Crazy

Christine sat across from Raoul as he read the newspaper. She was sewing and humming. Suddenly, she looked over and saw that Raoul's face was going pale.

''Darling? What is wrong?''

He looked up at her and shook his head.

''Christine, I-I don't know how to tell you this, but-''

''But, what darling?''

She set down her needle and walked over to him. She looked at the headline in the paper and gasped.

Opera ghost is caught and proclaimed to be a madman. Sent to asylum.

''Oh, Raoul!''

She burst into tears and clung to him.

''Christine, it's alright. He was a lunatic!''

Christine looked at him in disbelief.

''How can you say that, Raoul?''

''What are you talking about? He was a lunatic! You would have to be crazy to love that monster!''

With that, Christine struck him across the face.

''I'm going to him!''

She stormed out the door and grabbed her coat. She ran outside and ran down the path to the gate. She opened it and started ot run down the road. She didn't care about anything else right now. She kept running until she was outside the asylum. She ran inside and up to the front desk.

''I need to see Erik!'' she yelled. The man looked at her confused. ''The man with the deformity. He was just sent here.''

The man nodded and told her that she could see him in a private room if she wished. He told another one of the men to escort her to his room. When she got to the room, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her angel of music was curled up on the floor, sobbing. This wasn't her angel. He looked so weak and helpless. The man went inside and told him that he had a visitor.

''Why the hell would anyone want to see this monster?'' he hissed. Christine almost started tocry when she heard him. Erik got up and the man took him outside and into a different room. Then, he told Christine that she could come in. She found Erik sitting in a chair, with his arms chained to the ground. She ran over and sat in the chair across from him. He looked up and she could see the pain and hurt in his eyes.

''What are you doing here?''

''Erik. What have they done to you?''

''Wouldn't you like to know.''

''I'm sorry for what I did to you. Please...forgive me...I can help you.''

''No you can't! You hate me and so does everyone else!''

He got up from the chair and tried to break the chains. Christine got up and walked towards him.

''What has become of my angel?''

''No one cares about me! I hate the world! It never treated me with kindness or compassion!''

Christine continued to walk towards him and he didn't move. She moved closer and kissed him fully. He wrapped his arms around her. A guard came walking in and stopped them.

''I'm sorry, but there will be none of that.''

Suddenly, Erik grabbed Christine and held a chain up to her neck.

''There is if I say there is! Don't come any closer to me or I'll kill her!''

The guard ran out and called for the other's to come over. Several men came rushing in and one of them told Erik to drop the chain. Christine started to breathe heavily and Erik kissed her neck.

''I love you.'' he whispered in her ear. He let go of the chain and Christine moved away. Several men ran over and held him down, while another man injected him with a needle. Christine ran back over to him as the men walked away. He fell to his knees and collapsed. She pulled him up onto her lap and held him. She stroked his hair and sang to him. The guards told her that she had to leave, but she told them that she knew how to keep him from having these outbursts. They shrugged and left, willing to give it a shot. She continued to sing to him until he woke up, a half hour later.

''Christine?''

''Shhhh, I'm here.''

She brushed back a few stray hairs and continued to hold him on her arms. He sat up and started to cry.

''Christine...I...'' he choked out. ''Why did you want to see me? You don't love me. You love the boy.''

''No, I don't. He wasn't what I thought he was. He's heartless.''

Erik leaned over and kissed her head.

''I missed you, Christine.''

Christine kissed him and then kissed his shoulder.

''I missed you too.'' she mumbled into his shirt. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist.

''Christine, I can escpape and then, we can both be happy. We can go far away from here and start a new life together. We can go to Rome or anywhere we want. Oh, Christine.''

He kissed her and she could only stare at him. She thought about it for a moment. Then, she smiled.

''Alright, we'll do it.''

Erik smiled and took her hands in his.

''Alright, Christine, but first, I need you to run some errands for me. First, I need you to go back to the opera house and get some of our things. It dosen't matter how long it takes. Then, I need you to get my money. It's in my desk with all of the papers on top of it. Then, I need you to wait for me outside the opera house. I will...get a carriage for us. Don't worry, I will get out fine.''

They went over the plan some more and Christine did as she was told. She kissed him and left. First, she headed to the opera house and gathered some of their things. She found Erik's mask and took it with her. She grabbed her wedding dress and her veil. She grabbed some of Erik's music and she grabbed the money he told her to get. She brought it all up and waited outside the opera house until it was dark. When a carriage pulled up, Christine grabbed everything and ran over to it. Erik was sitting on the carriage bench. He jumped down and helped her put their things inside. Then, Christine got in and Erik closed the carriage door behind her. He hopped back up onto the carriage bench and they started off. Christine started to fall asleep and she leaned against the seat and fell asleep. When Christine woke up, it was morning. She yawned and stretched her arms. The carriage came to a stop and she heard Erik jump down. He opened her door and helped her out. She looked around. There were outside a small house. It was beautiful. Erik took her inside. He led her out back and she found that there was a small garden.

''Oh, Erik.''

He held her hands and she looked at him. Her eyes were filled with amazement.

''I knew you would love it.''

''Oh, it's so beautiful! Is this place yours?''

''Yes, it was to be...never mind. The point is that we're happy.''

He held Christine in his arms and rocked her. She pulled away and started to run across the grass.

''Catch me if you can!''

He laughed and chased her around. He caught her and placed small kisses down her neck. She laughed and they both went back to the house to unpack their things from the carriage.

That night, it rained. Lightning lit the sky and thundered outside the little house. Christine sat on the sofa and watched the rain drip off of the roof. Erik walked into the room and smiled at her. He started a fire in the fireplace and sat down next to her. She leaned against him and hummed as he stroked her hair. They watched the flames in the fire for a few minutes. A loud crash of thunder shook the sky and Christine jumped. She clung to Erik and buried her face in his shirt. He stroked her hair and told her it was just thunder. Christine felt alittle childish for being so afraid. Erik told her to wait there. He left for a moment and came back with a violin case. Christine smiled and sat up.

''Erik, where did you get that? I don't remember taking that from your lair.''

He smiled slyly and moved over towards her.

''A magician never reveals his secrets.''

She laughed and he sat down next to her again. He pulled out his violin and started to play. Christine soon felt very tired. The music was putting her to sleep. Erik smiled, knowing the effect of his music on her. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. When he was sure she was sleeping, Erik put away his violin and carried Christine to their bedroom.