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

Epilogue: Til I Hear You Sing

*AUTHOR'S NOTE* The epilogue is from the perspective of Erik Destler (The Phantom).

I am sitting at my organ playing the last chords of yet another attempt to write a new song. But for the past ten years, this has proved far too difficult. I rest my head on the organ and breathe heavily. I look down at my hands before trying to edit the score for what must be the hundredth time. I pick up the first sheet and stare at it before crumpling it up and tossing it aside. I stand up and the anger and frustration takes over my body.

"Ten long years, living a mere façade of life. Ten long years, wasting my time on smoke and noise. In my mind I hear melodies pure and unearthly. But I find I can't give them a voice without you. My Christine, my Christine. Lost and gone, lost and gone." I sit down at the organ and look up at the large oval photo of my beloved Angel of Music on the wall. I start singing to it, as if she is standing right in front of me.

"The day starts, the day ends, time crawls by. Night steals in, pacing the floor. The moments creep, yet I can't bear to sleep. Til I hear you sing. Standing up and turning my back to the photo, I continue. "And weeks pass and months pass, seasons fly. Still you don't walk through my door. And in a haze I count the silent days. Til I hear you sing once more!" I turn towards the organ. "And sometimes, in darkness, *Turning to face the photo* I dream that you are there! *with my back to the photo* "But wake, holding nothing but the cold night air.

Sitting down at the organ, my saga continues. "And years come, and years go. Time runs dry. Still I ache, deep in my core. My broken soul can't be alive or whole. Til I hear you sing, once more!" I turn to face the score and touch the organ singing "And music, your music, it teases at my ear!" Standing, I continue. "I turn and it fades away and you're not here! *I raise my hands above my head* Let hopes pass, let dreams pass, let them die!" I am facing the photo now, my hands raised towards it. "Without you, what are they for?" I turn and look down at my hands. "I'll always feel no more than halfway real! Til I hear you sing, once more!"