Epilogue

Christine looked down at the dirt she held in her plump hand. She felt another hot tear slide down her cheek and released the earth, watching it sprinkle down into the grave of her father. She didn't understand. Her father had always seemed so strong, so infinitely there, and now he just wasn't. "Oh, Papa," she said with a small whimper, feeling water welling behind her eyes again. She fought to stay strong, to be a big girl and make her father proud, but it was impossible. She was broken without him, she needed him. Christine looked around at the surrounding mass of black. She saw so many unfamiliar faces crying and sobbing with a fervor that she could barely comprehend. Who are these people? I never saw Papa with them... why are they here? Finally she saw a familiar face, her truest friend, her last confidante, Raoul. The boy was an impressive 2 years older than she, constantly importing his worldly knowledge on her eager ears, but she was not in the mood today. Christine backed slowly away from the cold woman next to her. The woman said that she was going to find her a new home, but she seemed to struggle for Christine's father had no family or close friends, only his daughter and his violin. The woman was kind, but unaffectionate which was a shock to the little girl who had grown up with forts in the living room and fairy tales in the candle light until the early morning hours... she missed her Papa. She continued to back away until he was on the same level as Raoul, seeking the comfort of her sweetheart. Raoul reached out and pulled her small form into his embrace, he pushed his face into her hair savoring the moment.

"Little Lotte, we'll get through this. I promise you, at least we have each other. Oh Lotte, I am so sorry..." Raoul whispered while rocking her slowly. Christine's little form shook with the sobs she was doing so well to suppress. She wantedtobelieve Raoul but she just could not wrap her head around the fact that her dear Papa, her guardian had left her. She could still remember her last conversation with him. He had seemed so weak but that never lasted. He always came back, he always got better.

"Christine, my darling, you have to listen to me," he whispered through dry lips, "I have to go, my child, I won't be able to stay with you much longer.

"But Papa, why?" she asked with wide eyes, "I need you, you can't leave me, not ever." Her father groaned and turned over in an attempt to look at her more directly,

"My dear, I just had a conversation with God and he told me that he had a special place for me, he said that he needed a new violinist, and Christine, you know I can't say no to God.." she nodded and pretended to understand, fighting hard to stop her tears from spilling over. Gustave Daae was an observant man, however, and he watched as a red tint slowly spread through her eyes, "but God also promised me something, He said that when I got to Heaven I could send someone to look out for you. So this is my promise, I am going to send you an Angel of Music and you will never be alone, you will never be unprotected, do you understand?" She nodded silently again and waited for him to continue. "Christine, I'm going to take a nap now but I'll see you tomorrow, and never forget, I love you more than anything else, and so will the Angel of Music." Christine nodded a final time and then turned to go,

"I love you Papa, I'll see you tomorrow for out singing lesson, sleep well." she said, convincing herself that there was truth in the words. Then she turned her back on the only thing that had ever truly mattered to her and walked from the room forever.

Christine missed the singing lessons she used to have with her father, but most of all she missed his warmth, the way he could turn any terror that she found in the world into joy. She missed the sunshine he used to exude from his presence. She took one last look at the hole in the ground which held her heart and then walked away with the cold woman, leaving Raoul looking after her.

Christine was sitting on the floor of the cold woman's office, starring blankly at the paper in front of her. She was supposed to color, but she couldn't, instead she focused on the words of the cold woman. "Look, Madame, I understand that you have a program at the House that will take young girls and train them in the arts..." there was a pause, "yes she's seven but she'll be eight soon... she has no family, no relations, she has no where to go, plus this is what her father would have wanted... I understand that she is a bit young but please I am desperate... Oh thank you Madame, yes I will bring her to the Opera Populaire this Monday. Thank you so much, Madame Giry, you won't regret this." The cold woman hung up the phone and strode over to the girl on her floor, "Come along we need to get you packed." she said with a cold smile that did not reach her eyes. Christine looked at her for a moment and then followed her out of the room without a word. Christine knew what this meant, she was leaving, forever. She would never return to this place, she would never see Raoul again, she would be free of the memories that haunted this place, this town. She was a mixture of bittersweet feelings about her loss of Raoul and the freedom from the painful reminders this place offered.

Christine never got to say goodbye to Raoul, but she felt in her heart that she would see him again someday, her heart was wrong. Raoul would remain a happy childhood memory that Christine would cherish but rarely dwell on. However, on her ride to the world famous opera house Christine thought only of Raoul and her father, then the high arching doorways in tones of gold and beige complete with pillars and mulch-faceted windows stole her complete attention. She would be living here? She thought in wonder. She let out a loud breath and took the first step into her new life.