Fatal Flaw

Chapter 2

Erik pushed the giant metal doors open. On the inside were many windows, which let in the moonlight from outside. From what he could see, there were 2 stories, and the place was mostly empty. No one was here.

"Perfect." Thought Erik.

"I'll live here until the mob is gone for sure."

He slept in the biggest bedroom of the castle, with a huge canopy bed and regal- looking cabinets for clothing. It looked like a room for a couple. Two pillows, two closets, two bedside tables.

Erik felt his heart pang painfully in his chest. He really missed Christine. He started whimpering softly as he lay there on the bed. His whimpering turned into a quiet cry, which eventually became an uncontrollable sob.

He cried himself to sleep. He wished he could be with Christine. He wished she was there with him at that moment. He wasn't even asking for a kiss. All he wanted was her company. That would be enough for him.

For the next week, Erik stayed at that castle. He found a nearby town while he was exploring on horseback, so he knew he could get everything he needed there. To anyone else, the castle would've been magnificent. To Erik, it was void and lonely. He cried himself to sleep most nights, but this loneliness he was starting to feel began to morph into hatred.

One day, he found himself pacing back and forth through the main hallway.

"That little wench! Going for social status and outward beauty over real kindness... I gave her that voice! I'm the reason she became famous!! If she loves anyone, it should be me!!!"

Erik was shouting.

"But of course... It isn't me. Haha... She has earned herself an enemy." He said, now more quietly.

A few more days passed, and Erik decided to check on the Opera House.

"Good morning, Ayesha." He said to his horse. (Yep.)

He got onto Ayesha's saddle and rode off. He arrived at the Opera House after a while. It was all burned and blackened, no longer beautiful. Erik used the secret passageway to check on his lair. He took the boat across the lake, and saw that it was completely gone. It used to be a beautiful lair with candles all around, an organ, and a gorgeous swan bed. Now, it was just an empty cave-like room of stone.

Erik was horrified and angry beyond belief. He knew that the angry mob did this, but he really couldn't seek revenge, because there were too many mob members. He would surely be killed if he tried to attack. He rode back to the castle and decided to live there from then on.

After a while, almost everyone forgot about the vicious murderer by the name of "The Phantom of the Opera". Erik got a job with a fairly good wage as a magician in the nearby town. No one ever asked to see his face, because they could sense that Erik was extremely sensitive to that subject, and they wanted to avoid his temper at all costs. As time went on, Erik furnished his new home with furniture from the carpenter's shop. He bought an organ, a piano, a violin, a flute, and many other instruments from a music store. Music became his life, although the nearby town cared more for his magic tricks. Christine consumed almost none of his thoughts. He hated her for her actions. Every once in a while, however, he would begin to miss her. He would become lonely at night, without a woman to hold as he slept. Whenever that happened, he would drown himself in his music and avoid sleeping.

And so, the years went on. Erik was strangely not content with his life. He felt like he was missing something. He ignored that feeling and focused on his job and his music.

One day, something strange happened. Erik awoke one morning, and felt like something wasn't right. He ignored it until he was dressed and ready for work. He then looked outside one of his windows, which was directly above the castle entrance. Everything looked fine with the forest he could see...