ERIK; MY STORY
PART TWO
By J.D. Crawford

CHAPTER ONE
April 7th, 2003

Inside the Paris Opera House early one evening, wrapped in a long white toweling gown, 17 year old Christine Daae, a soprano and dancer, sits alone in her dressing-room after her shower, drying her long, dark red hair with her hair-dryer. Her debut matinee performance that afternoon was a triumphant success. She happily hums to herself. Placing her hair-dryer down on her dressing table, she picks up her hairbrush and begins to brush her hair. There is a knock on her door. "Who is it?" she asks.

"It is Raoul, Christine. May I come in?"

"Of course, Raoul."

Christine smiles, placing her hairbrush down on her dressing table. She stands and walks over to 20 year old Count Raoul de Chagny as he enters her room. Embracing each other happily, they kiss.

"Wow Christine, you were wonderful today".

"Thank you Raoul", Christine smiles, gazing happily into his eyes, holding him close.

"Your voice is amazing, Christine. Where did you learn to sing like that?!!!!"

"I have a great teacher Raoul", Christine tells him.

"A very great teacher indeed, Christine. Who is this great teacher?"

Christine looks away from him. "I, I don't know, Raoul". A puzzled frown appears on Raoul's brow. "I have never seen him", she tells him. She looks back at him.

Raoul is confused. How is it that Christine has never seen her singing teacher? She is not blind. Suddenly, Raoul grins; of course she has never seen her teacher. She only has eyes for him. Raoul continues on happily, "I'm taking you out tonight Christine to celebrate your great victory; your great triumph. Get changed while I go and get my hat".

"No, Raoul, I can't. My teacher is very strict".

"I shan't keep you up late. Now, be ready by the time I return. You were absolutely sensational". Before leaving, he takes Christine's little hand into his, gently squeezing it, and placing a loving kiss on it. Releasing her hand, he smiles at her and, turning from her, he walks out the door, leaving her alone.

When he has gone, Christine races to her door, calling after him, "Raoul". He is gone. She closes her door, locking it. "Things have changed, Raoul", she whispers quietly to herself. After Christine gets dressed, she moves slowly towards her full-length mirror, gazing at the Christine before her. Suddenly, she hears a familiar voice, softly calling to her.

"Christine, Christine".

It is the voice of her singing teacher, who has remained hidden from her sight for the last three months.

Where is the man's voice coming from???? From behind the mirror???? No. Surely not!!!! Who is he???? Why has he always remained hidden from her???? She glances around. "Teacher, where are you? Why do you remain hidden from me?"

No reply.

"Teacher????"

"I am here, Christine". The man's gentle, hypnotizing voice begins to sing to her, penetrating right down into her very soul. "Look at your face in the mirror. I am there inside!"

Under the power of his voice, Christine moves slowly closer towards the full-length mirror. The voice sings to her, keeping her hypnotized. "I Am Your Angel Of Music. Come To Me, Angel Of Music".

The man's voice draws her ever closer towards her mirror. Christine and her reflection move closer still to each other.

Raoul returns, wearing his hat. He hears a man's voice singing behind Christine's door. He stops and listens. "Whose is that voice? Who is that in there?" Raoul knocks, but Christine does not answer. He knocks again; still she does not answer. Raoul's knocking becomes louder and more frantic. "Christine, Christine". Raoul cannot open the door; it is locked. What is going on in there? Why won't she answer her door?

The voice sings to her, "I Am Your Angel Of Music. Come To Me, Angel Of Music".

Standing directly in front of her mirror now, she stops, her reflection shimmering.
As she stands before the mirror, it appears to be 'melting' right before her very eyes.
Suddenly, the mirror is ablaze with a bright, swirling light. The voice sings to her, keeping her hypnotized.

"I Am Your Angel Of Music. Come To Me, Angel Of Music."

CHAPTER TWO

A dark shadow wearing a hat begins to appear through her mirror. Christine reaches out her arms towards the dark stranger. The mirror opens. Christine walks right through the mirror and into something unknown. Once she has stepped through the mirror, the shadow gently takes her hands into his. Christine flinches at the touch of his flesh; his hands are ice cold. As the mirror silently closes behind her, the shadow releases her hands and, with his left hand, retrieves a lit lantern from the ground. Lifting the lantern up, the shadow takes Christine's left hand into his right hand and begins to lead her on a journey down into another realm.

Just then, Christine's locked door unlocks and opens. Flying into her dressing-room, Raoul finds it empty. Christine has vanished!!!! "CHRISTINE, CHRISTINE," Raoul screams.

"ANGEL."

Raoul is frantic. His voice bounces around the empty room. "Where are you? Who is that man whose voice I heard?" There is nobody there. "CHRISTINE." How could Christine just vanish???? HOW????

Stopping, the shadow turns to face Christine. Releasing her hand, the shadow raises the lantern up to Christine's face, his hat hiding his face and eyes from her as he shrinks back from the light into the darkness. Unseen, the shadow gazes lovingly into her hazel eyes. Softly and gently, the shadow speaks to her, "Please do not be afraid. My name is Erik. I am your Angel Of Music, your teacher, and I have come for you Christine." Christine gasps. Softly and gently, Erik soothes her with the power of his soft, magnetic, enticing voice. "I will not harm you, Christine." He continues on, speaking so softly and so gently that Christine smiles. "Please do not be afraid. I will make your voice great, even greater than it is now, but you must come with me; a dressing room is no place for what I can help your voice to achieve. I will give your voice the space it needs to fully soar. You shall conquer all of Paris, Christine Daae; all mankind shall adore you and worship you."

There is something exquisitely alluring and enticing about Erik's voice that Christine just cannot resist. Beginning to trust him, she nods slowly. Christine cannot ignore the voice; she must follow it, no matter where it takes her.

Taking her hand once more, Erik moves forward, holding up the lantern at eye-level, taking her deeper down into his mysterious, dark, unknown world. Christine gazes at many brightly burning 'stars' all around her; they are electrical candles. Christine gazes back at her mysterious dark guide as he leads her on. Although she feels a little easier with the many comforting flickers of light all around her, she still feels very apprehensive about being in almost total darkness with a stranger who remains a shadow to her; a dark stranger who claims to be her teacher.

WHAT is she doing down here, alone in the dark with this strange, unknown man? This man who claims to be her teacher ..... but IS he???? This man really could be anybody. WHERE is this man taking her? And why? What does he want from her?
As Erik leads her on, she turns her head back to glance behind her. Christine now realizes that she has followed this man straight through her mirror, and that she is now BEHIND it in cold bleak darkness, every step taking her further away from it and the safety and security of her dressing-room. Looking back at Erik, she tugs at her hand, trying to free it from his grasp.

Erik stops, turning to her. "What is it, Christine?" he asks her gently. "Is there something wrong?"

She gazes at him. "Yes Erik. Take me back", she says simply. "Please take me back, Erik. I don't like this place. I want to go back." Christine suddenly remembers Raoul; he would have returned to her dressing room by now. Christine gasps. She had locked her door; Raoul will be wondering what has happened to her; why she hasn't opened her door; he will be breaking her door down to get to her, only to find her gone!!!! "I want Raoul," she whimpers.

At the mere mention of Raoul's name, something within Erik snaps, making him so threatening and frightening that Christine cowers from him. Dropping her hand, he turns away from her. "NOOOOOOO, CHRISTINE. That INSOLENT BOY is NOT worthy of you."

Christine shudders, her blood chilling. Erik turns back to Christine. Although she cannot see his eyes, she can feel them burning her in the darkness, those dark eyes, burning her very soul. Looking into those frightening dark eyes, Christine is extremely frightened for her very life. Erik's gentleness has now completely dissolved away in a heartbeat.

He grabs Christine's wrist with a chilling, vice-like grip. "You belong to ME, Christine Daae. I gave you your voice and I can just as easily take your voice away." Turning from her, the lantern swaying, Erik walks purposely on, further down into the cold, damp misty darkness, dragging Christine behind him.

Down to the very depths of the Paris Opera House he drags her; 5 stories below street-level; down towards his home, 'The Phantom's Lair'. {Why does Erik live down here, deep underground? Because, down here in the darkness, he is safe; much safer than he would be up above in the Paris sunshine. Since several months before the Paris Opera House first opened its doors to the public, Erik has been living down here as a recluse. He has built himself a home here, a sanctuary and, for a time, nobody was ever aware of a 'phantom', a 'ghost' on the premises. But soon after the Opera House opened, things began to go horribly wrong. Erik began to feel that too many people were getting too close to him, and that he would soon be discovered, so he began to commit horrendous murders to keep from being found, hence others would be told of him, leading ultimately to he and his home being found and destroyed; and then, Erik's worst fear, some inquisitive human succeeding in removing his mask and revealing…his face. To see the horror on people's faces and to hear their screams…No. Erik cannot go through that humiliation again. Erik will NEVER allow his face to be seen. NEVER. Down here, the darkness is his friend. Here, in this enveloping, caressing darkness, he is safe from the prying eyes of his many, many enemies…the human race}.

Turning to face her, Erik releases her wrist, his blazing eyes staring intently at her. It is much lighter here due to Erik having installed some electrical lighting, so Christine can see him much clearer now, although his face and his eyes still remain dark and unseen under his hat (he is not likely to be discovered by humankind here, so it doesn't need to be so dark, although Erik has prepared for the worst; he has taken precautions by installing murderous devices and trap doors that lead into hell, just in case somebody should ever stumble upon this place.)

