I want to say that @EkaterinaKittyR gave me the inspiration for this chapter and if she ever writes anything like this chapter, it was first and foremost her idea. She is the best Phanfriend and close friend I could ever wish for. I'm so blessed to call her my friend! 

Love ya, @EkaterinaKittyR! You're the best. 😻😘🌟✨💗😍

Hello all! My gosh, I've already written 18 chapters of this story! Wow....And this is the 19th....Wow

Erik

It was a few days after ll Muto, the Opera House was quiet, peaceful. 

It was late afternoon, and there was nothing to do, I had finished my Opera already and I thought Christine deserved a little break in her training. She worked ever so hard!

That and the fact she was visiting Meg and her mother. 

"Erik, can we do something together? Please?" Christine asked as she came into the room I was sitting in. "Anything, Angel." I looked up from my collection of Edgar Allen Poe to her lovely blue eyes. "Did you have a nice visit with Meg?" I asked. "Yes, it was lovely. We went shopping and then had lunch in the little café down the road. What did you do, if I may ask?" She inquired, setting the parcels I had only just noticed down on the floor. 

"I read a little." 

"Oh? What are you reading?" She asked, coming closer. I held up my book. "Again? Erik, haven't you read that a million times?" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "No, I've only read it...A few...Five hundred times..." I finally sighed. "Erik, try to read other things, you'll make yourself depressed!" She sighed dramatically. "I happen to like Poe." I said defensively. "So do I. But too much of his...interesting point of view may warp your thinking. Please, try and read something else. Perhaps Elizabeth Barrett Browning? I love "How Do I Love Thee." Or maybe Jane Eyre? That is a lovely book! And Little Women, or Pride and Prejudice! Oh Erik, I have a whole list of things you can read! Oh! We can read them together!" Christine was glowing with excitement.

"How about we don't?" I tried. "Pardon?" Christine turned to me with a glare. "You cannot just read Edgar Allen Poe!" She cried. "I've read The Modern Prometheus, too... And I've read Shakespeare's works..." I defended myself. 

"Why haven't you read any of the great romances?" She asked. 

"Look at me, Christine." I said, forgetting she hadn't seen me unmasked. 

"So? So you wear a mask? I do wonder why...But no matter." She said 

"Well, I wear this because I'm not normal. I don't believe that a creature such as myself should indulge in useless fantastical reading that shall only leave me disappointed in life." I explained with a sigh.

"Oh Erik! Everyone deserves to be happy! You must read something more cheerful! I swear you'll feel better!" Christine came closer and hugged me.

"And we will read a nice book together, a play if you like." Christine promised me.

"Fine." I sighed, Christine was so stubborn!

"Do you know my favourite Edgar Allen Poem, Erik?" Christine asked, curled up in my lap.

"No, which one?" I murmured into her hair. 

"I love 'Annabel Lee'." She replied.

"Really? Shall I read it? now?" I questioned. 

"Please."

I could not recall if I had ever read this poem before. I flipped to the beginning of the poem and began to read.

"It was many and many  a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived

Whom you may know, 

By the name of Annabel Lee;

And this maiden; she lived

With no other thought

Than to love and be loved my me...

She was a child, and I was a child 

In the Kingdom by the Sea; 

But we loved with a love

That was more than a love -

I and my Annabel Lee-

That the winged seraphs of Heaven 

Coveted her and me...

And this was the reason that ,

Long ago, in this kingdom by the sea,

A wind blew out of a cloud by night,

Killing my Annabel Lee...

So that her high-born kinsmen came 

And nor her away from me...

To shut her up in a sepulchre

In the kingdom by the sea...

The Angels, not half so happy in heaven

Went envying her and me; 

Yes! That was the reason

(As all men know in this kingdom by the sea), 

That the wind came out of the cloud 

Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee...

But our love it was stronger by far 

than the love

Of those who were older than we-

Of those far wiser than we-

And neither the Angels in Heaven above,

Nor the demons Down under the sea,

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul 

Of the Beautiful Annabel Lee...

For the moon never beams 

Without bringing me dreams

Of the Beautiful Annabel lee;

And the stars never rise,

But I see the bright eyes

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee...

And so all the night tide, I lie down by the side,

Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,

In her sepulchre there by the sea,

In her tomb by the side of the sea..." 

I finished the poem with my eyes...Misting.

Christine had tears in her eyes.

"I always cry to this poem. It's so very beautiful and so haunting...I love it so much." She sniffled.

I did too. 

It  truly was a haunting poem.