Under The Spell Of A Phantom.

Nine: A Voice Within

As Saturday dawned, Ruby began to feel nervous yet exicted to be given a chance to having singing lessons.

She didn't dare tell Eleanor about the mysterious letter, if her mother asked her the simple answer was a shrug of the shoulders.

It worried her even more that her daughter was behaving even more strangely, though deep down she was glad to see her out and about again.

After having breakfast and a usual walk around the grounds of the house, Ruby went back inside to pick out a suitable dress for the afternoon.

But she was struggling, not one seemed perfect and it angered her. Then a forbidden idea appeared in her mind, something that could get her into deep trouble.

Tiptoeing to Eleanor's bedroom, Ruby opened the cupboard doors only for her eyes to fall on a naked pink dress that hung on it's lonsome and looked like it was hardly worn.

Taking it off the hanger, she dashed back to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. Then she put on the dress carefully, doing the buttons and went towards the mirror when she was finished.

Staring back at her wasn't a stranger or a gaunt, tired woman. In their places was a growing, beautiful teenager with her hair caressing over the sleeves and hugging her body perfectly.

She twirled around and around laughing at herself, for once Ruby felt comfortable in her skin and wondered that whoever was this teacher would see her as a attrative young woman.

Adding a few pieces of jewellery, she brushed her to put a alice band on the temple of her head, finishing off with some ballet-like flat shoes for comfort walking.

One more look in the mirror, then Ruby left her room and went downstairs hoping that no-one would spot her especially Eleanor. Luckily, she left the house without anyone noticing her.

Finally arriving at the building, her jaw dropped of how beautiful and elegently stunning this place was. This person had to be seriously rich to live here with over ninty windows and a brown door.

She used the knocker three times and waited for a answer but instead of someone being by the door, it opened all by itself with a bone-chilling sqeak until it stopped to reveal a large dark hallway.

Swallowing her fear, Ruby stepped inside with her eyes searching around her surroundings. Suddenly, the door slammed behind her with a almightly bang that made her scream in fright.

"Don't be afraid, my dear..." A pulling, intoxiating voice appeared that grabbed her attention instanly. For a moment, she thought it belonged to Erik but she pushed those thoughts aside.

"Come in, head up the staircase. The candles will lead the way..." All the sudden, dozens of the golden glow came letting the place breathe before her own eyes with brown walls and vases with red roses.

Ruby began to walk up the steps, each one made her heart race madly against her chest. Wherever he was leading her she didn't know but there was no going back after this.

Reaching to the final stair, the voice returned ordering her to walk down a another hallway but this time no candles were there to help her along the way. That unsettled her.

Without noticing, Erik was watching her walk slowly in the pitch black darkness with a wide smile across his face. The thought of seeing her angered and inpassioned him.

"Stop there." She did what she was told, waiting for the next demand. "Try and open that door for me..." Ruby rose her hand to blindly search for it only to land on a cold handle.

Pushing it down, the door opened and moved aside slowly. Bravely, she entered inside the room and was about to shut the door behind her until a black figure stood before her.

She backed away, her eyes widened of how tall and mysterious it was as it closed the door with a silent click. It's head turned to her, a chilling shiver ran down her spine.

"Good afternoon, Ruby. I'm pleased that you have come, now follow me to where the piano stands." It said, rising a dark hand pointing at the end of the room where the organ stood proudly.

They walked towards it, not once did they leave each other's gazes though Ruby tried her hardest to figure out what colour was her teacher's orbs but she failed terribly.

It sat down on the stool, opening a book filled with sheets of music and confusing notes written by a genius hand. She was captured of how talented it was to her.

"Now, begin with this song..."

Many hours went by of constant playing of the songs I wrote during the years, every one was a struggle for Ruby but she strangely mastered it within three tries.

I was simply awe-struck of how a teenage girl that hardly had any training in her voice that could sing like that, my heart beated with every note she sung.

She looked so beautiful in that dress, it looked like it was made for her but to my mind's eye it could be her mothers hung without being worn at all.

Breathing in her scent drove my senses wildly, if only I could appear before her without feeling any fear of she running away from my face and we could be together.

One side of me wanted her dead for what she had done to me that night, ripping away that terrifying secret that I demanded to be buried forever never to be discovered.

But the other was sinking into desire, the thought of life without her was unimaginable and sinful. Though I didn't believe in God, I would pray on bloody knees to have her love.

As day turned to night, I ended the lesson by shutting the board down the keys and stood up from the stool. I took her hand and led her out of the room without a word being said.

Her soft touch on my arm sent raw shivers down my spine, I was in too deep with this woman and the only way I could capture her was to go through this plan that was working.

Reaching towards the front door, I turned Ruby around so that she could see only the blackness instead of my face. The agony was written in her eyes, demanding to know who I was.

"We shall meet again, Ruby. You did very well for your first ever lesson. Perhaps you might star in my new opera I'm writing." I said in that pulling voice that masked my own.

"I would be glad to be a part of it." She replied with a warm smile, though it didn't reach into her orbs quick enough to truely sasfiy me. I opened the door and watched her step outside.

"Until next time." I said, capturing her hand and kissed it softly. I could feel her body trembling of that gentle touch, a huge smirk went across my face for a few moments until it disappeared.

She let go of my grip, turned her heel and walked away until I couldn't see her any longer. With a heavy sigh, I went back inside to lay on my bed closing my eyes shutting away the thoughts of her.

Ruby.