The Shadow's Melody || The Phantom of the Opera || Book One

22. Letter of Goodbye

Chapter Twenty Two || Letter of Goodbye

"I'd give all my yesterdays for one more night." - The Longer I Live from Dracula the Musical

Erik

My lover,

I apologize for going so long without a reply. People in the manor and people across the ocean have been keeping me very busy, training me to be their new queen.

Erik, darling, I can't stand it. I don't know if I'll survive an entire reign. And without you in my life I fear that I will end altogether. Once I board that ship I will crumble into a million pieces and be blown away by the wind.

I, too, have feared that our last night together was a dream like the ones I had before we met. To be sure that it wasn't I've made you this. Another drawing of our love story to add to the present I gave you on Christmas. Our last page.

Erik, I love you. Right now imagine that I am in your arms whispering those three words into your ear like I am doing, too. With this letter I send you one last kiss. One last kiss to say good bye.

Yours For Eternity,
Mélodie

December 30th. I forbid the sun to rise and officially make it the 30th. For if the sun rose it would it would be a new day. A new day would mean a day closer to losing Mélodie forever.

I stood up on the roof, hating the new morning rays, wishing time could freeze so Mélodie wouldn't have to leave.

I read her letter again, closing my eyes and imagining just like she said. I tried to pretend that the warmth I felt from the sun was really Mélodie's warmth in my arms. It almost worked. Almost.

It is mid morning now and I couldn't contain my desire to see her. Today will be my last chance since tomorrow, on New Years Eve, she will surely be busy with last minute preparations.

Getting past the guards in broad daylight proved to be much more difficult, but not impossible. Hopping down onto her balcony I peered inside to see if she was alone. After seeing no one I opened the door and stepped inside. Her room smelled like roses and cinnamon. Perhaps she did bathe in the stuff. I touched a petal of one of the roses I had given her, a smile coming to my face at the thought of her keeping them.

Searching her room I found it empty, so I decided to venture out into the manor to find her. Checking the hallway to make sure it was clear I slipped out and made it to behind a curtain. I waited to see if I could spot her. You can imagine my surprise when I saw Violette walk by in a rush with Valentin close in front of her. What is she doing here? A moment later Maurice limped after them, trying hard to keep up. I don't remember that boy limping before.

They went into a room and Valentin checked the hallway before closing the door. Leaving my hiding spot I leaned close to the door but they were too far into the room for me to hear what they were saying.

I heard Valentin's girly voice, "Are you sure?"

There was a few other words before I could sort of make out Violette's, "...and they were there, Monsieur...believe me...her it wasn't safe..."

Then I heard Maurice, "...but she wouldn't show me the way...in one of the rooms...left in the streets..."

I heard Valentin repeat, "And you're sure?"

Violette's voice broke through, "We saw it yesterday, Monsieur."

There was a pause before Violette spoke again, "You must believe us, Monsieur."

Hearing footsteps I vanished behind another curtain. Not thinking too much of what I heard I scouted out the rest of the manor. Mélodie was nowhere to be found.