Standing very tall before her, she can now see that Erik has extremely fine taste in clothes. He wears beautiful long, black leather boots and a long black satin cloak over an immaculately impeccable black dress-suit, made from the finest materials. Under his dress-suit, he wears a beautiful black brocade vest and a beautiful white satin shirt with pearl buttons and pearl cufflinks and a white satin bow-tie around his neck. He wears his black wide brimmed hat tilted to the right and, Christine observes intently, the oddest accessory; he wears an iridescent pearl white mask. His forehead, his cheeks, and his chin are totally hidden from Christine's sight behind the mask. As Erik's eyes gaze down into Christine's eyes, her gaze is drawn to his mouth. Although most of his mouth is covered behind the mask, there is an exposed part of his bottom lip - and it looks - odd.

This man is truly of the darkness; he is darkness itself. This man, her teacher. WHY does he wear a mask!!!!???? Christine's mind is in turmoil. She has heard rumors about a seldom seen masked man who roams the Opera House, a PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, as he is known, who threatens staff and patrons to oblige to his wishes, and committing hideous crimes if his wishes are not carried out. She has also heard that, those who have been unlucky enough to see the man's face have suffered terrible deaths. Could this man, Erik, be this PHANTOM OF THE OPERA????
Yes!!!!

The cold, hard truth hits Christine hard. She gazes at him. "You're THE PHANTOM!!!! THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!!!!"

Erik stiffens. "If I am The Phantom Christine, it is only because man's hatred of me has made me so." Turning away from her, his two fists clench tightly by his sides.
Gazing Heavenward, he screams, startling Christine. “AAAAHHHH!!!! WHY? WHY? WHY AM I SO CURSED? WHY????" Turning back to look at Christine, he becomes gentle once more, reaching out towards her. "Oh, Christine", he whispers softly. Christine stares at his mask. Gently taking her wrist, Erik leads her on. Christine tugs at her wrist, trying to free it from Erik's grasp, but his hold, though gentle, is firm on her.

"RAOUL", she screams.

Stopping in his tracks, Erik turns on her venomously, his dark eyes scorching her, his long, slender fingers tightening around her wrist with a chilling vice-like grip. This man, this shadow, and his awful dark eyes and chilling touch have become just too much for Christine and, as she gazes up at him, her knees buckle from under her and she falls away in a faint. Dropping the lantern, Erik swiftly catches her as she falls, lifting her up into his arms. The lantern shatters, but it is not needed so much now. Walking just a little further, he reaches his underground lake, his beloved Christine cradled in his arms. There is a moored gondola waiting for them at the edge of the lake. Placing Christine's limp body gently down onto the ground and then removing his cloak, he wraps it around her to protect her from the cold hard ground. Reaching into the gondola, he retrieves a new lantern (Erik keeps several spare lanterns hidden around his domain; he always likes to have a spare lantern handy, just in case an emergency should arise.)

Lighting the lantern, he places it onto a hook at the front of the gondola then, picking up Christine, he lays her gently into the gondola. Once his dear little Christine is comfortably settled, he replaces his cloak around his shoulders then, stepping in, he unfastens the rope holding the gondola. As Erik picks up a long oar from the gondola's floor, it rocks gently. Placing the oar into the water, he begins to pole the gondola slowly through the chillingly cold, silent dark murky waters towards his home.

CHAPTER THREE

Christine stirs, then wakes. Her hazel eyes gaze up at Erik, slowly focusing on him. She backs away from him. Looking down at Christine as he poles on, he soothes her comfortingly, "You are all right, Christine. Please do not be afraid. You are safe. I will see that no harm will come to you."

Christine finds herself believing him. She relaxes. Erik's voice has had an incredibly soothing, calming effect upon her. Sitting up, Christine watches him intently as he poles the gondola ahead, his pearl white mask eerie through the darkness, then turning around, she gazes ahead into the vast dark nothingness stretching out before them. Despite Erik's extremely menacing appearance and his most frightening temper, Christine does not need to fear him at all. Christine can trust him. Can't she????

****A short time later****

In this strangely decorated home that is Erik's, Christine looks around inquisitively. What exquisite taste Erik has, she observes. There is a very large organ in one corner and a piano in another, and lots of oddments of sorts. Erik shows Christine around his unusual home; he even tells her a few jokes and makes her laugh. After showing her around, he walks over to the piano, sitting down at it. "Now Christine, your lesson will begin." Raising the lid, he begins to play something from Faust.
"SING FOR ME, CHRISTINE."

Christine begins to sing, staring intently at Erik's mask under his hat as he plays. Erik's dark eyes gaze upon her. "Sing for me, Christine."

Finally, some hours later, Erik stops playing and glances at his watch. He observes that it is 7:00pm. Closing the lid, he stands up, moving towards Christine. "It is time for you to return to your world now my dear", he tells her.

Gently taking her wrist, Erik takes her back to the gondola on the lake and back to her world. Once back behind Christine's mirror, Erik releases her wrist. "Promise me, Christine, that you will tell NOBODY about me, nor where you have been."

Christine nods. "I promise."

He opens the mirror, and as it opens, Christine steps forward into her room. Seeing her door unlocked, but no sign of any forced entry, she turns to Erik with questioning eyes. Erik nods his head. Somehow, he had opened it when she first joined him through the mirror.

"Sleep well, my dear. I will call for you again soon."

Christine nods, gazing at Erik as the mirror closes over him, obscuring him from Christine's sight. She stands for a moment, gazing into her reflection. Erik does not leave; he stays behind the mirror, watching Christine.

7:30pm

"RAOUL!!!!"

Behind her mirror, Erik fumes at the sound of that name. He would be worried sick as to what has happened to her. She quickly rings him. After a moment, Raoul's voice answers the telephone. "Raoul de Chagny speaking. Good evening."

Christine hears immense sadness in his voice. "Raoul, it's me, Christine."

Hearing her voice, Raoul's voice instantly perks up, sounding very relieved.
"Christine, my darling. Are you all right? Where have you been? When I returned with my hat to collect you and you were gone, I…I've been so worried about you. The police and I have been out searching everywhere for you today."

"I'm all right, Raoul, shaken, but all right."

"What happened Christine?"

"THE PHANTOM, Raoul. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA had taken me. HE is my singing teacher!!!!"

Christine hears a stunned silence on the other end of the line. Behind the mirror, Erik's fists clench tightly by his sides as a deadly anger takes hold of him. He does not want Christine Daae telling people about him, especially that Raoul de Chagny.

"Raoul, I need you. I don't want to be alone right now. Can you please come around?"

"I'm on my way Christine." They hang up.

Behind the mirror, Erik paces back and forth, his fists still clenched. Pounding his fists on the cold stonewalls around him, he releases his anger; he must release his anger as quickly as possible before he does something really terrible; something he may regret. If his anger is not quickly dealt with, he could hurt Christine severely when he takes her again; he could even kill her in his anger, and that very thought crushes him beyond all else. Erik must never be found; he must forever remain a mystery, a Phantom. Necessity, not choice, is why Erik remains hidden away. Only for his own safety does he live deep down underground far away from people. Erik is just not safe up here where he can easily be seen. Because people are so inquisitive, he always remains out of sight when he does come to the surface; and when he does venture outside, he does so only at twilight, very early in the morning, or at night, wearing his black robe with the cowl completely over his head to keep his masked face hidden in the likelihood that he might be seen. With his mask covered, he would not be stared at; he would be seen as just another Parisian going about his business in Paris.

Grabbing his car keys, Raoul races to his car, a bright red Stingray Corvette, and jumping in, he speeds towards the Opera House to where his beloved Christine Daae waits for him. Thankfully, at this time of night, there is only a trickle of traffic that Raoul can easily maneuver through.

Slumping down at her dressing-table, Christine breaks down, shedding many tears. Erik stops pounding the walls at the sound of Christine's weeping. Gazing secretly upon her, his anger drains away. It hurts Erik to see his beloved Christine weeping. His eyes moisten with tears and his heart aches as he watches her protectively from behind the mirror, wanting so desperately to reach out to her and embrace her. Christine is unaware of his presence behind the mirror. She glances at the clock on her wall; Raoul will be here with her very soon. Christine dries her eyes and blows her nose. She can't have Raoul seeing her like this. Feeling better, she waits eagerly for him.

Raoul runs into Christine's dressing room, calling out to her. "Christine."

Leaping up, she rushes to him, throwing her arms around him. Raoul observes that she has been crying. Holding onto him tightly, she tells him all about THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Raoul listens intently to what she tells him.

Behind the mirror, Erik crumbles. Why does Christine betray him? WHY????
As he watches, they kiss, piercing him right through his heart.

"Raoul, he frightens me", she tells him, gazing into his eyes and holding him close.

Raoul looks around. "Well, he's never gonna frighten you again, Christine. I'll see t' that." Opening his jacket, he reveals a small pistol in the inside pocket. Christine stares at it. "This'll fix 'im Christine." Raoul begins to laugh wickedly.

"No, Raoul, surely you don't mean to shoot him?"

"I'm gonna do better than that Christine. I'm not just gonna shoot 'im, I'm gonna KILL 'im. I'm gonna blow that masked monster right off the face of this earth."

