Strange Angel

Disclaimer: The Characters in this story don't belong to me, they belong to Gaston Leroux, Andrew Lloyd Webber and others associated. If I had the chance to own anything from Phantom of the Opera it would be Erik…. sighs if only dreams could come true.

Lyrics

Indicates the Phantom/Erik speaking

Thoughts

Chapter Two: Into Darkness

" Mama! Mama! Hurry, quickly!" Meg yelled down the stairs after having been sent up to check on her friend who was now lying on the floor of her new room in a fetal position.

Without haste, Annette hurried up the stairs and towards Christine's room only to grant her daughter a glare, " Meg. She's asleep, stop being so paranoid. Now go, finish your homework, I'll handle Christine." Once her daughter had sulked off, Annette carefully touched the sleeping girl's shoulder, " Christine."

Christine…

For a moment, Christine stirred and mumbled something before her eyes fluttered open, " Madame, I'm sorry… I fell asleep…" She slowly lifted herself from the floor, " Literally it seems. I'm just so t--"

" Tired." Annette face was fully of worry for her new charge, " I'll bring you up a tray of food, you can eat it when you like and then get some much needed rest." The stern woman moved over to Christine's bed and turned it down for her, " No doubt those hospital beds granted you much rest if none at all."

Meekly, Christine nodded… tonight food actually didn't sound so bad. Patiently she waited, eyes rimmed red from crying studying her room just a bit more. She found herself coming back to one spot time after time however, the large mirror that seemed permanently attached to the wall of her room.

When Annette returned with a tray of food, she too found it curious that Christine seemed so lost in staring at the mirror, " It was built into the wall… odd I know, but this house is old so odd things are to be expected." She smiled and placed the tray on the girl's small desk, " If you need anything else just let me or Meg know." She turned to leave the girl, but turned back when she asked a simple question.

" Am I to return to school tomorrow?"

" If you feel up to it you may." Annette turned and left this time, bidding Christine a goodnight as she closed the door and then gave a silent prayer for her that would not go unheard.

Once Madame Giry had left her alone, Christine eyed the food and then forced herself to eat a few bites, but then she instantly began to feel ill. Taking a drink of water from the glass on the tray, the sixteen year old moved to the musical rose and gave it three good turns and then began to twirl around her room to the melody that floated from it and sang along with it words she had made up to the tune a long time ago…

Night-time sharpens,
heightens each sensation . . .
Darkness stirs and
wakes imagination . . .
Silently the senses
abandon their defences . . .

Suddenly she paused in her twirling and singing… a shadow in the mirror, something had moved in her room? With the music hauntingly playing around her, Christine moved cautiously towards the reflective glass and ran her fingers across it.

Christine…

Gasping, she jumped back in fright, " Who… who's there?" She muttered in fear, her body tingling and electrified by it, " How… do you know my name? Who are you?" She asked quietly.

Christine… Angel…

Her brows furrowed slowly, this voice though soft and gentle made no sense, " What sort of cruel trick is this? Meg you're not being---" Again a shadow danced across the mirror, causing her too stumbled backwards, startled by what she saw, " Angel?"

... Christine…

Wide eyed, Christine realized it had answered her back… but she was still frightened, then she remember what Madame Giry had said too her about the house being old, " Yes Angel?"

Sleep Christine, sleep… all is well… I am here now.

Quite suddenly Christine found herself feeling drowsy, her eyelids becoming very heavy with each passing second. Then the music began growing louder, the gentle voice repeating the words she had sung and continuing on with the song as she lowered into her bed and curled up, her covers mysteriously wrapping snug around her like the arms of a lover. Her vision became cloudy and before she finally drifted off to sleep, she could have sworn she saw a white mask staring at her as the music began to wind down.

End of Chapter Two