My choice

Chapter three - Angel

October 20th 1871

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Christine's POV

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I sat in the parlor listening to Raoul's mother talk with the employees of the house about the wedding and making sure everything is prepared.

I've been having my doubts. I want to get married, just not to Raoul. I loved him at one point but my feelings are changing. I'm in love with my angel and I have been for a long time.

I've had feeling for him since I first met him. I always thought it was a friendship which it was at first but I grew to love him before even meeting him in person. I always thought it was wrong, I couldn't love an angel but when he reveled himself as a flesh and blood man that love grew.

It frustrated me that I fell in love with him, so I turned that love into fear and ran towards a source of comfort. I realized soon after, that I couldn't just abandon such an important part of my life. I tried to be nice and remain friends, but it never occurred to me that he might return those feelings. I betrayed him and I can never forgive myself for that.

My sense of comfort is fading away and I'm empty. Without my angel I'm nothing, my voice is nothing without his, my soul is nothing without his, I'm nothing without him. I need to see him again, I need to be with him again, I need to hear his voice again and once I do I'll be content.

"Christine! Are you listening to me?" Raoul's mother, Sarah, snapped me out of my thoughts

"Yes, no, sorry my thoughts where elsewhere."

"Focusing on your music no doubt, you need to learn to get out of your head. Be a proper wife for my son." She snapped making me think little of myself and my duties as a wife, "Now do you prefer the white and pink roses or the red roses?"

"Um," I looked at the flowers, memories filled my head as I answered, "White and pink."

"I was thinking the same thing." She mused to herself

"Would you excuse me for a moment, I need some air." I said standing from the chair and exiting the room

Sarah looked offended that I got up and left so quickly, she soon got over it and continued to make decoration decisions.

I made my way to the guest room, which is serving as my room for the time being, wanting to get away from my soon-to-be mother in law as fast as I could. I went out onto the small balcony and looked towards the city.

I needed to know if my angel was alive. I had to make sure he was okay.

I couldn't marry Raoul if my angel was still here. It would feel wrong, like I was betraying him. I took some time to think and figure out what I was going to do. I wanted to go back so badly, I needed to. So that's what I did.

I quickly wrote a note saying I was going on a walk and I didn't know when I would be back, and not to worry about me. It was nearing nine in the afternoon meaning everyone would be settling down for the night, and not to interested in what I was doing. I still left the note on the dresser and put on a pair of walking shoes. Grabbing my cloak as it was getting colder, I exited the manor as quietly as I could and walked down the stone road into the city.

It wasn't a far walk if you knew which way to go.

I kept my hood over my face trying to stay hidden as I approached the abandoned opera house. Being this close to the building again made me re-think my reasons for being here. I came too far to go back now, besides the sun was beginning to set. I pushed open the large wood and glass doors reading the sign plastered onto it,

'Repairs beginning the first of November'

I stopped myself as I entered the large dusty building. The building that once brought so much joy to so many people was now empty and sad, a nostalgic feeling washed over my mind as I remembered the place I grew up. The building that held every one of my best memories. The building was dark but I managed to find my way to the dressing room. It is obvious the place hasn't been touched since the last time anyone used it.

The mirror that stood in the center of the room sat half open giving me enough room to squeeze into the tunnel behind it. The passage was dark and cold, I felt around on the ground until I picked up a torch, I found a small box of matches laying on the vanity in the room. I lit the torch and held the flame out in front of me lighting up the dark hallway. I did my best to try and recall the directions back to the lake which wasn't as easy I had originally thought. After what seemed like hours of tunnel after tunnel, I managed to finally find my way to the lake.

The boat sat in the exact same place we left it. I quickly got into it trying my best to push myself through the water towards the shore on the other side.

The sand and gravel crunched under my weight as I walked along the shore towards the stairwell leading to the underground lair. I pushed in the broken wooden door and stepped into the destroyed home of my angel. Objects were knocked over and broken, dust covered every surface, shards of glass reflected the light from the torch, and paper. Pieces of ripped up, crumpled, and destroyed sheet music laid spread around the organ in the center of the room.

I looked down a brown red substance which I assumed to be blood was staining the stone floor. I placed a hand over my mouth trying not think about who's it was and how it got there.

"Angel!" I yelled praying to god that he is here, "Angel, please be here, be alive please." I said tearing up

I ran my fingers over the dusty booklets of music piled beside the organ. He wouldn't just leave his music here. Would he?

I sat on the bench and hung my head. My eyes filled with tears at the thought of where my angel could be the worse possibilities coming to mind, I was shaking just thinking about it. Just as I gathered enough stability to stand a voice spoke stopping me dead in my tracks. A voice that sounded like music to my ears.

"Christine?"