In the Presence of an Angel (Phantom of the Opera Fanfiction)

Chapter 9- An Unexpected Visit

Chapter 9- An Unexpected Visit

Christine's first day of training at Sonic was hectic and she felt clumsy more than half the time, but apparently her new manager thought it went well.

In fact, the manager gave her a schedule at the end of the shift which indicated that she would be working frequently. Six days in a row, to be exact.

After only two of the next six days had passed, Christine found that she was so exhausted that all she could do was collapse on the couch in the apartment after her shift and sleep.

All too quickly, though, it was 3:45 pm the next day and she was heading out the door to drive to work again.

Christine arrived in uniform ready to perform her duties, which consisted of running food back and forth to cars. Sonic wasn't like other fast-food restaurants. Instead of having a drive-thru, people parked their cars in designated spaces, ordered, and waited for their orders to be personally brought out to them.

Perhaps it was a nice change for the customers, but for the workers it was twice as strenuous.

"Hey there, new girl," one of the workers, Marie, greeted when Christine entered the small building.

"Hi," Christine replied, her tone sounding shy next to her comfortable co-worker's.

"Ready for your third day?"

"Yeah, definitely."  She tried sounding as cool as Marie. She didn't want to seem unprepared.

Marie smiled deciding she liked the new girl's stamina. "Well, the next one's yours."

And all too soon the real work began.

Erik had driven through the Sonic parking lot every day since his phone call with Christine. Morning, afternoon, and night, he would drive by searching for her. One day she worked a morning shift, the next a night shift, and the next an afternoon shift. The frequency in shifts and the variance in times concerned Erik, for he had a feeling she was exhausted.

He wanted to stop and talk to her each time he passed through the parking lot, but he also wanted to give her time to adjust to the new job.

However, he had a plan in mind and it was time to put it in motion.

It was a Wednesday morning when Erik entered the Sonic parking lot. Eyes sharp, he drove slowly and looked through the fast-food restaurant's windows. She wasn't there, much to his disappointment.

In the afternoon, around 2:00 pm, she wasn't there either. Each time he couldn't see her, he would get more and more agitated. Today was supposed to be the day to surprise her! But, if she wasn't working, there would be no surprise...

And that thought was enough to evoke strange, new, criminal thoughts in Erik's mind.

I will visit her place of work one last time today, and if she is not there... well, there are no limits to the extent I will go to have her close to me.

Around 8:00 that night, Erik drove into the parking lot with a dark smile on his covered face. Even if she wasn't working, it would be a win-win situation for him. It didn't matter where she was because he always had the capability of finding her. Either way, he would be near her tonight. Driving slowly and looking carefully through the lit up windows of the building, Erik noticed three females, one male. Two blondes, and a… brunette!

Christine! He'd found her at last, just as he knew he would! It was clearly destiny. He pulled into a parking space and began the second part of his plan. It was time to place an order.