Christine

Erik was on top of me, cooing softly about how much I meant to him, how I was the perfect girl.

Was that true?

Was that how he felt towards me?

"Christine. I want you." His voice was sultry and disarmingly charming.

I just lay there, looking into his eyes, those beautiful eyes which threaten and adore....

"I am going to make the creature with two backs with you." His voice dropped an octave, taking on a deep, lusty, growl.

"And when you are swollen, I shall carry you everywhere, never once putting you down." His tone was teasing and loving.

"And when we have ten children, that will be enough. We shall take up a whole pew in a church, should we wish to go!...Unless...Christine, how many children do you want? Ten or twelve?" He looked at me like a puppy.

I surprised myself with my answer, " I want fourteen children."

His eyes bulged,"Christine...Is that not a lot?" I laughed, "I want every child, so long as they are ours." I twirled a lock of his hair around my finger.

"If that is how many you want, you shall get your wish..." He chuckled.

"We shall teach our children ourselves—the basics necessities,but also all that they show interest in. Music must not be neglected."

And he painted the perfect picture of us educating out children, caring for them, for the rest of our lives.

It was perfect!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Either way you chose you cannot win!"

Erik screamed, holding a noose where Raoul was tied.

I fell to my knees, "The tears I might've shed for your fate, grow cold and turn to tears of hate!!!"

Erik grimaced, his face twisting in a horrible mask of anger.

"YOU TRY MY PATIENCE! MAKE YOUR CHOICE!" He yelled.

"False friend, fallen idol! Angel of Music! You deceived me! I gave my mind blindly!" I replied in song.

He came closer, tied Raoul's noose to a pike, and stood before me.

"I lied to you, did I?" He sneered, "Might I remind you that you are the lying Delilah, the scheming wench who deceived me? Yes, Girl! You are the cause of this! ALL THIS IS YOUR FAULT!!! I trusted you!" He yelled in my face. I backed up, away from this madman.

"SO! Do you end your days with me, as my prisoner, for all eternity; or do you let me murder Raoul?!" He demanded. My hand flew to my mouth.

"YOU are a monster!" I declared. "I get that often, Christine. Give it a rest!" He snapped.

"So? What is your choice?" He asked, dark black wings unfolding behind him. My sad, dark Angel.

"Pitiful Creature of Darkness, What sort of life have you known?" I asked, walking closer to him, "God give be courage to show you, you are not ALONE!!!" I sang and kissed him.

In a puff of smoke, my Angel disappeared, leaving only his mask.

Now, I had to live life without him.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oh!

I couldn't focus on anything, I was too busy weeping.

If only my father was here!

I knew what I had to do and where I had to go.

To my father's grave.

I got up silently and walked outside.

Erik

The whole night I was plagued by memories and dreams of Christine.

Madame Giry must have left while I was sleeping, for when I opened my eyes, she was not there.

I went out of my house, with a little basket on my arm; intent on finding my Christine and making things right between us.

I could not find her.

Then I saw her walk past me, a grievous expression on her face. "I need to see my father..." The mumbled as she passed me.

I rushed out of a side entrance and looked around for a carriage. There was one, an empty open-top, with horses all ready to go.

I hopped in the drivers seat, covered my face with my hood, and waited. I did not have to wait long, for no sooner had I sat down than Christine appeared, and hopped in my coach. "Monsieur, if you please, take me to the graveyard a few miles away." I nodded wordlessly. "Thank you." She whispered.

I drove her to the graveyard, waited for her to exit my coach; then rode, on one of the horses, to where her father's tomb was.

Soon, I heard her voice singing, and saw her little figure begin the journey over to her father's grave.

"~You were once

My one companion...

You were all

That mattered....

You were once

My friend and father,

Then my world was shattered....~"

She paused, touching a gravestone.

"~Wishing you were

Somehow here again,

Wishing you were

Somehow near....~"

She looked wistful as she looked at a stone angel...

"~Sometimes is seems

If I just dream,

Somehow you will

be here!

Wishing I could

hear your voice again

knowing that I

Never will....

Dreaming of you

won't help me to do

All that you dreamed I could!~"

She kneeled down on the steps of her father's grave.

Tears fell before she continued,

"~Passing bells

and sculpted angels...

cold and monumental...

Seem, for you,

the wrong companions....

You were warm and gentle...

Too many years,

fighting back tears...

Why can't the past just die?!

Wishing you were

somehow here again...

knowing we must say goodbye....