Drawing back from him, she turns away, her eyes filling with tears. "No Raoul. Please. Please don't kill him, I beg of you. Please don't kill Erik."

"Aaaahhhh! So the Phantom of the Opera has a name, does he????!!!!” (ERIK, ERIK, ERIK.) Raoul's voice fills with sarcasm, "Oh please. Let me save you from him, Christine." Turning back to him, she looks at him with sorrow. Raoul continues on sarcastically, "Please let me put this Erik out of his misery for you, Christine. Then you will be free from his constant menacing." Then, as an afterthought, he adds, "We all will." Now, more aggressively, he continues on, "Come on Christine, tell me where he is. Show me the secret door to his world."

"No Raoul. No."

"Come on Christine. HOW DO I GET TO HIS WORLD? TELL ME." (For Raoul, the very thought of killing Erik, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, fills him with immense pride. Raoul's mind becomes obsessed with thoughts of killing Erik. In his mind, he envisages himself shooting Erik full of lead and watching him die before him, then snatching Erik's mask from his face. What a scoop!!!! It will be HE, Raoul de Chagny, who will finally free the Opera House from THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and his constant torments; once and for all, and he would most likely be paid very handsomely for this deed.) Raoul now stands with his back facing the full-length mirror, obstructing Christine from Erik's sight, much to his immense annoyance. Raoul's hands grab her shoulders and he begins to roughly shake her. "Come on Christine. SHOW ME."

"Nooooooooooooo".

As Raoul shakes her, Christine begins to weep, trying to stare through him to see Erik behind her mirror. But Erik is long gone by now (or so she assumes.) Christine struggles to free herself from Raoul's harsh hands as he continues to shake her.

"DAMN IT CHRISTINE. TELL ME WHERE THIS PHANTOM MONSTER IS."

Christine screams out to Erik, hoping that he will hear her. "ERIK, PLEASE HELP ME. ERIK." Christine falls silent, her body flopping limp like a rag doll. Raoul's shaking has made her extremely ill.

Erik fumes behind the mirror; he will NOT tolerate this boy hurting his Christine.
Feeling intensely murderous towards Raoul, Erik screams out,"NOOOOOO" - his voice bellowing out through the mirror, startling Raoul.

Christine drops to the floor, dazed and giddy when Raoul releases her. Spinning around to face the mirror, he stares disbelievingly as it shimmers before him, then suddenly the mirror is ablaze with a bright, swirling light. Raoul staggers back, temporarily blinded by the sheer brightness of the mirror's light, which, incidentally, Erik can control.

As the mirror opens, Erik's eyes gaze down adoringly at Christine sprawled on the floor, sad tears flowing from his eyes. Erik does not even bother to look at Raoul; he is much more concerned for his dear little Christine. Stepping from the mirror, he appears to glide towards her and, kneeling down beside her, he gently takes her hands into his, speaking softly to her, his face wet.

As Raoul's eyes begin to recover from the mirror's light, he fixes his gaze intently on the dark kneeling figure of Erik before him. Raoul reaches inside his jacket for his pistol. "Get away from her you monster."

Shifting his gaze from Christine to Raoul, Erik's eyes narrow, staring intently at him, thoughts of killing this foolish boy fully on his mind. As he stands up, tall and threatening before Raoul, Erik's tear-pricked eyes burn right through him.
Pointing a long slender finger at Raoul, Erik hisses venomously at him.
"NOW YOU WILL DEAL WITH ME, BOY!"

CHAPTER FOUR

Christine stirs and then wakes. Finding her feet, she moves to her dressing-table and slumps down, drying her face and eyes. She does not even look at the two men in her own room; both vying for her affections.

Gazing back at Christine just for a moment, Erik aches to take her into his arms and to take her as far away as possible from this impossible Raoul de Chagny as he can get her. Erik's burning eyes turn back to fully gaze upon Raoul now, his whole being and all of his soul filled with immense hate for him. Erik is so tempted to kill this imbecile, but he will not. For Christine's sake, he will not; not yet.

Christine looks up at Erik and Raoul, wondering what will happen. She dare not intervene.

Staring at the menacing PHANTOM OF THE OPERA standing there, tall and threatening before him, Raoul's hands grip his pistol tightly as Erik slowly moves intently towards him, his murderous eyes fully focused on him, and before Raoul or Christine know what is happening, a lasso twirls through the air, coming to land around Raoul's throat and pulling tight.

Gasping, Raoul drops his pistol and reaches up towards his throat, his fingers trying desperately to loosen the noose. The lasso appears to be held up tight by an invisible force. Christine leaps up, rushing to Raoul. Right now, destroying this Phantom fiend's life will have to wait; it is of no concern to him at this moment; right now, Raoul is much more concerned with keeping Raoul alive.

Bending nonchalantly to retrieve Raoul's pistol from the floor, Erik places it into a hidden pocket within his cloak and, grabbing Christine, he takes her back through the mirror as Raoul continues to struggle, his eyes beginning to bulge. Christine tries desperately to get back to Raoul, but she cannot escape from THE PHANTOM. Nobody can.

As soon as the mirror closes, the noose around Raoul's throat loosens and he falls to the carpet unconscious. Erik gazes at Christine. He releases her. Christine swiftly returns to the back of her mirror, pounding on it. Looking back at Erik, her face is wet with tears as they stream down her cheeks. Erik walks slowly to her as her hands still pound the wood. He opens the mirror for her and, as it opens, Christine races in, embracing Raoul on her dressing-room floor. Gently removing the noose from around Raoul's throat, she reveals an awful open bleeding gash, but he is alive. Christine weeps over him. Erik closes the mirror then, removing his hat and his mask, he dries his eyes and his face. Resuming his mask and his hat, he slips silently away to his home.

"PLEASE, SOMEBODY. I NEED HELP. PLEASE", Christine screams.

A porter appears at her door. "Are you all right Miss?"

"Please, call an ambulance," she screams.

Gazing down at Raoul on the floor and seeing the awful gaping wound around his neck, the porter nods. Taking his mobile telephone from his belt, he quickly dials for an ambulance.

Finally, an ambulance arrives. As Raoul is lifted up into the vehicle, he smiles at Christine as she weeps, holding his hand. "I love you Christine", he says, barely audible. Christine nods. She kisses his cheek. Climbing into the back of the ambulance to be with him, the doors close and the ambulance speeds off towards the nearest hospital, its siren wailing.

Sitting at his organ, Erik yearns for the day when his Christine will finally see beyond his mask and love him regardless. He yearns for the day when she will willingly stay with him by his side. "No", he tells himself. "Christine will NEVER fall in LOVE with ME. NEVER. Not when I frighten her so much. It is true, I AM a monster". Erik's eyes moisten with tears. "She deserves a handsome man; a handsome man with a handsome nose; two requirements to which I sadly do not qualify." Removing his hat and his mask and placing them onto the organ, he places his face in his hands and begins to weep bitterly. Drying his face, Erik resumes his mask and hat. He begins to play a sad, mournful song, his fingers thumping the keys.
All through his domain, the mournful cry of the organ rings out loud and strong.

As Erik continues to play, his mind drifts back over his unhappy life. Having spent his entire life alone, Erik so desperately desires to be accepted, loved, needed and wanted. His own mother, Madeleine, had always hated him, simply because he was 'spoiled goods' in her eyes. Erik wasn't the perfect, flawless son that she had desired, so she abandoned him because she could not/would not love him as nature had created him… Having spent the first nine years of his life with his loathing mother, Erik suffered terribly; she was very cruel to him as she very reluctantly raised him so, in 1972, when Erik was nine years old, he ran away to spare his mother from him, and to spare himself one more moment of her hateful intolerable inflictions towards him. She would never willingly look upon him unless he was wearing the mask that she had hurriedly made for him soon after his birth, and she would never willingly touch him, not even to grant him the two kisses that he so desperately desired on his fifth birthday.

"PLEASE MOMMY???? One for now and one to save for later????"

She even loathed speaking to him. Ever since the time that Erik had first learned to walk and to talk at an extremely tender age, he had known how his mother had felt about raising a 'freak', a 'monster', so after nine years, Erik ran away to 'start a new life'.

Charles, Erik's father, had died only three months before Erik was born so, even though he had known of the impending birth of his "little one" and, like Erik's mother, was very much looking forward to it, he was killed in an accident at his workplace, so he remained forever oblivious to Erik's horrific deformities. Erik was never able to go to school because of his face, so he would be taught at home under the guidance of a priest who insisted on coming by every week to teach the young Erik. He would teach the boy things that he needed to know to get through life; all about life itself; what was right and what was wrong. Erik's mother never cared for teaching him, it seemed. She was always in a hurry to get out of the house, as far away as possible from 'the monster', and she would always ensure that she had securely locked the door on her way out; she did not want Erik 'the monster' getting out of the house and following her out into where he would very easily be seen and instantly taunted; and she always kept her bedroom door locked, since it was the only room in the house with a mirror. She did not want Erik getting upset if he should ever see a reflection of himself without the mask. How could she ever explain his face to him???? Erik had spent his extremely tender years fully alone, despite the weekly visits from the priest, which he did always eagerly look forward to.

