I was getting nervous. Not just about the performance but about everything. Something evil was going to happen I knew it. But I had to push it from my mind. After this Raoul and I would be safe in England. As I walked onto stage to take my place for the ascension scene I felt a black heaviness about me. The sooner I sang the sooner I would be gone.
I was half way through the scene, and so far nothing had happened. I could see Raoul in box three smiling at me. Soon I thought. But all of a sudden the lights of the great chandelier started to flicker till finally they shut off completely. There was pitch-blackness and confusion. I just stood there not wanting to move, for fear I might fall off the stage. Then I felt the familiar warm velvet envelope me. I knew it. I knew he would find out somehow. I knew it was pointless to resist so I just let my body go limp as he carried me off down the familiar tunnels I'd come to know so well. When we arrived at the house on the lake he threw me on the couch and went to remove his hat and cape. I looked around the living room. It was complete chaos, broken glass and furniture; proof that he'd been like a crazed animal since yesterday."Erik." I said softly He turned with fire in his blue eyes. "You have no right to speak now Cherie." he said. "You broke your promise to me. You promised to return!" "Erik please, you're not being fair!" As soon as the words were out of my mouth I regretted saying them.
"Fair? Fair?! You talk of fair?! I ask you Cherie do you think it was fair for you to decieve me into thinking you loved me for myself? Was it fair of you to call me a monster to your little Vicomte? Was it fair for you to tell me that you would come here after your performance when you had no intention of doing so? You would have kept me waiting here for hours and hours?" He was sobbing on his knees before me now. "Please, can't you understand?"
"Erik..." I started to say, my voice trembling.
"Don't say another word. I can see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice, you don't love me." He spoke those words as if he'd been shot through the heart. "You don't love me! You don't love me! You don't love me! I frighten you, me and my music!" He sobbed.
"No Erik. You're a brilliant musician." I said trying to calm him.
His head snapped up and he glared at me. "He's working on something Raoul. On something horrible, something terrible. Were those not your exact words?"
I didn't know what to say. I just bowed my head. "Erik I..."
"Be quiet. I am tired. Tired of living like a mole in this pit. Tired of always being denied happiness. I will have happiness!" He said. He grabbed my arm and pulled me off of the couch and over to the room that he had sanctioned as mine. "I will not be denied happiness any longer." He said shoving me into the room. "Now put on that dress or I'll really give you something to fear.!" And with that he slammed the door.
I looked on the bed and sure enough, there lay the wedding gown and veil I'd discovered on that long ago night. I quickly put it on, not out of fear for myself, but for him. I didn't want to leave him alone in the other room. What if he tried to take his own life? I pinned the veil in place and stepped out. When I entered he stood up and gasped.
I just stood there and watched him walk over to me. There was something in his hand. He walked over, took my hand and slipped a plain gold ring on my finger. I just stared at it. Was I married now? Staring at the ring I heard a muffled voice calling my name. He heard it too and went straight to the little room he'd always told me to stay away from.
He peeked in through the sliding window and began to laugh."It seems my dear that we have wedding guests." He pulled me over and lifted me so I could look in through the window.
I gasped in horror. Raoul was in that room along with the man everyone at the Opera called The Persian."Erik, what's happening to them?" "They're dying." He said simply."What!?" I screamed."Well, they are now." With that he flipped a switch and Raoul and the Persian began writhing on the floor. The room had become extremely bright."Erik please stop you're hurting them!" I cried pitifully. He put me down. "Why should I stop? My enemy is in there and he's all that stands between us." "Erik, please I'll marry you if you just spare them!""Do I really look that stupid? Do you think your little Vicomte is just going to walk away from you? I think not!" He was getting angry again."Erik please listen to me. I promise I'll stay here with you. I'll be your wife. I'll go to your bed if you ask me to, but spare them please!" He looked at me thoughtfully. "How can I trust you? You've broken your promises before." I couldn't think of anything. But suddenly I saw the tears streaming out from behind his mask. I was overcome with sorrow then. This man had not known a day of happiness in his life. All he was asking for was love. Was that wrong? For the moment I forgot about Raoul in the torture chamber, or the turmoil in the Opera House above. I took off his mask. He was shocked but I wouldn't give it back. His face didn't look so horrible when it wasn't distorted with anger. I stroked his cheek with my other hand and lowered his face to mine and kissed him.When I let him go he made straight for the door of the torture chamber and opened it. Raoul and the Persian stumbled out sweating and near dead. My first instinct was to run to Raoul but my mind was still spinning from the kiss. Why did I feel this way? That kiss was to spare Raoul's life, yet it had meant so much more. The Persian had stumbled over to me and was staring with pleading eyes. I broke from my trance and rushed to get him some water. While I did so I saw that Raoul was in a slightly worse state and Erik was giving him something from a small vile. I should have been frightened that is was poison. After all Erik could have easily poisoned him and then said he couldn't have saved him. But I didn't fear. I trusted him.With the Persian drinking on the couch I went over to Erik and Raoul. Erik was saying "...small amounts of liquid for twenty-four hours and no liquor..." I stared at Erik. Why was he helping Raoul so tenderly? he had helped him to his feet. "On the shore you will find my boat. Take it and go." He placed my hand in Raoul's and I finally understood. he meant to set me free with Raoul."Erik why?" I asked, my eyes filling with tears."I'm not made of stone." Was all he said. Raoul was dragging me out the door. "Wait!" I said. "Your ring.""Keep it." He said. "Only come back when I am dead and bury it with me." He was about to weep again."I will. Good-bye my angel of music." I said as Raoul pulled me out the door."Christine I love you." I heard him say behind me.
Two months later L'Epoch pulished the following:
Erik is Dead.
I read that passage over and over again staring at the ring. I couldn't give it up it was the only thing I had left to remind me of him. But I had promised.
I never gave the ring back but I gave him something else he'd always loved. That night I crept down to the shore of the lake and sang for my angel. I sang Dies Ires with every ounce of strength I had. When I was finished I left a rose on the shore. It's probably still there. I didn't dare to enter the house again. Too many memories, good and bad. Beautiful and painful.
Raoul and I were married the following month. It was a beautiful wedding, but I only wish I'd had someone to give me away. Perhaps if HE'D been there..
.In time our first son was born. That was when Raoul and I had our first quarrel over what to name the baby. He wanted to name it Phillipe, after his late brother, and I Charles, after my father. Suddenly I got an idea. I told him he could name the boy Phillipe as long as I got to choose his middle name. He agreed whole-heartedly"You're sure?" I asked. "You absolutely promise me?"
"I swear on my dear brother's grave." He said, thinking for certain I would choose the name Charles. I smiled and leaned back in the bed with the child in my arms."Phillipe Erik deChagny." I said out loud.
Raoul's face looked shocked and betrayed. "Christine you can't be serious!" he said. "I won't allow it!""Raoul you promised! And you'll keep that promise!"
He looked defeated. He HAD promised. Looking down at the baby, who was now playing with the ends of my hair, he sighed, "Allright, you win. But he's not to be called by that name understood?" I nodded. "He's not to be named after HIM." He said stroking the child's cheek.But I didn't heed Raoul's words. I did call our son "after HIM". From the moment he was born and ever more, I forever called him "Angel."
