Quick note: Hi! Thanks for stopping by. My prologue is super ridiculously short, only about 4 pages, but the rest of my chapters are much, much longer. I know that a lot of people will turn away from a story for short chapters so I just wanted to throw that big out there.

Thank you for giving this a chance, I have been told by multiple people that you won't regret it.

Prologue

"There are creatures who have strayed from some unknown region of haunted woods and perilous wilds. They dress like us, pretend they belong to mankind, profess to keep our laws and code of morals,
but in their presence we are always are that they are phantoms and that their ideas and actions are out of key with the general pitch and tone of normal life.

Though they seem sinister in nature due to their grim reaper likeness it is still unknown who or what these creatures are. Few reports, if any, have surfaced of them bringing death or sorrow to anyone but, on the contrary, never have I heard of someone getting a good feeling from them.

I would like to say to anyone who has seen these 'shadow people' that it is a worldwide phenomenon and though you may not be in any danger there is a reason they have taken an interest in you."

- Nadir Khan.
National Paranormal Research Convention.
May 23, 2009.

Christine Daaé slowed her car to a stop next to the all too familiar field and rolled up her windows. She had grown a bit nervous during her drive and thought that the cool air on her skin might have provided her some relief. She was wrong. It instead had just made her look almost as disheveled as she felt and the damp feeling in the air had made her skin feel like a sticky mess.

She pushed her sunglasses up on her head to hold her hopeless hair away from her face and quickly reapplied a clear lip balm to her lips. She wanted to blame the dryness of her mouth on dehydration and not on her nervousness but unfortunately she knew better. She had been dreading this moment since she had made her decision a month ago. She wasn't exactly sure what had made her wait until the last minute to tell him but here she was, out of time.

She ran a quick hand through her hair in an attempt to reclaim control over her nearly unruly dark curls and glanced at the clock.

6:43pm.

Perfect. Sunset was due at 7:23 and he wouldn't want her out here after dark. It was getting pretty cloudy anyway and the prospect of spending hours on the grassy hill pleading her case to deaf ears in the rain didn't seem exceptionally pleasing to her.

It was going to be hard, she had no doubt about that, but she knew that she needed to be strong and do what was right.

With a steadying breath she opened her car door and stepped outside. Almost involuntarily her eyes swept to her right and she saw him immediately. It was ridiculous how the sight could still stir up the butterflies in her stomach so easily even after being stuck in this situation for what seemed like forever.

It's okay, she told herself, it'll all be over soon.

She kept her eyes downcast as she began that desolate walk that she had come to despise. She had memorized the names etched in the stone slabs that outlined her way to their meeting place a long time ago and had often wondered if anyone ever came to visit them. There were never any flowers or mementos, she had never even seen another person on her numerous visits, it was always just the two of them. It was unbelievably dreary and she knew that if it wasn't for his presence she never would have been able to endure it.

She glanced up and her mouth formed a timid smile as she reached him. He stayed as cold and still as ever. The tension and anxiety within her was back and stronger than ever and it took all of her courage to continue on, to do what she needed to do.

"Hey," she kneeled down and took her normal spot on the grass, "sorry for not getting here sooner, traffic was kind of crazy." The only sound that met her ears was that of a bird off in the distance somewhere practicing it's song. "I know that I should have been here sooner but some things have come up recently that I've had to take care of."

She paused, he remained silent.

"My father," she began again, "he's not doing very well. He fell the other day. The doctors say that the Parkinson's is progressing, that he's moved in to the next stage or something. They've tried so many medications and therapies but there's really not much that they can do. He can't live on his own anymore and they don't know how long he has left."

Nothing.

She took a deep breath, it was now or never.

"I have to go and take care of him." Her words quickened along with her heartbeat. "My father needs me and I need to be there. What kind of daughter would I be if I stayed in New York while he was laying in a bed in some nursing home alone with no one to even visit him? If I go back then I can take care of him at home. He'll be more comfortable and... and..."

She had been hoping for more time before her tears came.

"It's been six months!" The words were bitter on her tongue as her emotions overwhelmed her. "It's been six months and nothing, nothing has changed! It's not getting any easier and everywhere I look I'm reminded of you and us and..." she angrily swiped at the tears running down her cheek. "I can't do this anymore. It's not good for me. I need a change of scenery. I need something to focus on that isn't you!"

Silence.

She took a deep breath and willed herself to settle down.

"I know that you see this as running away," she said quietly, "I know that you're disappointed and that you probably think that this is a mistake but I need to do what is best for me. I can't keep living in the past and staying here is forcing me to do that. Maybe I'll come back someday but right now... I can't stay here anymore."

She looked down at the delicate diamond ring that had adorned her finger for the better part of the past year. She knew that this was going to be the most difficult part of this entire evening. She remembered the exact moment he had given it to her, everything had been so perfect. She had never seen his face light up the way that it had when she had managed to mutter a quiet 'yes' through her tears moments before he swept her in to his arms and off of her feet.

It was amazing how so much could change in a matter of moments.

She took a deep breath as she wrapped her fingers around the band of white gold and gently removed it from her person. She could not bear to look at it. Tears fell from her eyes with renewed vigor as she bent forward and met her lips to the cold marble slab that bore his name in a gentle kiss.

"I love you, Erik." She whispered as she let her forehead rest against the headstone and gently placed the ring on its base. "I always will."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she slowly stood and began the short walk back to her car. She was so wrapped up in her grief that she never noticed the dark figure emerge from the tree line not ten yards away as it quickly swept up her engagement ring before returning to its place in the shadows.