Try to forgive,

Teach me to live...

Give me the strength to try!!!

No more memories,

No more silent tears...

No more looking across

the wasted years....

Help me say goodbye...

Help me with my life...."

Christine kneeled, looking up at the sky.

"Father...I need your help.

You once told me you'd send me the Angel of Music...Well, you have sent him, and for that I thank you.

I could not ask for a more wonderful Angel.

But father, he and I...We got into a fight. I was curious and hurt him...I do not know what to do...I cannot imagine life without him...I don't know how to make things right between us! Oh, father...What if I have ruined our relationship? What if I made him hate me?" She whispered, tears falling in fat droplets in the snow.

My silly Christine! How could she think so?

I was the one who had ruined the relationship....

"~Wandering Angel....

lost, and helpless,

Yearning for my guidance....~"

I sang softly to the crying girl.

She looked up, bewildered.

"~Father,

Or Angel...

Phantom...

Or...Stranger....

Who is it there staring?"

I let myself float in the melody of our song.

"~Have you forgotten your Angel?~"

"~Erik oh speak...

what endless

longings

echo in these

whispers...~"

I smiled, taking a small step closer to her.

"~Too long you've wandered,

My Christine....

Far from my

far-reaching gaze....~"

"~Wildly, my mind

Beats against you....~"

"~You resist!~"

Then we joined in a duet, our hands reaching out to each other.

"~Yet the soul obeys!

Angel of music,

I denied you!

Turning from true beauty!

Angel of music,

My sweet angel...

Come to me,

Strange Angel!~"

"~ I am your angel of Music!~"

Christine cooed, beckoning to me.

"~Come to me, Angel of Music!~"

I finished our duet.

We were mere feet away from each other.

"Christine, I was so worried about you! Oh, Angel I am so sorry! Please, please forgive me! I could never bear it if we were parted." I cooed, drawing her near. "Oh Erik! I am so so sorry for what I did to you...I never meant to hurt you...I did not realize what your mask meant to you—though I truly should have....I am so sorry...Can you ever forgive me?" She looked up at me with pleading eyes.

I drew her near, touching her soft cheeks.

I kissed her.

And she kissed back.

We broke apart and I looked into those blue eyes of hers.

"~Angel of music,

So sweet, so pure,

Christine, please...

Come with me?~"

"~I do not know if I can....~"

She looked down at our feet.

Did she regret something?

"Angel,

Please don't

Deny me....

Listen to

Your Soul!~"

She nodded and hoisted ourselves onto the horse and began to ride off, towards a little patch of forest I had chanced upon before.

"Angel of Darkness,

Cease this torment!

She gives her mind,

Blindly!

Leave her!

Have you no pity?

Leave her!

Can't you see she'll never be yours?

YOU CANNOT WIN HER LOVE

BY MAKING HER YOUR PRISONER!!"

Raoul's stupid voice called.

Wise words coming from one who has no affection from Christine.

We ignored the fop behind us and rode on.

In a few minutes we were immersed in the forest, riding towards our destination.

"Erik where are you taking me?" Christine asked softly, her arms tightly wrapped around my midsection. "A place I know you will love." I answered vaguely.

In a few seconds, we emerged in a clearing. I stopped the horse, and let Christine look around the egg-shaped clearing.

The ground looked soft , green and lush, which was not expected. On one side, there was a little stream, softly babbling as we drew nearer. She gasped, sliding off the horse. I soon followed. She walked around the clearing, looking around in awe. The soft forest light surrounded the place, making everything looks sunny yet mysterious.

I hefted the picnic basket off the horse and set it down in the center, on top of a little blanket I'd packed.

"Come, Christine. Let us have a nice picnic..." I beckoned to her. She made herself comfortable on the blanket, opened the basket and waited for me to join her.

I took out a strawberry and held it out to her. She grinned at me, leaned forward, and took the strawberry from me with her teeth.

She smiled coyly, and took a strawberry. She then popped it in my mouth.

I did the same.

Then Christine took another strawberry, whispered, "Come and get it,", and stuck the strawberry between her teeth.

I grinned at her, leaned forward, and snatched the berry from her, pulling it into my mouth, leaving our lips passionately locked.

The majority of our time was spent sitting together, watching the water run by over the little stones, or listening to the birds' calls.

It was some time later that I looked down at Christine and found her fast asleep on me. My heart melted.

I quickly mounted the horse and set off for home—our home.