After Erik had run away, he had to learn how to survive…and fast. He had to resort to crime…just to survive from day to day. Erik knows hate and rejection all too well; they had been mercilessly thrust upon him since he was a baby. All Erik has ever wanted in his life is to be happy, but he knows, that for him, happiness will remain forever elusive to him. For him, it will remain forever a fantasy. Erik has to be content with the knowledge that he will ALWAYS be alone; he will NEVER be happy or loved, wanted, needed or cared for; by anybody.

"It will NEVER be. NOT for ME. NOT with a WRETCHED FACE such as mine."

Erik suffers the terrible turmoil of his childhood and adulthood with terrible nightmares which haunt him still; hence moving underground; to be free from the persecutions of his many enemies, his own race. To live all alone down in the depths of his black despair "until the end", but that was before Erik had found Christine.
Things began to change for him then.

CHAPTER FIVE

At the hospital, Christine waits for news on Raoul's condition. Finally, a doctor approaches her. "Miss Christine Daae?"

"Yes. How is he doctor? Will he be all right?"

The doctor smiles. "He is very lucky, Miss Daae. Any deeper, and his vocal chords would have been completely severed. What is puzzling though is HOW he got that wound around his neck? Do you think he was trying to commit suicide?"

"I really don't know", Christine lies. What can she tell him???? She can't tell him the truth. ("Well doctor; my singing teacher tried to kill my boyfriend"; although true, it would sound utterly preposterous!) "Perhaps he was", she lies again. "May I see him doctor?"

"Well, he won't be able to speak to you, but yes, of course, but not for too long. He needs to rest as much as possible for now. He's in the last room on the right."

Christine smiles at him. "Thank you doctor." Approaching his room, she steps in. Raoul is asleep, his throat heavily bandaged. Leaning over him, she kisses his forehead. Sitting down at his bedside, she places a hand over his. "Hello Raoul", she whispers. "I'm here." She places her head on his chest and falls asleep.

Some time later, a nurse approaches her. "Excuse me dear, visiting hours are over now. I'll let him know that you were here when he wakes up."

Christine gazes at her and nods. Standing up, she kisses Raoul's forehead once again and then leaves.

Three months have passed now, and Raoul and his voice have recovered well.
Behind her mirror, Erik watches Christine as she sits alone in her dressing room brushing her hair and drinking a coffee. There is something that she must tell Raoul, and she is restless as she waits for him. The sooner she can tell him what has been on her mind for some time now, the better. Things will be much better the sooner she and Raoul can go their separate ways.

Raoul appears. "You wish to speak with me Christine?"

Placing her hair-brush down, she replies, "Yes, Raoul."

Pulling up a chair, he sits and gazes lovingly into Christine's eyes, taking her hands into his. Behind her mirror, Erik is fuming, but he moves closer to observe everything. What does she want to speak to him about? Erik wonders. Christine looks at him.

"Raoul, I want to tell you that we cannot see each other any more."

Raoul is shocked. "Why ever not?" he asks.

"Because", she begins, "because I don't love you any more. In fact, Raoul, I've never loved you. Not in that way. I do love you, but the love I have for you is different to the love you have for me. I love you more like a brother, Raoul."

Raoul releases her hands, looking away. "A, a ..... brother????!!!!"

"I'm sorry Raoul."

"I see. It's somebody else isn't it, Christine? You love somebody else, don't you?"

"Yes Raoul, I do."

Behind the mirror, an awful feeling of dread begins to encompass Erik as he listens.
Closing his eyes in pain, Erik grits his teeth and his hands clench by his sides. Who is this new man in Christine's life? How is it that Erik does not know of him?

Standing, Raoul walks to the large mirror, gazing into it at his reflection. "It's HIM, isn't it, Christine? It's that PHANTOM fellow!!!!"

Erik's eyes pop open. "Phantom fellow????!!!!" He chuckles quietly at Raoul's remark, rather amused by it. Behind the mirror, Erik removes his hat and smirks at Raoul as he gazes into the mirror. He even removes his mask and jeers menacingly at him, mocking him. Resuming his mask and hat, Erik eagerly waits for her answer, his whole body tense. What will her answer be????

"Yes Raoul. I love Erik." Entranced, Erik's hands clutch at his heart. "In spite of his menacing manner, his awful, frightening temper, and the fact that I do not know his face, I truly do love Erik."

Raoul turns away from the mirror, staring at Christine like she is mad. Has he heard correctly, or is this a wonderful dream that will end all too soon? Will he wake up to find himself cold and alone once more, down in his dark hole?

Erik pinches himself. Hard. He winces. "Aaaahhhh!" That hurt. So then, this must be real????!!!! Christine Daae truly LOVES him????!!!! No. Impossible, Erik tells himself. She could not possibly LOVE him; she only loves the mystery of him.

Turning her gaze to the large full-length mirror, she stands, moving slowly towards it as if walking on air. Raoul watches her, shaking his head. Standing in front of the mirror, she gazes into it, reaching out her arms. Erik reaches out to her as she stands there reaching out to him, gazing at him, although not seeing him. Sickened at seeing Christine reaching out to herself, Raoul looks away from her.

Although she speaks to Raoul, she gazes at her reflection. "I think I have ALWAYS loved him, Raoul."
Behind her mirror, Erik is unable to remain quiet a moment longer. He begins to laugh maniacally. "You see de Chagny?" Erik's voice bellows out gleefully. "It's ME that Christine Daae wants. NOT you." Erik laughs again, his laughter becoming more intense.

Raoul stares angrily at the mirror, then he stares harshly at Christine. "Very well then. Take your Phantom. I do hope that the two of you will be very happy together...living underground." Raoul is disgusted.

Raoul has ceased to exist for Christine. She reaches out to her reflection, smiling brightly. She knows that Erik, her protector, is there just behind the glass, watching over her like a shepherd watching over a lamb.

"I will NEVER bother you again MISS DAAE!!!!", Raoul snaps at her. "GOOD DAY!!!!" Erik laughs harshly at Raoul behind the mirror as he storms out of her room without a backward glance.

Christine doesn't even see Raoul go. She is still reaching out towards her mirror, her face glowing and her eyes sparkling brightly. "ERIK."

Erik has won the girl. Erik opens the mirror for her. Christine races into his arms and holds onto him tightly. As the mirror closes, they begin their downward journey once more. Erik takes her hand, and this time, she follows him willingly. This time, she does not try to break free from his grasp.

Finally, they are back at Erik's spacious, wondrous home. Sitting down at his piano, Erik begins to play a Mozart piece. Christine stands close by, gazing intently at his mask. She is curious as to WHY Erik insists on keeping his face hidden from her behind the mask that he constantly wears. Perhaps it's some kind of strange gimmick????

"Erik? Please let me see your face."

Suddenly, there is silence. "No Christine. I cannot remove the mask; not even for you. Please don't ever ask me that again. You may know anything about me that your heart desires, Christine, but you will never know my face."

"Erik, you have shared your glorious voice and your music with me, but why not your face???? PLEASE, Erik!!!!"

Erik springs to his feet. "I said NOOOOOO, CHRISTINE!!!!" He slams an angry fist down onto the piano, leaving a fist print in the wood.

Extremely frightened, Christine drops to the floor, curling up into a little ball, weeping bitterly. "I'm so sorry, Erik. Please forgive me."

Remorseful, Erik gazes down on his dear little Christine, his eyes welling up with tears. Kneeling down beside her, stroking her beautiful long soft hair, Erik's tears begin to flow. "Oh Christine, my dear little Christine, please don't be sorry. I should be sorry, the loathsome BEAST that I am. I did not mean to frighten you, to hurt you. I'm so sorry that I shouted at you and frightened you Christine. I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER want to hurt you Christine. NEVER. Please forgive me." At this, Erik stands up, turning his back on Christine as she weeps. Erik's mask is making him gasp and he must remove it to breathe. Removing his hat and placing it onto the piano, he then removes the mask, wiping away the wetness of his tears on it and drying his face and eyes. Resuming his mask and his hat, he then turns back to Christine, kneeling down to wipe her tears and to help her back to her feet. Christine's tear-pricked eyes gaze up into Erik's eyes as she holds onto him. Erik gazes lovingly into Christine's eyes, his hands softly caressing her face.

WHY does Erik remain such a mystery to her? WHY? Erik has taught her so very well to sing; and so beautifully. Through Erik's guidance, she is the toast of all Paris.
Erik IS her friend…isn't he???? He has helped her immensely, but WHY does he hide from her???? Like this???? WHY???? Christine wants to see his face, to know his identity; to see and know his beautiful face underneath his beautiful pearl white mask. Reaching out to finally SEE her ANGEL OF MUSIC, her teacher, face-to-face, her left hand trembles as it moves towards his mask, gently caressing it, her fingers moving gingerly under the mask.

Because Erik is so overjoyed at having his dear little Christine wrapped in his arms, he is oblivious to what she is doing. "No!” She hesitates at the last crucial moment.
"No…I can't!"

CHAPTER SIX

The following afternoon, a short time after her singing lesson, as Erik is taking her back up towards her dressing-room and up from below towards the light of day, she can stand the suspense and mystery of her masked guiding Angel no longer. Although Erik has gloriously shared his magnificent voice and wonderful music with her and shared with her the glory of her triumphant debut in all of Paris, he has persistently kept his face a mystery to her. WHY? (Why won't you let me SEE you Erik, why???? Why are you afraid? What is it that you are afraid of? Are you afraid that I won't love you? Erik, I DO love you. You KNOW I do. Please let me show you my love for you.) "I MUST know your face, Erik." Throwing off his hat, she tears off his mask, accidentally pulling off a synthetic wig from his head!!!!

