Chapter 9

I woke up in Erik's bed, dizzy and confused from fainting. I tossed and turned a little, trying to regain consciousness. I sat up and saw Erik standing in the doorway. He looked a little relieved that I had finally woken up, but I couldn't look at him. We were so close to getting caught, and just the thought of it made me sick with paranoia. I stood up off the bed and tried to leave the room but Erik wouldn't let me through the doorway.

"Erik," I began.

"I am not in the mood for games, let me pass."

He looked down into my eyes, and could see my irritation.

"You're angry with me," he said, like he was beginning to solve a puzzle.

Shaking my head I told him I wasn't and once again tried to pass, but he once again blocked my way.

"Admit it," he said in a calm tone.

I looked up at him and sighed in frustration.

"Well yes if you have to know," I said.

Erik tilted his head to the side a little.

"Why?"

It seemed like he already knew the answer but wanted me to say it anyway.

"Because of you, we were almost caught Erik! If you would have just listened to me that man wouldn't have opened the door and he wouldn't be bringing up my name like he probably is now."

I stopped talking when I noticed there was a slight smile on Erik's face. It irritated me.

"You're smiling. I'm yelling at you and you're smiling?"

He looked at me trying to look serious, though behind it was amusement.

"Blaming me is a silly thing to do, Christine. You're the one who left me early in the morning to snoop around."

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He was right, but I wasn't about to admit it. Yelling at Erik seemed to ward off the shock and fear of the whole incident.

"I was not snooping!"

Jokingly, he pretended to looked shocked. Then I turned my back to him and put my hands up to my face. He was always a sucker for the whole 'you made me cry' act. I heard him start to come closer to me. His amused tone quickly changed to an apologetic one.

"Christine, please, I'm sorry-"

I lowered my hands to reveal my smiling face and tried running through the doorway. He caught me, laughing at his gullibility.

"You knew I would fall for that didn't you?" Erik laughed as he lifted me up.

I playfully tried to hide my face from him. He was starting to see my decreasing fear and uneasiness around him, and he loved every minute of it. When Erik had first told me how gentle he would be with me I had never believed him. Now as days went by he was indeed extremely kind and gentle except for the occasional argument.

That evening as I sat listening to Erik's usual strumming on his organ, I came across the book of myths I had read that night Erik left me in the lair by myself. I picked it up and remembered my encounter with the wall of shadows. Holding the book tightly I looked over at Erik who was soaked into his music as always.

Erik's organ drowned out my voice as I quietly asked him if he would ever murder again.

He continued to play, as he did not hear me. I stepped a little closer to him, calling his name. He still did not hear me until I shouted his name one last time. He pulled his hands away from the instrument and turned around in his bench to face me. The organ still hummed a little.

I could feel myself a little short of breath as I tried to find the right way to ask him my question. He looked as if he was going to stand up but he stayed seated.

"What is it Christine?"

I set the book down and glanced over at the very wall I lit my candle next to, which instantly brought back the horrifying display I saw of the supposed future.

"Erik – would you promise me something?"

He looked at me critically and sat up a little straighter. I took a breath and tried to stand as straight as possible. It made me nervous asking him something like this.

"I have forgiven you for your past sins, I hope you know that – I mean I want you to know that," I began.

His eyes softened as he looked down then up at me again. He looked as if he wanted me to come closer to him but I kept my distance, and forced myself to drag out my question.

"Would you ever promise me to never kill again?"

Uncomfortable silence filled the room. I felt too sheepish to look back into his eyes now, though I could feel his were still directly on me. I closed my eyes, feeling foolish and regretting what I had just said. I thought seriously about running off. Then he spoke in a strong voice.

"I have no reason to murder anymore, Christine, now that I have you."

I found the courage to look at him, and felt relief.

"You have driven those demons away." He said.

I turned and looked toward the blank wall and I heard Erik stand up behind me.

"You saw something, didn't you?" I heard him say.

I turned around quickly and looked away.

"What are you talking about?" I couldn't believe he had caught me.

"All you've done since that night you woke with a nightmare in your head is look at that very same wall."

He paused, and turned me toward him. He lifted my chin up and looked deeply into my eyes.

"Tell me what you saw Christine, I want to know what bothers you so about a simple wall."

I stepped back.

At that point I convinced myself that nothing I saw on that wall was real, it was all in my mind. It was like a bad dream of something I was afraid of, and it wasn't the future. Erik just told me he had no reason to kill, and I had to believe him. I had to.

"Promise me, Erik," I pleaded.

I clung to him.

"Promise me you wont ever kill again, even if it seems you have to in order to get something you want or to defend yourself or me or-"

"Christine, look at me."

He held my hand and looked as if he was going to give me a speech on how he couldn't grant me that promise.

I looked up at him and felt my heart beating. His face had an expression of uneasiness and concern. I could feel his pulse become more rapid as I held his hand tighter. I then felt my eyes becoming a little misty.

"Promise me," I asked again softly.

He looked down toward the floor and closed his eyes.

"I promise you, Christine."

He sat down and ran his palm nervously across his forehead. I sat down next to him; for a minute it seemed like he didn't see me or I wasn't there. He just sat there, lost in his thoughts. I moved closer to him and ran the back of my fingers down the side of his cheek. He took my hand and kissed it and looked into my eyes.

"Would you do something, Christine?"

I blinked and sat up a little straighter.

"No matter what happens to me, will you always remember me?"

Erik's request made sympathy swell up inside me. It was a simple request, and he was already thinking of the worst.

"I will always remember you Erik, and you will be with me for a long time before then."

His eyes welled up in tears and I leaned in to kiss his forehead. When I pulled away he reached out to me and kept me close to him. I placed my hands on his face and he subtlety leaned in and kissed me. I kissed him back, feeling his tender soft lips, and once he pulled away he put his mouth slightly against my ear. I felt his warm breath send a tingling sensation down my neck as he spoke to me.

"Marry me Christine," he whispered.

I pulled away and turned to him, a little shocked. He caressed my hands and looked anxious.

"You don't have to tell me you love me, just be my wife…just care for me."

"I do care for you, Erik-"

"Then let me be your husband, I will do anything for you – I will want nothing more but your hand in marriage."

I couldn't speak. I opened my mouth but nothing came out.

"That's the promise I want from you Christine, promise me that!"

"Erik-"

Erik got on his knees infront of me and locked his eyes with mine. His voice was cracking with emotion.

"Christine, please…I love you so much…."

He pulled out the ring he had given me. I had taken it off my finger a while back and thought I had lost it.

Shaking, I extended my hand out to him. He slipped the ring on my finger and looked up at me for my answer.

I started to stutter and felt dizzy. What was I going to do? There was only one thing left to do.

"Yes, I will marry you."

After I said those words Erik buried his face in my hands and kissed them. He then picked me up and embraced me.

"My wife," he repeated those words over and over again.

Though I never really asked him, that was one of the happiest moments of Erik's life.