The Perfect Solution
An Alternate Universe – Phantom of the Opera Story
Nyasia A. Maire
© 2007
DISCLAIMER: I do not hold the rights nor did I create any characters found in The Phantom of the Opera or Phantom, nor have I received monetary compensation for writing this story.
The Abiding Presence
Sorely our souls to each are ever near,
Twain harps that mix one music; for today,
As far in love's high reverie I lay,
One memory of thee, I seemed to hear
Thy voice within my breast – a chord so clear
That as advancing seas the moon obey
So the soul's waters trembled to thy sway,
Thy presence, Sweet, attested by a tear.
O great companionship! Seraphic grief!
O consecration and undying flame!
Shall Sorrow breathe what mystery thou art?
Shall Love find here thy kiss, forlornly brief,
Or speak the sense of worship in thy name
Told now in music to my haunted heart.
George Sterling
Chapter Thirty-Eight – In Music to my Haunted Heart
"Mon Dieu!"
The startled exclamation brought Erik out of his embrace of Madame Giry's waist. He turned and found Christine bathed in a light brighter than any he had ever witnessed. However, as he stared at Christine, he realized that the light did not surround her, but emanated from her.
"What in the world?"
The man began to turn to his wife with outstretched arms, but his actions quickly halted by the woman standing next to him.
"No, Monsieur! Wait! Do not interfere! Something important is happening. Look! It is the Angel of Music! Can you not see him?"
Erik's gaze followed Madame's pointing finger upwards and gasped. A young man seemed to be peering through the room's ceiling, looking down upon the still form of his wife. The man's chocolate brown curls and earthen-hued eyes proved to Erik that this was, indeed, Christine's beloved Papa. The man who had become her Angel of Music. He licked his bottom lip and found his entire mouth had gone dry as dust.
"Are you the angel of which Christine spoke?" He rasped. "Are you Christine's Angel of Music?"
The young man looked away from the still form on the bed and Erik found himself looking into eyes, which held a well of kindness and sympathy. The young man smiled sadly and nodded.
"You must help her. Her trial has only just begun. This child must face the dark deeds performed through her and supposedly on her behalf. Remembering these acts will be painful, but she must face them. She asked for forgiveness, but she knows not what things she has done that require absolution. Your gentle guidance is of the utmost importance. She needs your love and understanding. Do not desert her or she shall be forever lost to the darkness."
Erik blinked and his brow furrowed with annoyance.
"I would never do such a thing. I love her!"
"That is well for she needs all of your love, devotion and understanding. She is worth it, Monsieur. Never fail to remember this. She is a treasure worth saving."
Erik smiled grimly.
"That, Monsieur le Ange, is a truth that I know only too well. And, it is a truth I shall not ever forget. But, how can I help her? I know not what she has done …."
Madame Giry interrupted Erik's words and spoke in a serious voice.
"I know what the Opera Ghost has done. I will help her to remember. I owe it to her and to you, Gustave. I am so sorry I did not keep my promise and watch over her better."
The young man's smile this time reached his eyes.
"Antoinette, do not go so hard on yourself. You had no way of knowing that Christine had taken refuge under the wing of a fallen angel. Lilith can be so charming when she wishes and she wanted Christine. I was but the simple spirit of a man at the time and could do naught, but watch and bide my time. Now, however, I can be of some help. Now, I have some power to control Lilith."
"But, Gustave … who is this Lilith?" Whispered Madame.
"You know not the name of Lilith? Come! Come! Some say she is the true first wife of Adam, some say she is the consort of Lucifer. One story tells of how Lilith, while looking through one of her mirrors into our world, came to possess a foolish and narcissistic young girl. The girl's mother bought a mirror as a present for her daughter and hung it in her bedroom. The mother did not know it, but the mirror had a curse set upon it. The mirror once graced the walls of a den of Lilith's demon children. Lilith often looked through the mirror to observe her children in the world of mortals. Wherever the mirror went, the demoness within went with it. Lilith loved to sing and used her voice to help ensnare the girl. The girl spent more and more time gazing at herself in the mirror and listening to Lilith's sublime song, each time drawing further and further into Lilith's web of deceit. Lilith watched the girl's every move. Biding her time, one day Lilith slipped out and possessed the girl through her eyes. Seizing control of the vain girl, Lilith was able to dominate the girl's every move. Driven by the evil of Lilith's wishes, the girl allowed her own baser desires to control her. She became promiscuous and in the end a whore who broke her parent's hearts.
I, however, believe this poem describes her best."
"Dark is she, but brilliant!
Black are her wings, black on black!
Her lips are red as rose, kissing all of the Universe!
She is Lilith, who leadeth forth the hordes of the Abyss,
and leadeth man to liberation!
She is the irresistible fulfiller of all lust, seer of desire.
First of all women was she – Lilith, not Eve was the first!
Her hand brings forth the revolution of the Will
and true freedom of the mind!
She is KI-SI-KIL-LIL-LA-KE,
Queen of the Magic!