"Aaaahhhhh, Christine, Noooo!" Erik screams.

Christine gasps in shock. There are only a few sparse real hairs on Erik's head.
And his face! Oh Lord, his face!!!!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

THE AIR FREEZES AS A DEAFENING SILENCE FILLS THE DARKNESS. Erik becomes rigid, the pain in his eyes absolutely shattering to see. Falling to the ground in a crumpled heap, Erik begins to weep, his right hand pressed firmly over the right side of his face, and he is shaking. "Why Christine, why?!!!!"

Christine kneels down beside him, looking right at him, holding his mask and wig in her hand, his hat laying close by on the ground. Erik closes his eyes tightly, fearing the worst scenario: that Christine will scream and faint at the sight of his face. He turns his face away from her, keeping his left profile to her. Slowly, gently, Christine touches Erik's face with her left hand, turning his face back to gaze upon her face. Taking his right wrist into her left hand, she slowly brings his hand down and away from his face.

Erik flinches.

Christine has never seen a face like Erik's before, yet she does not scream. She gazes right into Erik's poor, sad face. If he is expecting to hear an ear-piercing scream, it never comes. Erik opens his eyes. He is expecting that, by now, Christine has fainted, sprawled out on the ground before him. She has not. Seeing Erik's fully unmasked face for the first time, Erik's…beautiful face, Christine reaches out to him. "My poor, dear Erik."

Erik's rigidity begins to subside. He cannot comprehend HOW his 'nakedness' could EVER be comfortably looked upon with acceptance. Erik has now become like a very small boy, not knowing exactly how to interpret this very new situation in his life; if Erik's face was ever seen, it was always seen as frightening, grotesque, hideous, repulsive, ugly, nauseating; his face would always cause screams of panic and mayhem, and he would have to run for his life and quickly find a safe haven in which to hide to avoid being attacked, possibly even killed.

Retrieving Erik's hat from the ground, she places the wig and the mask into it then, placing them to the side, she takes Erik's face into her hands, gently bringing his face towards her face. Her heart is aching and her pulse is racing. Christine's tear-pricked eyes sparkle brightly. Over time, Christine has fallen deeply in love with Erik. Erik's sad tear-drenched eyes gaze upon her, although only one eye can see her. Erik is blind in his right eye.

Softly and gently, Christine kisses and caresses Erik's terribly disfigured head, a whole chunk of bone missing from the right side of his skull, and only a thin layer of flesh covering it, the scarred skull easily visible just under it; his horrifically scarred facial flesh, just as thin, gives the appearance of a savage beast's claws having sliced through Erik's face, scarring the bone, and these scars would always remain, never to heal. (Nature had clouted poor Erik with such an extremely nasty blow.) Tenderly kissing and caressing Erik’s disfigured cheek and what he has of a nose, her soft eager lips firmly press onto Erik's severely deformed trembling lips. Erik's face is, by all accounts, absolutely hideous, a mess, really, but to Christine Daae, Erik's face is flawlessly beautiful; she does not see her Angel as grotesque at all. There, her lips joyously rest, drawn in a long, hot, passionate kiss, Erik's very first kiss ever in his entire lifetime.

Erik is shaking all over, torrents of raging emotions stirring up within him. For Erik, LOVE, reciprocated LOVE would NEVER be, or so he thought. But now, finally, after so long, so long alone, this girl, Christine Daae, willingly accepts him, and willingly gives to him the love, affection and acceptance that had always been denied him in his life. This causes Erik such unknown ecstasy ("Ohhhhh, Christine, this is a DREAM. It HAS to be. NOBODY wants me, needs me, LOVES me. NOBODY.")
This wonderful, glorious moment is just all too much for Erik to take in all at once. He tries to stop shaking, but he cannot. His emotions are too great. Erik is, quite literally, physically on fire inside, and he can feel Christine's burning flame also. "WHY do you not run from me Christine???? WHY do you not scream and faint at the very SIGHT of my ABHORRENT face!???? HOW can you even BEAR to TOUCH me with your lovely little hands, to KISS me with your perfect little mouth? HOW????" Erik's trembling hands gesture towards his face. "With THIS face?!!!!"

Pressing his right hand back over the right side of his face, Erik attempts to pull away from her, but she will not let him go. "Because I LOVE you Erik. I do. I LOVE you."

Erik's tremulous right hand slides down from his face. "Oh, Christine!" They both get up from the ground.

Gazing at his unmasked face, she continues, "Erik, when I met you that first time in my dressing room, yes, I was frightened, but that was because I'd never seen you. I knew your voice, but you yourself were a stranger to me…but now I know you Erik, now I know you, and I love you. Erik, you do not need to wear the mask and the wig. I love you as nature created you."

"But I could look better though, hey, Christine?" Erik asks her.

Christine smiles at him, shrugging her shoulders. "Erik. I LOVE you, I NEED you, and I WANT you, so very, very much."

(LOVE? NEED? WANT? Erik had felt certain since 'for ever' that he would NEVER hear words such as these directly spoken to himself, to Erik.) "Oh, Christine. You could have any man that you desire; you could have a perfect man, Christine; one with a perfect, flawless face; one with a perfect, flawless nose."

"YOU are my PERFECT man, Erik. Much more perfect than that Raoul de Chagny. I honestly don't know WHAT I ever saw in him. It is YOU who I desire Erik. Nobody else. YOU are MORE PERFECT than anybody I've ever met."

"But, this FACE!!!! Just look at me Christine. I look like an unmade bed."

At that, Christine laughs, and Erik chuckles. Despite having an incredibly frightening, murderous temper when he is angry, Erik can also be very charming, witty and comical.

Gazing right at Erik's unmasked face, Christine smiles at him with no repulsion whatsoever. All because Erik was born with deformities, he grew up an outcast; nobody would ever look beyond his mask to see the painfully sad lonely child/boy/man underneath. Even Christine herself had been guilty of that for a time.
Christine loves Erik dearly. "I LOVE YOU ERIK."

Although Erik is still shaking a little and still emotional from being unmasked, he is now actually happy to have his face seen by Christine; especially since she did not scream, run, or faint at the sight of his face. When Christine first gazed upon Erik's unmasked face, there was no loathing, no repulsion, no disgust. There was only genuine compassion, genuine affection, and, yes, genuine LOVE. Erik joyously smiles, and, despite his horrific deformities, his smile is the most gorgeous smile that Christine has ever seen. Christine happily embraces her Phantom warmly, joyous tears streaming down her rosy cheeks.

Again, Christine says to Erik those four little words that his mother would NEVER say to him; "I LOVE YOU ERIK." Erik's mother had never felt anything for him except loathing and repulsion.

"I love you too, Christine. I absolutely adore you. I have for the longest time."

"Oh, Erik, my darling Erik. I'm staying here with you, now and always." Retrieving Erik's hat with his mask and wig inside it, Christine returns them to him.

Thanking her, Erik resumes his wig, his mask and his hat. "Christine, you can't stay with me. NOT down here!!!!"

"My place is with you, Erik. You have given me so much. You are my guide and my guardian. You are my Master, my glorious ANGEL OF MUSIC."

"No, Christine. You are of the world above. You belong to the world of love, life, fun, color, warmth, laughter and light; that is your world. My world, such as it is, is down here. You belong up above in the light of day. Staying down here in eternal darkness with me would quickly shatter your spirit Christine. You and your voice would quickly shrivel and die down here, and people would wonder what has happened to you and where you are. They will be out looking for you until they find you. Somebody may even see me without my knowledge and follow me to my home and, if that happens Christine," Erik shudders at the awful thought filling his mind. "My face…" Erik's eyes moisten. "…I will be found and my face will be revealed to the world, and my home will be destroyed."

"Erik, I will never jeopardize your safety. You and your home will never be discovered. After I sing in Faust next week, I will tell all there after the opera that I am leaving Paris. That will be all they need to know."

"You would actually forsake your career, Christine? For me? No. I can't let you do that!"

"I love you Erik. I would forsake life for you. Our place is together, wherever that happens to be, and you deserve happiness too, Erik."

"No Christine. I, I, I don't deserve happiness. Not after all the things that I've done." Erik bows his head.

"Yes you DO, Erik. You deserve to be happy, just as I am and others are."

"Oh, my dear Angel, my dear loving Christine; just to hear you sing gives me all the happiness and pleasure that I could ever want in this life that I have."

Christine smiles and, ever so softly, she begins to sing Erik's song, 'THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA' for her Phantom and, as she sings the female lead, Erik moves slowly behind her, placing his left arm gently around her throat, pulling her warm body as close as possible to his.

"Sing for me, Christine." She now has her back to Erik's chest. "Sing Christine, sing." As she sings, Erik's right hand caresses Christine, but without physically touching her. "SING FOR ME." Erik's eyes are misty, his right hand moving slowly down Christine's gown, softly stroking her garment. Erik's adoring eyes never leave the perfect form of Christine Daae for one moment, then, slowly, Erik brings his right hand back up again as Christine continues to sing, standing directly in front of him.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Christine can feel Erik's heavy, intense breathing, his hot, passionate breath on her neck. She closes her eyes in absolute ecstasy as Erik begins to sing the male lead to her. She quivers. Raising her right hand up towards Erik's mask, she gently caresses it. Christine is completely and utterly under Erik's spell, and she loves it.

