Thought Of Everything And Nothing

Chapter 30

Erik

How strange it was to watch her fall. Her eyes fluttered shut as I caught her, her figure weightless in my arms. 

Her sigh had startled me from my music, and it was an instinct that brought me to catch her. Clearly, my Don Juan had been too strong for her. I cradled her in my arms for a moment, before carefully picking her up. I set her down on my bed, and carefully draped a thin blanket atop her. She looked so delicate, her pale pink lips parted, taking in little breaths of air and exhaling softly like a sweet sigh. Her rich gossamer Tresses fell around her head like a halo of curls. 

I exhaled the breath I had been holding and left before I could damage this moment. I returned to my organ, playing quietly. I played Mozart's Fantasie in F major, praying that the sleeping angel on the other side of my apartment wouldn't be disturbed.

What on Earth would this Earthly angel think of me when she saw the unmasked side of my face. Her precious innocence would be shattered the second she saw my grotesque face. She would hate me forever, I knew it. What was I thinking, inviting something so perfect into my home, into my life? No, I would ensure that she would never, ever, see my face. 

I refocused on my music, making sure that every note was perfect. 

Christine

A soft melody awoke me, the one that had been in my dream of masks. I lifted my eyelids to see the music box I had given Erik looking back at me, except now, it had a Persian robed monkey gently tapping miniature cymbals together. I smiled and got up from the dark bed, I walked carefully out of the room, knowing that everything in that room would cost me an arm and a leg if I broke it. 

Erik was back at the organ, playing a much less seductive piece this time. It was more of a classical piece, beautiful, yet when he played it, there was a certain melancholy to it.  I approached him and noticed a silver wire crossing through his black hair. It was loosely tied and my curiosity ached to know what lied beneath his mask.

I touched his unmasked cheek, and he groaned, closing his eyes. I tried to suppress my curiosity, reminding myself of the consequences. My curiosity got the better of me and I pulled off the mask before I could think otherwise. 

I gasped and fell to the floor. Erik stood, his hand covering the deformity, I whimpered clutching the white mask that had kept the petrifying secret covered.

"You vixen! How dare you?! You little prying Pandora! How could you?! Damn you! CURSE YOU! " He roared, circling me like a predator his prey.

He growled and slowly removed his hand. I looked away tears welling in my eyes, for a reason unknown to me. I felt his icy cold hand underneath my chin, gently forcing me to look at him. 

"So, is this what you wanted to see, my dear? Behold," He snarled, lifting my chin to look him in the eyes, gold to brown.

"THE DEVIL'S CHILD!" He bellowed, standing up. 

I choked out a sob, and he looked sadly down at me. "Stranger than you dreamt it." He murmured, "Can you even dare to look? Or bear to think of me? This loathsome gargoyle! This repulsive carcass!"

I cringed at his self-deprecating words, wanting to comfort him, but I couldn't. I was too scared. Too weak. How was it possible to move after such shock? 

"Maybe one day. . . Perhaps you could learn to love the man behind this monster?" He asked, a shred of hope laced in his question. He shook his head sadly, "Oh Christine."

I whimpered, looking up at him to see that there were tears in his eyes also. I managed to find enough strength to lift the shield of porcelain to him. He delicately took it from my hands, turning away to secure it on. I stood shakily and walked to the elevator. It showed up immediately. I stepped in and as soon as the doors slid closed, I started weeping. Little did I know that I wasn't the only one.

Sorry.

Your obedient servant,

emmsy662