I am once again attempting a modern retelling of Phantom of the Opera, except with a twist in the story. I'm trying to make it dark and horrific and all, and hopefully, it shall be a success as my second Phanfic! I kind of in a way got the idea behind all of this from the 1989 movie of Phantom of the Opera starring Robert Englund, because�immorality is so interesting, and I recently had a dream about it, which got me going on this. Also, the title may change depending on where my imagination takes this story, so don't go and start flipping out for the horrid name.

I hope that this will work out, and I am still looking for good, well-rounded constructve criticism. I am still new here, and learning all the writing techniques off of the best authors and authoresses here. But PLEASE Review, I don't get many, but I am aiming very high for this dark retelling. Thank you for reading as well! Cookies for those who will review on the first chapter!

Thanks,

ThePhantomsFlutist

Eternal Music

Chapter 1:

Nightmare

"Christine," Erik's soft voice was behind me, his face in my thin curly hair.

"Yes?" I reply, inhaling deeply the strange scent of his skin, I closed my eyes, wanting to remember this moment forever.

"I love you." Is his reply. I opened my eyes back up, to see him looking at me in a careful way. I look for the few words to reply back, and it's difficult. I don't want him to love me but yet I do. I don't ever want it to be deeper, I'm not in love with him, but I do love him. It's strange, how you can hate and adore a person. Opposites usually don't react.

"I know you do." I said, looking away from him. He put himself back into my view, with his new white mask being hold into place on his face. He looked as if he was thinking again, looking away from me for the slightest second then came back to my gaze again.

"D-do you love me, Christine?" He questioned nervously. It's a question that is rarely hard to answer. What am I going to do, say no to this broken man's face, and leave him in pain? I do love him, but not the way he loves me.

"Yes." I whispered, very quietly. Erik's face brightened. I didn't have time to smile, but I made the wrong choice. He got something from his pocket, and placed my hand into his. He produced a plain golden ring, and placed it onto my fourth finger. My expression twisted with horror and shock.

"Tonight, then, you shall be my bride." My eyes widened... horrified. I tried getting the ring off but it was stuck there... forever.

"No." I whispered under my breath, tears were rolling down my face. The masked man only stood there laughing, as I tried getting it off. "Help!" I screamed, and all traces of hope left my body.

My eyes opened to the dark bedroom, my very own fortunately. It was only a nightmare, nothing more. It had never even happened to me before... or at least I don't think it has. I've had the same exact dream for the past three days, ever since I found a plain gold ring lying about on the street. I thought it was very pretty, and I put it in my coat pocket never to be touched again. I was thinking about selling it, but I am reluctant, considering this strange dream.

I rolled over to look at my alarm clock, which read six o' clock in the morning. I groaned. I'm not tired anymore, thanks to the dream. I'm just scared it'll come back again to haunt me. I turned to the other side to see Meg on the couch snoring loudly, with her mouth open. She's a really pretty girl, with her ebony hair, and a picturesque face, but when she's sleeping it's just the opposite. The television was still turned on from watching a horror movie until just four hours ago. Perhaps that was was where the dream came from. I don't know.

I got out of the bed, and groggily walked over to the kitchen to pour myself a bowl of cereal.

"Christine?" Meg droned fluttering her eyes open, rolling onto her side still underneath the covers, "Why are you up so early?"

"Bad dream." I simply replied.

"Again?" She murmured turning onto her other side, and looking into the side of the couch, "Is it the same one?" she groaned.

"Yes." I started pouring the milk into the bowl, and got a spoon out of the wooden drawer.

"You might want to see someone about that, if it's the same exact one." She explained tiredly.

"No, Meg. I don't need to see anyone. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of my own dreams, thanks."

"Are you sure it wasn't the horror movie?" She was drifting off again.

"Pretty sure." I assured her. She groaned and didn't say another word. Once I heard snoring again, I guessed she was already asleep again. I finished my cereal within a few minutes, starving. I plopped myself onto the makeshift bed I was using last night, and grabbed the remote, turning the volume on low, to a random show to get my mind off of what happened. If I just forget, maybe it won't come back. Dreams just are in your subconscious mind, once I get that out, then it won't come back. I'll just throw away the ring from my coat pocket, and forget I ever found it. The dreams will go away soon enough.

The rehearsal schedule was on the refrigerator door, telling me that the first practice for the current musical I am in is today. I'm not very good at meeting new people so first days are always my weakest point in being in these productions. Meg is just the opposite of me. She's one of the background dancers, but also my accompanist when it comes to auditions for when I sing. I can't play the piano to save my life... it's just the two-handed thing that gets me and what fingers to use.�I could only play melodies of a few songs, of course, like many. But Meg is a very outgoing person like most of the girls involved with the stage. I just happen to be different ever since my dear father passed away years ago. I don't want to get into detail, it's a very touchy subject, it will ruin my entire day.

What also makes me different from many of the girls, is the main fact that I don't know where I learned to sing. I think it just came naturally, but I sang for my father many times. Many compliment my voice of it's pureness, and how high I can go, but I just think it's quite a normal voice. Like many of the other sopranos I see out there. It's not very likely to see a soprano on the Broadway stage, so I just do concert with a chorus or something, not a big deal, and I don't want to be famous. Meg always asks why, but I don't have an answer, and ignore her.

The way to the theater isn't very long, just an hour or so. It's a very popular theater as well, many of the huge Broadway plays come here to perform, but I'm just in an off-Broadway musical... not anything big. We perform sometimes for schools, and for families. I take it simply as experience, even when the director says to move on.

Days went on like this as usual. I had put the ring into a drawer in my dresser, not to be touched again. I didn't want to throw it away, it's worth something, and I didn't want to sell it. I had no idea what this ring meant to me, but I held onto it. I never said anything to Meg about it, she'll just say throw it away, and I'm not going to, so that�idea is crossed out. My life went on as usual... simply waiting for a change.