The Phantom Returns...
THE PHANTOM RETURNS
The Tale...
Hearts Divided…
My story begins with two young lovers. A nobleman who has escaped death at the hands of an Opera Ghost and a frightened girl who has fled a dark love offered from the wounded heart of a Phantom. These two are married now; and with their new roles, they struggle to find their place in Raoul’s privileged world of the aristocracy. Christine tries to fulfill her title as the new Vicomtesse and ignore the disquieting emptiness in her heart since leaving the Phantom, while her husband experiences the unforeseen trials of marrying a common girl of no title and battles the growing discord in his soul. Or perhaps they struggle, because they both know without any proof given, that the Phantom of the Opera did not die that night in his lair; that their star-crossed story is not yet over. That he is somewhere out there, watching and waiting...for his second chance with Christine.
“A favor, you say?” The Phantom pushed away from his desk and began to circle Christine. He placed his fingertip on his temple as if in great deliberation. “Now let me see…I could teach you to sing and give wings to your soul. No! That is simply not good enough.”
Christine stared straight ahead, trembling.
The Phantom stopped in front of her. “I have it! I shall create a school of music to honor your beloved father and yourself. No, no…that is not acceptable either.” He resumed circling. “This is certainly a difficult endeavor, Vicomtesse. But wait! Perhaps if I ventured into the hell of my own soul and forged a better man from that hell for want of your love, that would be considered a great favor?” The Phantom shook his head as if in immediate negation of the notion. “I am very close right now, I can feel it…”
Stalking over to his desk, he pulled open a tiny drawer from which he withdrew a sharp, jeweled dagger. “Ah.” He brought the dagger to Christine and held it out like an offering. She flicked her nervous gaze from the shiny blade to his grim features. The Phantom took her hand and closed it around the handle of the dagger. He did not let his touch linger. “I now understand what it is you need. Giving you my heart wasn’t good enough…you would like to carve it out of my chest!”
“Stop it!” Christine dropped the dagger and let it clatter to the floor. “Stop it…please.”
The Truth of the Matter…
“We are all capable of great light or great darkness, no matter if you possess the face of an angel or the mask of a demon. There are circumstances beyond our control that can draw out an evil within ourselves; one that we never knew existed. But in the end, there is always hope for redemption.” Madame Giry
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Copyright 2007. Stefanie Cole. All rights reserved.
And for those of you with an unquenchable thirst for more PHANTOM...Please visit my friend Sadie Montgomery's website at: http://ms.sadiemontgomery.googlepages.com/home
An incredible four novel saga of Erik and Meg!
Other phantastic POTO Appreciation sites! ~ 
http://angel-of-music.net ~
http://www.phantomgerry.net ~
http://www.phantomoftheopera.com ~
http://www.phantoms-opera.com~
http://www.gerardbutlergals.com ~
http://thefanlists.com/mask/ ~
www.gerardbutler.net ~
http://ever-yours.net/erik/ ~
