From Shadows to Starlight

Intruder

Chapter Twenty-five

“I can’t escape from him, I never will.”--Christine Daae

Intruder



No, it couldn’t be him. She was only seeing things.

He was moving forward, and then he was opening the doors and stepping through into the room.

He’s here, the Phantom of the Opera.

Those haunting eyes were fixed solely upon her. Christine’s heart was racing wildly, she felt weak in the knees, her head felt full of nothing but air.

He was walking slowly towards her, and she was backing away until she hit the wall.

Nowhere to run, nothing she could do…no point in fighting….

Sing once again with me…let the dream begin…now you cannot ever be free!…your chains are still mine, you belong to me!…lead me, save me from my solitude…Christine, I love you…

Every word he’d said, every memory she had of him, all flooded madly into her head at once. She could feel herself trembling all over.

He’d stopped, and was standing just a few feet away from her.

She couldn’t breathe.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. He brought up his hand ever so slowly, reaching out to her. His lips parted, and he said,

“Christine.”

Then the whole world went dark.

Christine opened her eyes. She was lying on the bed in her old room. It had all been a dream. She looked down at herself…she was still wearing that first wedding dress, the one he had given her. Then she looked to her right.

There he was, kneeling by her bedside, watching her.

She gasped and jumped back, quickly moving to the other side of the bed.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said softly. His voice was like velvet. She’d almost forgotten how wonderful it sounded. And how dangerous.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, barely able to get the words out as her heart seemed to pound out of her chest. She desperately tried to understand what was happening…he was here, it was all real, and she’d fainted…

He got to his feet and looked across the room. “I see you’ve found what I left for you,” he said, motioning to the letters and the single red rose.

“Yes, I found them. Now please, tell me, why are you here?”

He turned his gaze on her, and this time, she looked him straight in the eyes without faltering. He was no ghost or magical being; he was just a man, every bit as human as herself, and she knew it better than anyone. He was not as strong as everyone thought, but he could be dangerous. She stared back at him, trying not to flinch as his eyes seemed to burn straight through her. How did he do that?

“Why do you think?” he asked her.

“I…I don’t know…how did you get in?”

“I’m me.” Oh, yes he was. Every trace of that weak, sad, desperate man she’d left behind in the Paris underground was gone, and now he looked as dashing and mysterious as he had the first night she’d seen him. “Come now, did you really think those iron walls could keep me out?”

“No…but…I thought you were gone. I didn’t think you’d really come back.”

“Neither did I.” His eyes shone with longing.