Look on her in lust and despair!"¹
"Lilith is the Queen of Magic and lives trapped in the Otherworld. The doorway to the Otherworld lies within every mirror. They say that every mirror is a passage into the Otherworld and leads to the cave where Lilith went after she abandoned for all time, Adam and the bliss of Eden. In this cave, Lilith takes demon lovers, who father upon her multitudes of demons. Her demonic children flock from the cave and infest the mortal world. When these demons wish to move back and forth between the Otherworld and the mortal world, they simply find the nearest mirror and travel through it. However, until Lilith can completely possess a human body, one with a pure soul, she cannot traverse between worlds. She remains only a shadow and a voice in our world. She wished to use Christine for that purpose and she would have succeeded, but for …. Erik!"
The distraught man, who had ignored the Angel and Madame's soft conversation, had taken Christine into his arms. The light no longer shone from the young woman and she appeared asleep. He sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her hair and softly murmuring words of comfort and love into his beloved's ear.
At the sound of his name, the man started and looked up.
"Yes?" His response came out gruffly, his throat still raw from weeping.
"Take care. Lilith detests mortal men and loves to do them harm."
The man protectively cradled the woman closer to his chest and spoke defiantly.
"I am not afraid of my wife. I believe our love is stronger than this demoness and I shall not shun my wife for fear of what might be."
♥ ♫ ♥ ♫ ♥
For the second time that night, someone knocked on the door of the Giry residence. Unlike the previous messenger, this herald brought tidings of great joy to the younger Giry. Meg clutched the note to her breast and sighed with relief.
"I almost thought that he had given up on us when he did not visit today as he promised. I should have known better. His heart is true. Oh! I can hardly believe it! Maman and I are to call upon the Marquis and Marquise de Chagny. Mon Dieu! I need to speak with Raoul about this and ask him what we need to do. I wish Christine were here. She listens to my wailing and is so patient, but now she is sick. Lord, watch over her and guide her. Please help her through this illness."
She raised her eyes and breathed.
"Dieu, vous êtes gracieux ce jour-ci à moi. Je prie vous êtes gracieux avec Christine aussi."²
She bowed her head for a moment in silent prayer for the young woman she loved as much as she would love a sister. Wiping away an errant tear, she frowned.
"It just is not fair! Has she not had enough pain in her life? Christine has never been sick a day since she came to live in the opera house. Now, she is newly married, happy and now she becomes sick? I know I should not question you, Lord, but sometimes I do not understand you. It just seems so cruel. However, I shall refrain from blaspheming and say, thy will be done."
♥ ♫ ♥ ♫ ♥
She lay in the long, green grass. Somewhere nearby a stream flowed making its lazy music in the still afternoon. Lying in the shade of a weeping willow, she watched the white fluffy clouds drift through the sky. One of the clouds reminded her of something she had seen before, but she could not put her finger on it. Her chin itched where the healing stitches tickled her. Carefully, she rubbed the offending bandage.
"Christine? Did the doctor not tell you to keep your fingers away from your chin?"
"But, Papa! It scratches me!"
A jolly chuckle and a well-loved face hovers upside-down above her.
"Not scratches, Christine. It itches. You can scratch an itch, but you cannot itch a scratch. Besides, if it itches, then that means it is healing, so it will not bother you soon."
The man paused and coughed for a moment.
"Papa?"
"Yes, ma ange?"
"When the doctor comes to take out my stitches, will you have him give you medicine for your cough? You have had it for a long time and I want it to go away!"
The man looked away and sighed. His eyes suddenly hooded and distant.
"Of course, Christine, but I do not believe the doctor's medicine will do me any good. I have never had much luck with doctors. Now, ma petite, I do believe it is time for us to go earn our daily bread. Are you ready to sing for me?"
The child rolled over onto her stomach and grinned. Scrambling to her feet, she giggled.
"Oh, Papa! I am always ready to sing for you, just as long as you play for me!"
The man held out his hand to his child and she happily placed her small one in his large one. He bent and scooped up a battered violin case. The two began to walk back to the small village by the sea.
"Papa, do you believe in Angels?"
The man stopped and turned to his daughter.
"Of course, child. Why would you ask such a thing?"
"Well, when I was lying in the grass, I thought I saw a beautiful young man peering down at me from the sky. He looked like you, but younger."
"Oh, Christine! You silly goose! You must have fallen asleep and dreamed it. You have no need of an angel, I am with you."
She smiled brightly.
"I know, Papa, but it seemed so real."
The pair continued walking to the village, hand in hand and was soon lost in the early evening fog, which crept in from the sea.
¹ "Lilith Ritus" – From the German, By: Joseph Max
² Translation: "God, you are gracious this day to me. I pray you are gracious with Christine also."
Author's Note: Well, I had my shoulder injected and all is well now with my poor abused bursa.
I need to ask everyone to help me out here. There are things happening on many different levels, dreams, angels, demons and reality. Confused, much? Let me know by reviewing!
Thanks! --ny