Chapter 2
"Well Erik, I'll take your bags and show you to your room. You must be very tired from your long trip!" said Christine's father as he picked up Mr. Destler's bags to bring them his room. Mr. Destler nodded in gratitude towards my father and began to follow him up the steps. Soon after, I followed Mr. Destler, curious as to which room would be his.
My father opened the door to the room across the hall from mine. It was a large room, but that was our music room. It had all my mother's old instruments in it not to mention our grand piano, the prize of the family.
"I hope that this will suit you well, Mr. Destler." said my father.
"Yes, this is quite fine." he said obligingly.
"Come now, Christine, let's let Mr. Destler get settled. You can see him later."
My father took my hand and turned me from the door, and as I walked through it, shivers ran up my back because I could feel his stares searching me.
Back downstairs, my father and I cleaned up the kitchen from my birthday celebration.
"So how do you like your new music teacher, Christine?"
"Very much, papa." I said with a smile.
As I was helping him get everything in order, Mr. Destler suddenly appeared at the bottom of the steps.
"Erik, is there anything I can get you?" asked my father.
"No, I am quite fine. But I would like to get to know your daughter."
His eyes locked with mine as I found myself following him to my room. He sat down in a chair as I sat on my bed and he began a slew of questions, trying to find out everything about me.
"What is your favorite book?"
"Well, I like The Scarlet Letter and Pride and Prejudice."
"Classics, very unlike a teenager." he replied.
"Well, I'm not like other teenagers."
"Yes, I can see that." he said with a smile.
I blushed and smiled back.
"What about you? What kind of things do you like?" I asked eagerly.
"Well, I like music, reading, painting, drawing, things like that."
"Me too." I replied.
He smiled as he looked out my window.
"Your house is very large."
"Yes, I know. I used to get lose when I was younger, but not anymore."
"What is your favorite game to play?" He asked.
"I don't really know, I haven't played games in a long time."
"Maybe I can teach you ones I learned when I was a boy."
"I would like that." I said smiling.
"Me too."
That night, I couldn't sleep. I just kept thinking about Mr. Destler. How he was right across the hall. Was he thinking about me? I couldn't wait to see him again...
Running down the dark night street I came to see them.
Mr. Destler and another man fiercely fighting, doing anything possible to hurt the other.
"Mr. Destler?" I whispered.
"Christine, get away from here!" he screamed.
Suddenly 2 other men came surrounding me, pushing me down to the ground.
"Get your hands off her!" screamed Mr. Destler.
The man who had been fighting with Mr. Destler pushed him up to his knees and the others brought me to him.
"Little girl, this man you know so well...I think you deserve to see behind the facade he wears everyday."
"No, please, don't do this to me." pleaded Erik.
"Shut up!" screamed a man while kicking Erik in the side.
"See, look at his face!" he screamed while ripping off his mask.
I woke up screaming and in a deep sweat. What did his face really look like? I never got to see, but why would he want to hide it so much that we would wear a mask everyday.
Suddenly my door opened and there he stood.
"Christine, are you alright?" he asked.
"No, I had a terrible dream."
He closed the door and came to sit next to me on my bed. He stroked my face gently and I reached up and placed my hand on his. He looked at me and smiled, then began to sing a an Irish lullaby until I fell fast asleep.
As he got up, he looked at me closely and smiled.
"My little Christine..." he whispered as he walked back out the door.