Music of the Night

My Angel of Music had led me through endless caves and across a vast lake. I had lost where I was, yet I didn't feel worried.  Comfort, warmth and protection just seemed to float around me as this cloaked figure of a man held my hand,  guiding me past thousands of lit candles. He kept glancing behind to meet my eyes which opened sleepily, as if to adjust to the darkening endless halls. I was entranced by his dark glassy eyes which  seemed to have been consumed by a youthful gaze. I couldn't see his face, but I occasionally saw an angular white gleam from his nose which I assumed was a trickery from the flickering light. His soft grip on my hand exposed the rough textures of his fingers. I could feel the grooves of long healed cuts and the stiffness  of worked joints.  My steps grew smaller as the darkness consumed the path, and I felt a cold hand wrap around my waist. I tensed at first, but the hand that once held my own had now dropped and wrapped behind my knees. I was lifted up and soon collapsed into the arms of my angel. 

The sudden jolts from going down stairs were the only thing keeping me awake. My head rested on his arms, but I looked up when I saw a distant light. As we got closer, I noticed that it marked an entrance to what I could only imagine to be his home. There were lavish silks hung from walls, velvet covered furniture, and gleaming candles everywhere. I closed my eyes from the overwhelming light and felt myself being set down onto a bed. My eyes had recovered at this point and I opened them to see a very tall man in all black looking down on me. Being startled, I quickly sat up. Worry quickly crossed his face and he told me in a more harsh tone, " Don't leave! Please." I could see now that half his face was covered with a mask. It seemed to almost be fused onto his skin. His arms were reached out as though to help me up, but I didn't take them. The path that I had been led down was a blur to me and I couldn't remember the journey here. In fact, the only thing I could remember was that I had felt relaxed. Thoughts raced through my mind as I wondered what possibly could have happened. Was I mesmerized? Put under a spell?

 It was unlike me to talk to strangers, let alone follow them. "Where am I?", I asked finally. "You are here to sing for me. Ever since I heard you, I_ I understood what beauty is. I feel the love, sorrows, and pain when you sing, you inspire me. I have grown quite fond of your voice." His eyes met mine and his stare seemed never ending. "Are you the voice that I have heard in my dressing room? Are you my angel?" A smile formed on his red lips, and he whispered, "I can be whatever you want me to be."  

His comment left me startled. " But.. who are you?" I asked. "Eric." He replied with hesitation. I had so many questions, but he soon asked me, " May I play you a song?" I nodded and he took me by the hand, leading me to his organ. He sat down and began to play a familiar tune. The delicate chords flowed like water and danced through the air and I felt myself sink into the red velvet chair behind me. He started to sing and I felt my muscles tense throughout my entire body. This was the lullaby my father had sung to me when I was a child. I would have said something or reacted differently but his voice entranced me. The notes, in perfect pitch sang together with the organ and echoed through the rock walls. His voice was unlike anyrhing I had ever heard before. It was what I could only describe as from the heavens. 

I slowly floated to my feet and glided towards him almost involuntarily, but when I tried to hold myself back, a force of nature seemed to drag me towards him. Losing hope, I gave into the pull and found myself standing behind him. I wanted to see what man belonged to this angelic voice, I wanted to see his face. I reached towards him, bent down, and pressed my face against his mask. I could feel his pulse start to rise and his voice became breathier than before. My hand crept up to his mask, towards where my cheek rested, and I slightly tugged at it. The music immediately stopped, and I felt a stinging pain in my wrist. I was thrown to the floor and in an instant heard the yells of a mad man. He readjusted his mask, then fell to his knees besides me. I was in shock, yet a tear managed to escape my eye. He panted and growled under his breath, then began to slow his  breathing  for what seemed like minutes. "I'm sorry", he whispered. "I'm so sorry. I would never harm you. I can give you anything you desire.  I want you to be happy, but my unmasking is something I can never offer."