Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own plot.

For a moment, I thought Christine was going to choose me as she looked into my eyes. But then she looked back to Erik. As she stared at him, I studied her face. She had a different look in her eyes; it was much more than pity. Even as I was stuck to the iron gate, straining for my life, I felt jealousy. She had a look to her as if she was trying to convince herself that she could live happily with him in his world of sadistic madness and torture. How could she for one moment consider that idea even in as much pressure as she was in? The wicked monster made my poor Christine choose to live in hell or watch her fiancé lose his life right in front of her eyes. The only time she felt any sort of happiness with him was when he sang to her and his sick melodies twisted around her like thorns. His words oozed poisonous venom into her soul until she became a completely different girl. Was my love, my Christine, lost for good? The pain from the ropes digging into my wrists and neck was nothing compared to the hellish agony I felt while watching Christine walk closer to him. It seemed like in a trance like state, how it always was when they were together. He was like a magnet and she was going to be attached to him no matter if she wanted it or not. As she opened her mouth and what followed after, I felt as if it my insides were going to come up my throat and spill out of me.
Pitiful creature of darkness,
what kind of life have you known?
God give me courage to show you,
you are not alone.
She kissed him then like she had never kissed me before. She wanted him to feel every bit of emotion inside of her. It was filled with pure passion, the passion of understanding and acceptance. In that instant, I thought my life was going to be over for sure. He was going to turn his eyes at me while he kissed her, grin wickedly and pull the rope which would then tighten the noose around my neck. I would be out of the way for good and then he would take her away, no more obstacles in their path. But instead of following my vision, he stepped away from her and started crying harder than Christine has been just moments before.
Take her, forget me, forget all of this.
Leave me alone, forget all you've seen.
Go now, don't let them find you,
take the boat, swear to me, never to tell,
the secret you know of the Angel in Hell.
Go now, go now and leave me!
At that moment, all I could feel was shock coursing through my body. Was this really happening? There was no way he was capable of crying, capable of feeling anything but lust for the flesh and need to kill. In just one instant, Christine's look of shock that had matched mine turned to one of determination. She pushed through the water and was at my side in an instant, working at the ropes with much speed. Once I was free, I didn't stop to rub the pain out of my wrists, legs or neck. I pulled Christine over to the Phantom's boat. Before I could get her to step in, she protested to me, "Wait, just a moment Raoul. There is something I must do." With that, she walked back in the direction that he escaped in moments before. Of course I followed her but didn't make my presence known. I saw that monster on his knees in the sorriest that imaginable. He looked up at her like a lost child.
Masquerade, paper faces on parade,
Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you.
Christine, I love you.
As I heard that last line come out of his mouth, I wanted to burst out of my hiding place and strangle him to stop anything else from occurring. But what followed, tore me apart past the limit I thought my body could handle.
Say you'll share with me one love one lifetime,
Say the word and I will follow you.
Share each day with me each night each morning.
Promise me that all you say is true.
Erik, that's all I ask of you.
Before I could scream out in anger and pain, I heard a mob right around the corner screaming for blood thirsty revenge. I knew I just had to get Christine out of here because they might attack her in their confused state of madness. I quickly took her arm. "Christine, hurry my dear, we must go before they get here. It's only a matter of time now until they burst in on us. And when that happens we may be in danger of being hurt or even worse." She just turned to me calmly and let the words flow from her mouth:
Think of me, think of me fondly,
when we've said goodbye.
Remember me, once in a while,
please promise me you're try.
Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade,
They have their seasons so do we.
But please promise me that sometimes,
you will think of me.
"Christine, what are you saying? Surely you're not staying here with that monster are you?" I asked, trying not to break down in tears.
"Yes Raoul, I am, and he's not a monster. I love him, I'm not leaving him here to face that mob alone, or the rest of his life alone for that matter. He needs me and I need him. We are a part of each other now. As if we were connected by a string. We were meant to be together from the beginning of time." she replied. "Go, get out of here before the mob comes. We'll be fine here. We'll have each other."
"I think you're making the biggest mistake of your life Christine. Are you sure you don't want to come back with me? I can give you anything your heart desires. You will have a title." I tried to bribe her to come with him. But clearly it wasn't going to work.
"Do you think I'm so cheap that I would come with you just because you have money and a title? I overestimated you, I thought you were a true gentleman. I guess I was wrong."
"No, I think I overestimated you Christine. I thought you would see this monster for who he is, but evidentially I was wrong. You still think he's your father or your "Angel of Music", or some other such nonsense. When you come to your senses and see the killer behind the mask, I'll be at my house." With that I got in the boat and pushed off; leaving her and Erik standing together, watching for the impending arrival of the mob. That was fine with me! Let the mob go after them both!
Track down this murderer,
He must be found.
Track down this murderer,
He must be found.
I didn't wait to hear what happened next. The rest of the night was passed in a drunken state trying to get rid of the worst pain I had ever felt at that young stage of my life.