Twisted Every Way: A Haunting Love Triangle

Chapter 9: The Music of the Night

Part 2: Lightning Strikes

(Steven's Point of View, Erik Destler)

With each note, I feel my connection to Julia growing stronger. Her voice is so strong and her passion is unmatchable. She has such a presence about her. She continues singing, her voice not losing stamina. "I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why! In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining defenseless and silent. And now I am here with you, no second thoughts. I've decided, decided. Past the point of no return, no going back now. Our passion play has now at last begun!" Before I can even react, she starts doing the motions of the scene behind me. Not missing a beat, she continues. "Past all thought of right or wrong, one final question." Her hands touch my back and I stop playing, deciding in that moment to go along with whatever was going to happen next. To my utmost shock and surprise, Julia continues the song acapella. "How long should we two wait before we're one?!" She moves her hands up my back and I move my hands up to meet hers. As our hands entwine, I feel my body start trembling. Either she doesn't notice or is going along with it, but regardless, Julia doesn't miss a beat. She guides our hands in the motions in perfect alignment with the song. "When will the blood begin to race, the sleeping bud burst into bloom?" As she finishes the verse, she brushes the left side of her face against the right and bring our arms across my body. "When will the flames at last consume us?" She pretends to run away and I grab her hand. She isn't fighting me for some reason. Our voices are in unison now as we finish the song. "Past the point of no return, the final threshold! The bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn!" She lets go of my hand and starts shaking. I approach her and the last line takes on a more subdued meaning for both of us. "We've passed the point of no return." We are now facing each other and I turn my back. My gut feeling told me to go for it, so as I start to turn around, I sing those haunting words. "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Lead, me save me from my solitude." I turn to face her, and the look on her face told me that I made the right call. I walk towards her and continue. "Say you want me with you here, beside you." Taking her hands in mine, I start pleading with her. "Anywhere you go, let me go too. Christine, that's all I ask of....." What she does next catches me off guard, since I expect her to pretend to rip the mask off. Instead, she moves her face up to mine, and our lips meet, sending chills down my spine. She lets go of my hands and standing up on her toes, she wraps her arms around my neck. My arms wrap around her waist and the room goes quiet.

(Julia's Point of View, Christine Daae).

I am at a loss for what to think right now. As I sing each note, I can feel my connection to Steven growing stronger by the second. And I am also shocked that my voice hasn't lost strength yet, knock on wood. Taking a deep breath, I enter the second verse of my part. "I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why! In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining defenseless and silent. And now I am here with you, no second thoughts. I've decided, decided. Past the point of no return, no going back now. Our passion play has now at last begun!" What I do next was a risk I was willing to take, hoping his reaction would be what I wanted it to be. I start acting out the motions of the song, including where I put my foot on the bench and my hands on the base of Steven's back. "Past all thought of right or wrong, one final question." Surprisingly, Steven plays along, causing him to stop playing the piano. But that doesn't stop me from continuing the song, even if it is acapella. "How long should we two wait before we're one?!" I move my hands up Steven's back and am surprised but happy to see his hands ready to entwine with mine. For some reason, Steven is trembling, but I know deep down it's going to be ok. I continue the song, doing the motions in sync with the lyrics. "When will the blood begin to race, the sleeping bud burst into bloom?" I brush the right side of his face with the left side of mine as I finish the verse strong, bringing our arms across his body. "When will the flames at last consume us?" I break free of his grasp, and as I pretend to run away, he takes my hand and we finish the song in unison. "Past the point of no return, the final threshold! The bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn!" I let go of his hand and we mutter those fateful words. "We've passed the point of no return." We are facing each other and I look up as Steven turns away from me. I stand motionless as he starts to turn back towards me, singing the most haunting words in the whole show. I feel my face get hot but I react with shock when he does turn around. "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Lead me save me from my solitude." He starts walking towards me and my heart starts pounding. He takes my hands and continues, his voice pleading. "Say you want me with you here, beside you." I look up at him and he finishes "Anywhere you go, let me go too. Christine, that's all I ask of....." Something inside me snaps and I raise my face up to his, standing on my toes. Our lips meet, my hands release his and my arms wrap around his neck. To my shock and happiness, his arms wrap around my waist and the serene silence I had hoped for envelops the room.