Seal My Fate Tonight

The sun flooded the blood red sky on the morning of the opening of the grand tale of deceit, love, and lust. "Don Juan." The light flooded into the world-renowned Opera Populaire, where before the door hung a sign, engulfed in painted flames.

Inside the grand Opera House was the last-minute bustling and rehearsals for the work of the Phantom of the Opera. Last minute costume alteration, touch-ups on the backdrops, newly polished props, and lastly, their star, who was nowhere to be seen.

Christine sat once more in the chapel, praying in front of her father's candle. Praying that no one would get hurt that night because of her. The Phantom had made a few appearances during their rehearsals, his voice bouncing off of the velvet and statue lined walls as he, in his ghostly manner, directed his perfect opera.

Doubts had crept their way into her mind. Raoul had ordered the police to surround the theater, the security was to be stationed at every door, patrolling backstage. What did he think would happen in the opening of the phantom's opera?

Christine had heard nothing from Erik since the night she had left her opera behind the mirror. She knew he had taken it. What was she to do? If Erik did somehow show up, could she betray him and let Raoul get his revenge? Or would she flee with Erik, leaving Raoul to his demise?

There were many turns on the path of her life, and she had just been delaying her choice. She was now at the biggest fork she would ever have to face. The question was: Erik, the man who had filled her soul? Or Raoul, the man who had stolen her heart?

Christine looked down at her shaking hands, her vision blurred by the tears in her eyes. She could still barely make out the crimson petal that was quivering in her light hold. She could feel the softness of the petal, its velvety smoothness. The last petal left from the rose that would have withered without Christine's determination to preserve everything that had shown her signs of Erik's love.

Christine felt a sudden presence behind her. She turned to see Raoul standing there, looking down with sympathetic eyes. She quickly put the petal back in her pocket and stood to face him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, coming toward her and putting his arms around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. Christine let him embrace her while she glanced over his shoulder. Christine thought she caught a glimpse of black fleeing backup the stairs, but it might have just been a fleeting shadow in the candlelight.

She weakly nodded her head against his shoulder. It was odd, the way he was acting. He truly thought that she didn't know what he was doing. He was acting so sweet about her out on the stage, knowing that the chances were good that Erik would show up. He was risking her life for the satisfaction of his own.

The world around her had changed so much also. She was not the only one altered by the all too real "accidents" of the Phantom of the Opera. She had turned to her darker side, living and breathing in the darkness. Raoul had changed from the well mannered boy into the revenge hungry man, willing to throw away lives so he could know that he had succeeded.

She was being twisted in so many directions, not knowing for sure which road she was going to take.

She had to decide.


He remained calm and determined even though his heart was beating fast and wild as he made his way through the tunnels of the opera house on his final mission. Tonight was the night that Christine would be his forever, and no one, not even the Vicomte, would be able to stop him.

Erik had been patient enough, waiting for his time. He made his way up above the bustling stage, where they were setting the stage for his masterpiece. The pieces of music that he had made. The pieces of music that would engulf Christine, consume her very soul, lead her to him.

Just as her music had done the same to him. He had read her opera, "All Falls Silent," nonstop until he had finished. He played the music in the background as he read, sometimes crying as the words on the page seemed to reach out to him, as if she were speaking directly to him through those words on the wrinkled pages. He had saved the ribbon, tying it to his wrist, wearing it always, knowing that he would remain close to her always if he wore it.

He entered the room high above the audience with the steel chains of the chandelier running through it. He knew exactly where the rope lie that would need to be cut. He disconnected the chain that would stop the chandelier from falling, and made sure that everything

was in place. Perfect for his plan.

The stage had been set for the final battle.

He then walked out of the small door and started to make his way back down beneath the opera house, when he heard a noise coming from the tunnel that led him to the vents above the mangers' office. He heard unusual resulting in the office and irregular breathing. It didn't sound like just the Vicomte was in office. He couldn't help but see how much they were fretting over his opening night.

