"...and in other news today, young woman, about 17 named Kayla and her companion Mfumbe are currently running from the law among her group of terrorists. She is highly dangerous and if you see her do not approach, instead call the Crimestoppers hotline at..." Christine hit the snooze button, groaning. Just a little bit longer and I would have seen his music room.

"Oh well. At least today's Friday. Deadline day."

---------((0))

"Here's the Guidicelli book, all ready for your approval, Mr. Leferve." Christine handed him the finished manuscript.

"Lovely. Just set it on my desk, I'll get to it right away," he commented absently as he stirred his third creamer into his coffee.

Maybe he'll get to it by next Friday, she sighed. At least he can't blame me for it being late.

--------((0))

Christine angrily strode through the park. She could not stand the confines of her small apartment any longer. The walls seemed to close in on her. The gravel crunched underneath her sneakers. Christine barely noticed as the sky darkened and the street lamps began to turn on. It was only when she found herself in a pitch black part of the forest that she stopped.

She turned around slowly. Someone's watching me. Oh God! Help me.

"Who's there?" she asked feeling stupid. Silence suffocated her and she turned down the path to run in the opposite direction.

Crunch, crunch. Crunch, crunch.

Oh God! They're behind me!

Crunch, crunch. Crunch, crunch.

If I can only make it to that light!

Crunch, crunch. Crunch, crunch.

Holy Hell! Oh God save me!

Christine slipped and fell on the patch of ice. The last thing she saw before the blackness took her was a dark shadow leaning over her.

---------((0))

"Are you hungry?I noticed you forgot to eat dinner tonight. 'Twould be rude of me to have you sing n an empty stomach, you know."

I was in some sort of dining room this time. He took my arm and escorted me to the long ebony table and pulled out crimson high backed chair for me. I sat staring at all of the food before me. It looked like someone had taken one dish from every country in the world and set them all before me. He sat at the opposite end of the table.

"None of it's poisoned." He chuckled. I shivered. The room had seemed to drop a few degrees in temperature. "I would never hurt you. Please, trust me in this."

I nodded and started loading my plate with food. He sat, with only a wineglass in hand, not even drinking the wine. "You are not going to eat?"

"It is for your comfort that I do not," he commented sadly.

"Oh." We sat and I ate. He started talking about music, everything from overtones to the anatomy of the voice, and I listened mesmerized, soaking up every detail, praying I would remember it when I awoke. As I finished, he stood.

"I never did ask your name. You seem to know mine."

He hesitated a moment. "Erik. That is my name. Yes. Erik." He sighed. He lead me out of the room and we traveled again down the dark twists and turns and hundreds of identical doors and pulled out the same small bronze key. The lock clicked and he pushed open the door. Light streamed into the hallway. I gasped. A huge chandelier hung in the center of the room, sprinkling rainbows and pure white light across the eight walls. An organ dominated three of the walls, the burnished bronze pipes glowing in the soft light. Sheets of music were strewn everywhere, some printed, others handwritten, all in the same, illegible scrawl and red ink. An ancient violin sat atop a glossy black grand piano. Every instrument imaginable lined the walls and, somehow, I knew that Erik could play them all. He strode over to the piano, setting the violin reverently on the coffee table and opening the grand piano. He sat and started playing. Never had I heard such music! The warm, full tones glided from his dancing fingers. I wanted to dance to his tune. I could feel his joy well up within me and I wanted to laugh in pure elation. He gradually turned to scales. And so began our lesson.

---------((0))

I had been singing for what seemed like hours. Finally, Erik called a break. I went over and collapsed into one of the two overstuffed chairs next to the coffee table. He chuckled and handed me a glass of water.

"You did quite well for our first lesson. I am afraid, though, that I may have kept you too long. I must return you." He escorted me to the door.

---------((0))

Starting with Chapter 2, there is a reference to some movie, book, famous poem, play, etc. Review and guess to which work I have made a reference to.

~Raven Sharpe

(posted 1-31-10)