"MY POWER OVER YOU GROWS STRONGER YET."

Christine smiles brightly, enjoying Erik's closeness to her. Erik can feel her quivers, her ecstasy. He is quivering also, his feelings for this girl stirring up such an engulfing, intense burning fire deep within his very soul.

After Christine has sung for her Phantom, she turns around to face him, smiling her most radiant happy smile as she gazes up at him and holds him close. Erik's eyes gaze fondly down upon his dear little Christine, snuggling happily in his strong protective arms. He smiles back at her, holding her as close to him as he can. For the first time ever, Erik is TRULY OVERJOYED, his heart pounding.

"You are here, now, willingly, with me, and you LOVE me????!!!!" Christine happily nods her head positively. "With THIS face?!!!!"

Christine replies to her Angel Of Music, "Yes. I do Erik. Now and always. Now and forever." Christine kisses him passionately on his lips.

Erik's voice booms out into the darkness, "MY ANGEL LOVES ME! ME!!!! ERIK!!!! THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!!!!" Erik laughs for joy, throwing his hat high up into the air, looking Heavenward. Erik's voice is absolutely magnificent; loud and strong.

Christine has always been captivated by the voice of her teacher, and she smiles happily at her masked Phantom, the man that she loves, her wonderful Angel Of Music. Christine is extremely happy, but best of all, her Erik is happy. Finally, truly happy, for the very first time in his entire lifetime. Christine holds Erik's warm body closer to her. Erik's voice is booming for immense joy. His dear little Christine has accepted him; accepted his face. There is nothing more that he could ask for now. Parting from Christine, Erik moves to retrieve his hat from the ground, placing it back onto his head then, moving back to Christine, they embrace and kiss.

Finally, after all these harsh, cruel years that Erik has had to cope with as best as he could, he finds happiness, true happiness. From now on, Erik's life will be very different, different for the better. Erik's life will finally have stability, direction and meaning ..... and LOVE. For the first time ever in his entire lifetime, Erik is actually truly happy to be alive. Life now for Erik, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is just beginning.

Christine frees herself from Erik's cloak and takes two steps back. Her sudden seriousness amuses him as she gazes at him standing before her. Reaching out her arms to him, Christine implores him passionately, "Take me Erik. Love me."

Erik's amusement turns quickly to intense surprise. "Pardon, Christine????"

"Take me, Erik. Love me." Christine's voice is filled with a desperate urgency. Erik cannot move; he appears to have gone into a trance-like state. Stepping forward, Christine lifts her face up towards Erik's face, pressing her lips firmly onto his lips, kissing him long and hard. Her hands softly caress his mask. As Christine's lips part from Erik's lips, he wakes from his trance. Christine takes Erik's hands into her hands, pressing them hard onto her heaving breasts. Erik can feel her rapidly beating heart pounding strongly within her; he can see that Christine really is aching for him, that yes, she does desperately desire him. He can see the desperate desire in her eyes.

"Are you absolutely sure about this Christine???? Are you absolutely sure that you want me to love you????"

"Yes, I am, Erik. I do want you; so very very much. I want you to make love to me Erik. I love you so very much."

Erik has so desperately longed for his dear little Christine for the longest time. Since he first gazed upon her when she first appeared on that day at the theatre to study music, Erik has ached for her. Then, some days later, when he heard her singing quietly to herself, or so she thought, he knew then that he had to have her. Since that first day, Erik has yearned for her even more than the air he needs to breathe; but if he loves her, he will hurt her. Does Christine really know what she is asking of him???? What she is asking of herself???? Does Christine Daae really want 'a monster' touching her, holding her, making love to her????

"Oh, Christine, I can't. I would hurt you, and I NEVER want to hurt you, NEVER. I am an ugly monster Christine, a loathsome, repugnant beast."

"No Erik. You are NOT an ugly monster. Nor are you a loathsome, repugnant beast. That is your mother talking. Erik, if you were a monster, would I give you my lips?" She kisses him. "If you were a monster, would I give you my hands?" Removing Erik's hat and mask, she gently caresses the scars on his face, softly running her fingertips through the scars, then kissing the scars with her soft lips. Christine then gently replaces his mask back onto his face and gives his hat back to him. Erik puts it back on. "You are a man, Erik. A wonderful, brilliant, extraordinary man; a man who loves, a man who has wants, needs and desires, just like any other man." Christine's eyes become misty, glazing over as she fights back emerging hateful tears. Turning away from Erik, her tears stream down her cheeks, her anger and immense hate taking a firm hold on her.

Why has Christine suddenly become so very cold, distant, hateful and angry? Erik wonders. He watches her intently.

Looking straight into the vast nothingness and clenching her fists tightly into two solid balls, she spits venomously into the candlelit darkness, "I HATE you Madeleine, I HATE you. HOW could you hate your wonderful, wonderful son so much???? How dare you for hurting my Erik so deeply. How dare you. YOU are the monster, Madeleine, NOT my Erik. Do you hear me Madeleine???? You beast. Do you hear me????" Christine becomes hysterical, sobbing uncontrollably, her fists pounding the air.

Erik swiftly reaches out for her, pulling her close to him in a loving embrace. "Come now, Christine", Erik says soothingly to her, stroking her long hair. "Please don't let my poor unhappy mother upset you. She is gone now. She just could not love a deformed boy. It is all right. I have forgiven her for her cruelty and brutality towards me."

Christine holds onto Erik tightly, her tears staining his dress-suit. "Well, I haven't Erik, and I WON'T."

Erik's tears begin to flow also. He holds Christine tighter, closing his eyes and looking away at the unhappy painful memories of his youth and his unhappy, hateful mother. Erik's mind pushes those awful times back into the deepest, darkest recesses of his mind. Gazing down on his dear little Christine, Erik smiles sadly through his tears.

Christine gazes up into Erik's sad loving eyes. "Oh Erik. For you to have gone through all of your life so unloved and so rejected all because you have a face and head deformity is absolutely unforgivable. I hate all of those wretches responsible for making your life so unhappy Erik, and I will never forgive them. Never. I can understand WHY you've done all the things that you've done in the past, Erik. I will never hold what you've done against you. It is because you never had love, and everybody needs love. I love you Erik, and I always will."

Erik gazes adoringly at his dear little Christine. Stepping back from him, she lays down on the ground, reaching out a hand towards him. Christine doesn't care about the hard ground. She wants Erik, and she wants him now!!!! Gazing up at Erik lovingly and longingly, she says again, "Take me, Erik. Love me. Take me here and now."

"No." That one little word shatters Christine into a million pieces. Feeling extremely hurt, she gets up from the ground. While still upset at that stinging 'No' from Erik, Christine is suddenly swept up off the ground and into his arms. "Not here Christine." Erik smiles at her. Christine becomes excited, snuggling into his warm body.

Once back at the lake, Erik places her down. He helps Christine into the gondola, giving her a playful smack on her bottom.

"Oooooooh", Christine giggles with delight. She sits down, feeling as happy and as excited as a teenager going out with her first boyfriend.

Erik winks at her. After topping up the lantern in the gondola with some more oil, Erik lights it and, turning it fully up, places it onto the hook on the gondola. Unfastening the rope, Erik steps in and, taking the long oar from the floor, he slowly poles off towards his home with his Angel. Gazing down on his dear little Christine, Erik smiles and winks at her once more.

Once back at the entrance to his home, he leans over Christine to turn off the lantern and, as he does so, Christine kisses him. They smile at each other.
Erik leaves the lantern hanging on the gondola, the thick black darkness closing in on them. Christine is not afraid. The darkness is only temporary, and she has Erik THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA himself with her. Christine knows that Erik can see in the dark, to a certain extent, and she's rather envious that he has that ability, spooky though that is. Erik steps out of the gondola, fastening its rope to a nearby hook. Opening the 'secret' door, Erik turns on the light then, turning back to Christine, he reaches out a hand towards her. She takes his hand, smiling as he pulls her free of the gondola. Erik steps back to allow her to pass and, once she is safely inside, he steps through after her, closing the door behind him. (Once the door is closed, nobody from the outside world would even be aware of a door being there. Erik's home is like a tomb. It has to be. His safety depends on it. Because of his face, Erik will never be safe from the outside world.)

CHAPTER EIGHT

Moving to the back of Erik's chamber, Christine sits down on the wonderfully large bed, happily kicking off her shoes. Erik could never understand why he had always felt a need for this large bed; he had always known that there would never be anybody else here to willingly share it with him; and yet now…here is Christine Daae ..... willingly!!!!

Christine wants to be with him as much as he wants to be with her. Erik smiles happily at the woman sitting there…HIS woman!!!! On HIS bed!!!! Gazing at Christine adoringly, Erik walks towards her and sits down next to her on the bed.
Holding hands, they gaze adoringly into each other's eyes. Erik and Christine's passionate lips meet once again. As their lips part, they smile happily at each other.
Erik is feeling very awkward, so he sits quietly, but then, Christine is feeling very awkward too.

Sensing Erik's uneasiness, she smiles. "Erik?" she begins, "I've never done this before either. This will be the first time for both of us."