Erik turned down the path and peered through of the vents in the room. He peered down and what he saw sent a mixture of feelings bursting through his body. Happiness, rage, contempt, satisfaction. Unbeknownst to them, Erik watched as Raoul and Meg stood in the office, embracing each other tightly, Raoul kissing Meg as passionately as he should he kissed Christine.

The oddest thoughts flew through his head as he watched them down below. Even if Christine loved Raoul, she didn't deserve that, even though it brought him joy to know that Raoul was off with someone other than Christine. He should die for betraying Christine, but he should live for have the sense to leave her.

All the more evidence to tear her away from the Vicomte.

Erik walked back, leaving them in peace, once again heading down toward his home, his cavernous lair beneath the Opera House. A delightful revelation before his preparations for the big opening.

As he walked, he could imagine Christine joy when he brought her down with him, and the feelings of hatred she would have towards that boy when he revealed the truth of his betrayal. But he had to stay focused on the task immediately before him.

He was eager. Soon the audience would be inside, and his opera would begin. The beginning of a new life with Christine and the end of the life in the lonely shadows that he knew. Everything would soon be perfect.


Christine wearily walked up the stone stairs behind Meg, exhausted already from the weight Raoul was forcing her to bear. She had to prepare in so many ways for the performance of a lifetime. As she got her costume on and ready, she noticed the ribbon tied to the post of the mirror. She took it down and gave it to Madame Giry.

"I want this in my hair, too, please," she said. Now, along with the rose that held her hair was Erik's ribbon. It had to be his. She waited for Madame Giry to put it in and turned to her quickly, tears shining in her eyes. "You've treated me like a daughter for so long," she said, knowing that something big was going to happen. Very big. "If anything should happen to me…I just want you to know that I appreciate everything. If it wasn't for your kindness, I would never have been able to come here."

"You would have never been in this position," said Giry, looking to floor in anger. "You would have never had to deal with any of this."

"Don't say that," said Christine, a few of the tears falling down her cheeks. She embraced her tightly and took a deep breath. She was ready. She had the responsibility to take on the role of Aminta. And that role she would play. "You've done all you can. You can do no more. This is all up to me. It's my choice, my decision. It's my time now."

"Are you sure, child?" asked Madame Giry, tears now clouding her eyes as Christine looked into them, seeing the motherly look in her eyes. "I promised that I would take care of you when your father died, if anything should happen. I don't want to break that promise."

Christine took another deep breath and turned toward the stage, the seats of the theater filling already. She had to face this on her own. Police wouldn't be able to help, nor would Raoul. She was on her own from the second the play began, and she had to find the courage inside herself to perform this.

"Yes," she replied to Madame Giry, eyes still focused on the stage. Her eyes strayed to the brightly lit chandelier above the audience. It's great splendor forever staying there, to light the grand Opera Populaire. She hoped that it would be there to help guide her through the darkness that was trying to swallow her. The great chandelier there to give her strength and hope in the despair that had become her life.

"Erik," she said to herself quietly. "What are you going to do?"


"Remember, when the time comes – shoot," said Raoul to the police chief beside him as they made their way to Box Five. "Only if you have to, but if you do, shoot. To kill."

"But how will I know when the time is right, monsieur Vicomte?" asked the police chief.

Raoul replied simply: "You'll know." Raoul stepped into Box Five at took a tentative seat in his chair as he waited. He saw the audience down below, shuffling in their seats, eager for the show to begin. Raoul, too, was restless, going over the plan he had in his head. The police were stationed everywhere, ready to strike when the time came. He was positive that the Phantom was going to come. Why wouldn't he? It was all seeming too easy – too predictable.

He kept shooting glances at the managers in the box across from his. They looked nervous, though it was barely detectable. Raoul knew what he had done. It was a lot that he had asked of Christine. He knew how afraid she had been after all that she had been through. That monster forcing her to go with him. This all had to end.

It would be over soon enough. The Opera Ghost would be gone for good, he would have Christine, and everyone would be happy. The stage lit, the velvet crimson curtain started to crack open.

It had started.