Inside My Mind: The Phantom of the Opera as told by Miss Christine Daae

Chapter 7: Sweet Intoxication

My mind is racing and I must still be in my trance because he slams his hands onto the keys of the organ, making me jump out of my skin. He sings, the music flowing all around me. "I have brought you, to the seat of sweet music's throne. To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music, music". I turn to face him and he extends his hand, stopping the organ, and yet the music continues.

"You have come here, for one purpose and one alone. Since the moment that I first heard you sing, I have needed you with me to serve me, to sing. For my music, my music" He sits back down at the organ and strokes what I think is the score of some masterpiece he has written. The mood of the music suddenly changes as he slowly looks up at me.

He starts singing what seems like a lullaby, putting me back in the trance he had put me in earlier. "Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination." Standing up slowly, he continues, "Silently the senses, abandon their defenses". I follow his raised hand with my face and feel my body being turned as if it's on a pedestal. I can hear his footsteps, in unison with the music coming closer to me.

"Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor. Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender." I feel his presence on my left side so I turn my head to face him and his hand is suddenly pushing my face in the opposite direction, his pinky ring pushing into my cheek. "Turn your face away, from the garish light of day" His hand moves to beneath my chin, turning my head back towards him. "Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light." I look up at him and he turns and walks away. "And listen to the music of the night".

He looks at me again and his voice gets a little more soulful. "Close your eyes, and surrender to your darkest dreams. Purge all thought of the life you knew before. He comes up behind me, and sweeping his hand in front of me, sings "Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar!" As he holds out the note for 'soar' I feel my face being guided upward, my eyes still closed. I lower my head as his voice continues to serenade me. "And you'll live, as you never lived before". Our eyes meet and for the first time I notice how kind his brown eyes look. He backs away, spreading his arms out. "Softly, deftly, music shall caress you. Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you." I feel the music surround me and it instantly starts guiding me towards him.

"Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind". He raises his hands, in a sort of 'I'm fabulous' pose' and guides the grate down to create a wall. He walks towards the grate, brushing his hand across it as he goes. "In this darkness, which you know you cannot fight." As he leans up against the grate, I move closer to him, pulling myself towards him. As he sings "the darkness of the music of the night" I finally reach him and slowly brush against him. I feel something strange rub against my thigh and run away, startled.

He follows after me and his voice causes me to stop in my tracks. "Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world, leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be!" As he hits the note of 'be' I feel my torso being pulled backwards and my head lifts towards the ceiling. I straighten up and realize that I am breathing heavier than usual. I hear his voice getting closer to me as he sings "only then, can you belong to me". He is behind me now, and I feel his arm come around my neck, his hand resting just below my shoulder. I lean into his elbow bend and hear him gasp.

He sways my body back and forth and croons in my ear "Floating, falling, sweet intoxication. Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation." I lift my right hand up and slowly brush his mask before I feel him grab my hand and spin me away from him. As he guides me towards the covered object on the opposite side, he continues, "Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in, to the power of the music that I write. The power of the music of the night". He grabs the cloth and reveals a broken mirror with a figure dressed as a bride inside it. Why does she look exactly like me? As I lean forward for a closer look, the figure jumps out at me. I am so startled that I feel myself falling. But instead of hitting the ground, I feel his arm grab me and lift me up. He carries me and lays me down on a bed. He grabs something, either a blanket or his cape and drapes it over me. He leans down and sings softly in my ear as he brushes my hair gently "You alone, can make my song take flight. Help me make the music of the night". As he hits 'night' I feel myself drifting off into a deep sleep.