Erik nods, smiling and, getting to his feet, he gazes down on her. Kneeling down on the gloriously carpeted floor, Christine removes Erik's shoes and socks, placing them aside. Erik helps Christine up. They stand close to each other, their bare feet sinking into the carpet. Removing Erik's hat, she then gently removes his mask and his wig, revealing his terrible disfigurements. Her left hand and fingers softly caress the exposed hole on Erik's head where his skull should have been. Smiling, Erik takes the mask and wig back from her, placing the wig back onto his head and the mask back over his face; he feels very uncomfortable without them, and he will need time to adapt to not wearing them.

Christine places his hat back onto his head, smiling happily at him. Erik looks so fine. Placing her hands lightly over Erik's throat, her fingers awkwardly unfasten the clasps of his cloak. As the clasps open, Erik's cloak drops silently to the floor behind him. Erik's nervous fingers hover at the top of Christine's frock. Smiling nervously at Erik, she encourages him on as she removes his bow-tie and unbuttons his dress-suit. As Christine's fingers undo the dress-suit's last button, Erik lets it fall free from his arms to the floor. Erik's fingers finish unbuttoning the whole front of Christine's frock and, moving the material apart, Christine's underclothes are revealed. Her frock drops to the floor. Christine has unbuttoned Erik's shirt and sleeves, so he removes it, letting it drop to the floor.

Erik is now bare chested, standing before her. He smiles at his Christine. Kneeling down once again, Christine looks up at Erik, smiling nervously as she fumbles with his zipper. Unzipping Erik's trousers, they drop to the floor. Erik steps out of them, playfully kicking them away into a far corner before helping Christine up. Erik removes Christine's underlying garments; her singlet, her bra, then her undies.

Now, Christine Daae is standing completely naked before her Phantom. Erik is taken aback by the naked beauty of his Christine. He adores what he sees, but he is still nervous. Gazing lovingly at his Christine, Erik removes his undies, throwing them over to where his trousers lay. Erik has the most gorgeous body that Christine's eyes have ever had the ultimate joy of witnessing; Erik's body is absolutely perfect; gorgeously healthy, gloriously tanned ~ despite it never seeing a lot of the sun ~ and extremely slim and muscular.

Smiling brightly, Christine lays down on Erik's bed. Her yearning eyes gaze up at her Phantom as she waits for him to love her. The bed moves as Erik climbs onto it. Christine's Angel Of Music hunches over her.

"Are you absolutely sure, Christine? You can change your mind and say no; I will understand. After tonight, nothing will ever be the same again. Our two separate souls will mingle and fuse together to become one. When that happens Christine, we will be beyond the point of no return. You will be mine. Forever."

"Yes, Erik. And yes, I am sure. I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life. I am ready Erik. Take me. Love me. Make me yours."

Erik is so very happy, but just as he is about to finally love Christine Daae and have her truly as his own, she stops him.

"No, Erik."

"What is it Christine?" Erik asks, concerned. "You've changed your mind", he says sadly. Erik draws back from Christine. He would NEVER force himself on her. He will wait until Christine is ready. Christine raises her left hand up towards Erik's mask, stroking it.

"No Erik, I haven't changed my mind. I DO want you to make love to me, but without the mask. Take off the mask Erik."

Erik smiles at her. Throwing off his hat, he then removes his mask as she watches. As his face is revealed, Christine opens her legs up wide so that Erik's body can penetrate into Christine's body. Letting his mask drop silently to the floor, Erik lowers himself down upon Christine, and he begins to make hot passionate love to her. Erik becomes quickly aroused, his body vigorously pulsating harder and faster deep inside Christine, much to her immense delight. Erik and Christine's bodies pulsate in unison all through the night to the sounds and the rhythms of a 'Music Of The Night' that only they can hear.

The following morning, bright and early, Erik wakes. He gazes lovingly at his Christine sleeping naked by his side. He smiles at her, reaching out a hand and softly stroking her hair. So last night wasn't a dream; last night really happened! Moving as silently as a cat so as not to disturb his sleeping beauty, Erik rises from the bed. Placing a robe around himself, he moves silently towards the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous breakfast for them both.

CHAPTER NINE

Christine wakes to the heavenly smell of bacon, eggs, toast, orange juice and coffee. Smiling, she stretches and yawns. Sitting up, she rubs the sleep from her eyes.

Erik appears in the doorway with a breakfast tray in his hands. "Good morning Sleepy Head." Erik smiles, placing the tray down onto a nearby table. Erik hands Christine a gown.

She smiles back at him. "Good morning Erik." Christine rises from the bed, placing her gown around her. Erik pulls out a chair for Christine. She sits, thanking him. Erik sits down, pouring out the orange juice. Their breakfast is wonderful. After breakfast, they tidy up.

"Would you like a shower now, my dear?" Erik smiles, "or perhaps you would prefer a nice bubble bath.” He winks at her.

"Oh Erik. Yes please. I would love a bubble bath. Thank you." She smiles brightly at him.

"Very well then. I will go now and run the water for you." Christine nods happily. "It won't take long."

Christine blows him a kiss as he moves away to the bathroom to run her bath. Yes, there is certainly nobody else quite like Erik. Once Christine has bathed and dressed, Erik takes his shower. Life has been just so wonderful for Christine since she parted from Raoul and went to be with Erik.

****Several weeks later****

Laying together in each other's arms early one evening, Erik and Christine hold tightly onto each other. "Erik, I have something to tell you." Erik sits up, gazing lovingly into Christine's eyes. "I went to see a gynecologist this morning."

Erik turns cold. "Oh no Christine. What is it? What's wrong?" Erik is worried, his eyes filling with alarm and concern.

Christine smiles and, sitting up, takes Erik's hands into hers. "Oh Erik. There is absolutely nothing wrong at all."

"Then why did you go and see a gynec'.....?" Erik stops. His eyes pop open wide and his mouth drops open. "Christine!!!! Are you saying what I think you're saying????!!!!"

"Yes, I am. I'm pregnant, Erik. Pregnant with our baby." Erik gazes at her abdomen and places his hands onto it lovingly. Christine nods, her eyes sparkling and her whole body glowing. She laughs. "Yes Erik. You and I are going to be parents."

Erik beams. "I am going to be a father!!!! Oh, Christine." Suddenly, Erik's eyes moisten with tears and he becomes tense, an awful thought filling his mind.

"What is it, Erik? Are you all right?" Christine asks him when she sees his sudden tension.

Erik begins to weep. "Oh Christine. What if?…what if?…our baby…what if he has .....?" Unable to finish his question, he removes his mask, gesturing at his face.

Christine knows what he is asking. "Erik, if our baby has your face, I will love him and care for him. I will love him and care for him as much as I love and care for his father."

Erik smiles at her. Drying his eyes and face, he feels better as he resumes his mask. From that moment on, Erik prayed to God. He prayed for a baby with NO deformities. He prayed that his son - or daughter - would be spared the life that he had been forced to endure.

The next several months of Christine's pregnancy go by rather uneventfully. She is managing it very well, although, as her pregnancy progresses further, little things do begin to get awkward for her, but Erik helps her in any way that he can. He fusses over her, ensuring that she and their little one get enough food and rest; then, before either of them know it, it is time; time for Christine to bring their little baby into the world.

*****A contraction*****

Christine screams.

"OK Christine", Erik begins. "PUSH! PUSH!" Christine pushes down. Erik wipes her sweaty brow and moves her wet hair away from her face. "It's all right Christine. You're doing wonderfully."

*****Another contraction*****

Christine's body arches as she screams in pain.

"Come on Christine. Just a little longer and then it's all over. Come on. PUSH! PUSH! Thatta girl." She clutches Erik's hand tightly. Erik's unmasked face is wet with tears. How he wishes that he could go through the labor instead - as if women don't have enough to contend with already! Hearing his Christine screaming in pain and seeing the pain on her face and in her eyes is unbearable for him. He weeps over her as she screams again. Between contractions, he speaks softly and gently to her. "Come on Christine; our baby is almost born. Just his head now Christine. Our son is almost born."

Finally, a little boy is delivered via breech birth right into Erik's trembling hands. Just as the baby's head emerges, Erik looks away from him. He cannot bear the thought of his son having HIS face, but he must look. He has to know; he can't ever not look at his son.

Slowly, Erik turns his face to look at the crying infant cradled in his hands. Erik's eyes sparkle; his son's face is normal. He laughs joyously. Erik ties and cuts the umbilical cord then wraps the crying infant up in a warmed towel and brings him to Christine.

Even though she is exhausted, she is so happy and smiles happily at Erik as she reaches out to take their son into her arms. Suddenly, just as she touches the tiny bundle, her body spasms.

"CHRISTINE!!!!" Erik screams. Placing the baby into a makeshift cot beside her, Erik moves swiftly to his Christine, leaning over her. Both he and she are frightened.

"ERIK", Christine screams. "What's happening?"

"I don't know, Christine." For the first time, Erik doesn't know what to do.
Christine opens her legs up wide, feeling a tremendous urge to push. Unable to fight that feeling, she pushes…and a second baby appears between her legs. "Erik, what's happening?"

