"Geez! What the heck was that for?!" I exclaimed.
"For being late," Erik snapped.
I glanced at my watch. 6:05 am.
"Oh, whopdedoo! I'm five minutes late, you didn't have to hit me!" I said, getting up.
"Don't fuss. Now, hurry, the dress rehersal's starting," Erik said.
"Already?" I asked. "It's six o' clock! The managers said six o' clock pm!"
"He ment in the morning," Erik said, impaitently. "Now let's go!"
"Someone's gone impaitently mad with love," I muttered under my breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
Erik led me up stairs and through corridors. We eventully reached... I honestly didn't know... where were we?
"Where are we?" I asked.
"Above the stage," Erik replied.
"Where's Chrsitine?"
"Coming."
"When?"
"If you ask one more pointless question, girl, I swear to the good mother, Mary, I will wrap my Punjab lasso around your neck so tightly, the rope will break."
I shut my mouth right away. I knew Erik wouldn't lie about something like that.
Minutes passsed, as we watched the rehersal take place. It was for a play called 'Hannibal'. Carlotta was singing very sharply and slightly off key. I wasn't enjoying it. Neither was Erik.
"That woman sounds like a bunch of cats getting run over by a carrige," I heard him mutter.
"Got death on the mind, I see," I said. Erik gave me a look. "If you had lived my life, you'd understand that the happiest day of this life will be the day that I die."
"Erik," I said. "You must know now, that-"
"There's Christine!" Erik whispered, almost hysterically.
I looked down at the stage. Christine was dancing with the rest off the little dancing brats. Christine wasn't a brat herself, though.
I watched her dance a bit. I glanced at Erik. He was watching Chrsitine with pure love in his eyes. I was about to whistle, but I decided against it.
Suddenly, the rehersal stopped for a minute as Andre and Firmin introduced their new patron, Raoul de Changey.
"That's the guy that Chrsitine will love!" I whispered to him. Erik's loving eyes turned abrutply to a bitter and loathing glint in them. His hand started to slip near the pocket in which he kept his punjab lasso.
"No lasso, Erik," I said.
"This man, is about to take away my Christine, you can't expect me to just stand here!" He hissed at me.
"I know! But if Christine sees you kill him , she'll never love you!" I said. "She doesn't like to see anyone die. She certainly won't fall in love with a murder!"
"I love her!" Erik argued. "He's about to take away what I think is worth living for!"
"Erik, please!" I said. "I know how things'll turn out if you don't kill Raoul, and it will end with Christine in your arms! Please! You have to believe me!"
Erik thought about it for a moment. He pulled his hand away from his pocket.
"Thanks Erik, I knew you could do it," I said, trying to flatter him. He didn't show any sign of happiness from the compliment or any unhappiness.
"I'm still quite angry," he muttered.
Carlotta, at this point had decided to sing 'Think of Me'. Erik couldn't control his anger, and untied a rope holding a scenery on it. It fell right on top of Carlotta. I was laughing hard. Erik smiled and ran off. I followed him.
"Wait!" I said. "We have to go back! Christine will sing 'Think of me, don't you wanna hear her sing?"
"Come with me," Erik said. "We'll be able to hear her and see her from here."