tale Raoul looked at her with horror.
"Christine you must fly away with me this very night!" Raoul exclaimed.
"Raoul, I must sing tomorrow night. If I do not it will cause Erik infinant pain!" Christine cried.
"But you must hate him for all the things he has done to you."
"No, I don't hate him. I am terrified of him! He can be terribly evil, but yet at other times, he can be gentle and caring."
"Alright, I shall do as you wish. We will fly to the north tomorrow night." Raoul gave in. Then Christine got up, and Raoul followed suit.
It was dark out on the roof. Erik's yellow eyes blazed in the darkness. He watched Christine and Raoul walk away. Then Erik jumped down from the statue.
Christine didn't know why she turned around, but she did. When she saw Erik's eyes she screamed in fright. Raoul spun around and saw Eirk's eyes as well. He tried to push Christine behind him, but Erik was quicker. He grabbed Christine's upper arm and dragged her towards him. He then forced her to face Raoul.
Erik bent down and whispered in Christine's ear: "What do you think Christine? Shoul I kill him? It would be so very easy."
Christine's eyes widened in fear as she cried: "No, Erik! Please don't!" She tried to face Erik, but he put his free hand on Christine's shoulder and kept her facing Raoul.
"Let her go! She is just a child!" Raoul demanded.
"I know she is a child!" Erik shouted back. "She is my child." Erik said more tenderly as he gently stroked Christine's long hair. Christine shuddered under his touch.
"Do you see now Christine? We must fly away tonight!" Raoul exclaimed.
"Why don't you honor her wishes? I do. After all, I'm not killing you. But in any case, this little bird isn't flying anywhere with you. I won't let her." Erik said, then he roughly pushed Christine towards Raoul. Christine stumbled towards Raoul, and he caught her before she fell. "It is late, and Christine has a big day tomorrow. Take her to bed."
Christine looked at Erik with tears in her eyes. Raoul gently led her away.
Erik stood witha grim look of satisfaction on his face. He looked down and saw that Christine's locket had fallen off. Erik bent down and picked it up. He looked at it for a second, then slipped it into his pocket. After that Erik went back to his lair. He went straight to the room he intended to give Christine. He then began to prepare for her arrival.