Moving to Christine's feet, Erik's eyes bulge. He quickly lunges forward to catch the second baby emerging; a little girl. Christine's question is answered by a second crying infant. TWINS!!!! As he did only moments before, Erik ties the cord and cuts it. Taking the little girl up into his arms, Erik weeps. The little girl's face is ..... just like his.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Erik screams.

Christine gazes at Erik and their new daughter. Reaching out to take the little girl into her arms, she cuddles her close, torrents of tears streaming down her face. Both she and Erik weep together for a few moments.

"Please bring me our son, Erik. They need to be fed."

Still numb with shock, Erik nods. After the babies are fed, Erik gently washes them and dries them, then places them gently into Christine's arms, kissing each one’s tiny forehead softly. Then his and Christine's lips kiss. Erik names the little boy Michael Erik, and Christine names the little girl Erika Michele.

Erik and Christine's two children grow up to be very caring, nurturing, wonderful people, just like their parents.

CHAPTER TEN

Over time, Michael and Erika become adults and, despite Erika's facial deformity, she has grown up (relatively) happy. One day, Michael Chanté, who is now a Doctor, visits his local library to study up more on facial deformities. While going through the many articles before him on the table, an article suddenly catches his eye. He reads it eagerly.

NEWSFLASH - From The Deformities And Burns Department.
AT LAST. HOPE FOR THOSE WITH FACIAL DEFORMITIES AND BURNS. A new, flesh colored, flesh like plastic skin that breathes. This living, plastic skin is shaped to fit disfigurements and burns and is worn over the face like a mask, but its appearance and touch is like living flesh.

Excited, Michael takes the article over to the copier and copies it. After copying the article, he studies the pictures closely. Finally, he folds up the article and puts it into his pocket. Moving back to his table, he puts the other papers away before leaving.
Back at the lair, Michael writes the letter that he hopes will change his father's and his sister's lives. Once the letter is written, placed into an addressed envelope and stamped, he moves out quietly to post it.

Returning to the lair, Michael calls for Christine. "Mother? Are you here?"

Smiling, she answers him, stepping forth from a room. "Hello Michael. How did your research go today?"

"Mother, where are father and Erika? I have something to show them."

"What is it son?" Christine asks him.

Pulling out the article from his pocket, Michael opens it up and gives it to her.
Sitting down, Christine reads it. As she reads it, tears rim her eyes and a hand flies to her mouth. Michael places his hands tenderly onto his mother's shoulders as she begins to weep. After reading the article, she gazes up at her son and smiles through her tears. "Oh Michael. I have been hoping for so long that this time would come."

"As have I mother, as have I", Michael says softly.

Standing, she embraces Michael and buries her face into his chest, weeping joyous tears. Wiping her eyes, Christine smiles happily. There is finally a ray of hope at the end of Erik and Erika's dark tunnel. Erik and Erika will finally be free to leave the cold, damp darkness of the underground cellars of The Paris Opera House where they have lived for so long. They will, at last, be able to start living normal lives.

Taking back the article, Michael calls for his father and his sister. "Father. Erika", he calls. Erik and Erika appear. They both smile at Michael. Michael smiles back, then, becoming serious, he says to them, "Father. Erika. Please sit down. I have something to show you both."

Gazing at each other, then back at Michael, Erik and his daughter both sit down at the table. Michael places the article onto the table before them.

"I found this article today at the library."

Erik and Erika both read the article together. Michael watches them both intently.
Finally, Erik stands and, turning away from his wife and children, he moves away from them. Standing, Erika moves towards him. Placing her arms around him, she holds him close. Erik's tear-pricked eyes gaze into his daughter's eyes.

"Father, this is wonderful news. We can both finally be like normal people. It's what I've always wanted. Haven't you?"

"Of course my dear. Of course."

"Then, what is it?"

"My face."

"Yes, your face father."

"You don't understand Erika. For a chance at a normal life, I will have to show my face. And I will not show this face to strangers."

"But that's what the article is father; to help people like us."

"People like US?" Erik screams. Erika draws back in fear. Michael and Christine embrace her protectively. Turning to his family, Erik's mouth trembles as he tries to hold back tears. Suddenly, he is gone. Erika tries to run to her father but Michael stops her.

"No love. Leave him. In this state, he could severely hurt you. Don't go near him."

"FATHER", Erika calls out to him.

Michael pulls her close. In a whisper, he says to her, "Leave him sis, leave him. Let him calm down." Gazing at Michael and then at Christine, she nods. "Thatta girl," Michael smiles, releasing his sister from his arms.

Some time later, Erik returns to his family; he is now wearing a black robe with the cowl pulled down completely over his masked face. Gazing at his family through the shroud, he says quietly, "I am so sorry for my outrageous outburst earlier."

Moving to the table, he sits down at it and breaks down, weeping bitterly. Erika moves towards him. Pushing back the cowl, she embraces her father lovingly.
Gazing up into his daughter's eyes, Erik smiles, pulling his 'little girl' close.
Standing up, he gazes at his loving family. Gazing at Erika by his side, he whispers, "I want to be a normal man."

Erika nods and hugs him tightly. Michael and Christine move over to Erik and Erika, and hug Erik as he breaks down again.

Four weeks later, a letter appears for Michael. It is from the Deformities And Burns Department.

Later that day, Michael tells his family the news; that Erik and Erika have both been chosen for the new breathing skin procedure, and that they both have an appointment the following week. Erika is very excited and cannot wait for her appointment, but Erik is extremely apprehensive about his.

Erika comforts him. "I will be with you father. We can both help each other through it. And Michael and mother will be with us too. Please don't be afraid father."

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The appointment day has arrived. Both Erik and Erika arrive for their appointments in their own black, cowled robes, their faces both completely hidden under their cowls.

Two weeks later, two letters arrive; one for Erik and one for Erika. They have both been accepted for the procedure. After reading their letters, Erik and Erika hug each other happily.

Finally, it is the day. This is the day that Erik and Erika's new lives will finally begin.
Arriving at the hospital with their overnight bags, Erik and Erika make their way to The Deformities And Burns Department, followed by Michael and Christine. Approaching the front counter, Erik and Erika show their letters. After reading the letters, the receptionist crosses their names off the admissions list and gazes up at them. She is startled for a moment to not see their faces but she smiles at them.

"Please take a seat."

They nod and move to the seats close by. Placing their overnight bags on the floor, they sit. And they wait. It is the longest wait of all of their lives, especially for Erik and Erika.

Finally, their names are called. After their hugs, kisses and goodbyes, Erik and Erika are assigned their beds. Climbing into their beds, Michael places Erik's overnight bag at the foot of his bed while Christine places Erika's overnight bag at the foot of her bed. With one final squeeze of hands, Erik and Erika are wheeled away into surgery. As soon as Erik and Erika's beds are out of sight, Christine breaks down. Michael embraces her and comforts her as best he can.

Finally, after an 'eternity', Erik and Erika's surgery is complete. Days pass. Finally, Erik and Erika can leave the hospital, although they must attend regular appointments for checks. Finally, after many weeks, the 'unmasking' day arrives.

In Erika's room, a head surgeon removes the bandages from Erika's face for one last time. The bandages are off. "It's looking good, Miss Chanté", says the surgeon as he inspects the new skin.

Her voice shaking, Erika whispers, "May I see?"

"Of course," the male surgeon smiles. Erika is unable to speak. The surgeon gives her a small, hand-held mirror. Slowly, Erika brings the mirror up to her face. She gazes into the mirror, but her eyes are tightly closed. "In your time, Miss Chanté", the surgeon says soothingly.

Turning her gaze away, Erika slowly opens her eyes. Slowly, she turns her head to gaze into the mirror. There is a sudden scream; a scream of joy. Erika's face looks just like everybody else's.

In Erik's room, a head surgeon removes the bandages from Erik's face for one last time. The bandages are off. "It's looking good, Mr. Chanté", says the surgeon as she inspects the new skin.

His voice shaking, Erik whispers, "May I see?"

"Of course", the female surgeon smiles. Erik is unable to speak. The surgeon gives him a small, hand-held mirror. Slowly, Erik brings the mirror up to his face. He gazes into the mirror, but his eyes are tightly closed. "In your time, Mr. Chanté", the surgeon says soothingly.

Turning his gaze away, Erik slowly opens his eyes. Slowly, he turns his head to gaze into the mirror, but he can't bring himself to do it. He places the mirror face down. Moving his hands up towards his face, he touches his left side, his normal side. Then, ever so slowly, he moves his hands over to the right side of his face. He feels for the disfigurement that he was born with; the rough ridges, the bony protrusions, the disfigured lips. But there is nothing. Only smoothness. Erik's shaking hands reach up to the right side of his skull. He feels desperately for the piece of bone missing from his head. He feels nothing. Only smoothness under hair. Reaching for the mirror, he brings it up to his head. Looking at his head in the reflection, he sees that the large, grotesque hole is now gone. The surgeons managed to replace the lost bone with the new, breathing skin and graft hair of the same color into it. Something was added to the substance to make it harder, thus rendering it as bone. Erik stares at his new, perfect head.

He screams for joy. Bringing the mirror down toward his face, Erik turns his gaze away from the reflective surface. Slowly, he looks towards it. In the mirror, the left side of Erik's face appears. His hands shaking even more now, he moves the mirror over to the right side of his face. It looks just like the left side of his face. There is a sudden scream; a scream of joy.

Erik's face looks just like everybody else's.

back to top

READER COMMENTS