Apollo's Lyre: Tatiana's Narrative Ends

 In the following game it will be up to you whether you all survive or not. Be careful. Erik is master of illusions and a clever genius. Things are often not what they appear to be. Stay alert. If you are not familiar with the story of Phantom of the Opera, reading the book by Gaston Leroux might be wise. Erik may or may not follow the book exactly, but it will help a great deal in having an idea of how he thinks. Listen to Tatiana; she knows Erik better than any of you. But don't blindly obey everything she says. She's a jealous creature and highly protective of Michael. She may mislead you, especially if she thinks you are coming between her and Michael or Erik.
 With this knowledge decide now if you are capable of playing Erik's game.
 If you stay, be warned: you must play to the very end!
Good luck as you defeat Erik's Opera House Nightmare or die trying. And that's a distinct possibility.

Tatiana eyes you suspiciously as you look over the edge of the roof wondering about possible ways out. Only one comes to mind, but it's a long drop to the ground below.
Tatiana seems to read your thoughts. "Jumping off the roof isn't a good idea. You wouldn't survive the fall."
 "We won't survive this insane game anyway," Michael says. "so what difference does it make?"
 The little fairy bristles. "If Erik says there is one way out, there will be one way out. If he says we have a chance to beat the game, we will have a chance. Erik is a lot of things, but a liar isn't one of them."
 "Of course," he says, the doubt in his voice evident. "Tatiana, how many exits are there?"
 She shrugs. "I'm not sure. I don't generally use the conventional methods of the getting around. Besides you haven't been up here before and so I've never gotten up here through the Opera before."
 Michael stares at her for a moment. "You're going to explain that comment later," he says shaking his finger at her.
 Timidly, you approach Michael. "Maybe we should come up with a plan."
 He gives you a faint smile and you think you're going to faint. "Good idea," he says. "Now, Erik said we could either stay together or split up. There's strength in numbers, but Erik can't keep track of all of us if we separate. Tatiana, what's your opinion?"
 The fairy girl tilts her head charmingly to the side. "You're right in your assumptions, but if you two humans split up, well, Erik can just kill you easily. If you stay with me, I can protect you to some extent-"
 "So we should stay together," Michael interrupts.
 She turns her blue eyes on him. "I'm only one girl. I've had a hard enough time trying to keep up with you all these years. I can't do everything. I suggest that you and I go together and my friend goes alone."
 Michael looks at her through narrow eyes. "A decoy," she says defensively. "You said yourself that Erik can't keep track of us if we split up, and there's strength in numbers. While she keeps Erik busy, we can be finding a way out and come back to get her later."
 "It might work," he says thoughtfully," No, it's too dangerous. I don't mean to sound sexist," he says apologetically to you, " but you're no match for Erik. However, it is your choice."


        If you ignore the jealous fairy go to #5
       If you follow Tatiana's advice and go on your own, continue reading:

You decide to go along with Tatiana and say good bye to Michael, who wishes you good luck. You set off with your head held high, but you don't feel very confident. You've always wanted to meet Erik and try to show him that if you had been Christine you would not have left him. However, this wasn't exactly how you planned on doing that. All alone, you begin to get scared. maybe Tatiana was wrong. Maybe you should go back before it's too late.


                  If you run back to Michael, go back to number #5.
                 If you brave the unknown, keep reading:

 You decide to continue on, not wanting to look like a child in front of Michael, though you can't help wishing you had him to protect you. Soon you realize you have a problem. You have no idea what to do or where to go. You've never been to Paris before, much less the roof of the Opera. The only sounds you can hear are the sounds of the night; you can't hear Michael or see Tatiana's light anymore. Shivering against the biting cold, you sit at the foot of Apollo's Lyre too confused and worried to admire the beauty of a Parisian night. Your head is filled with heart breaking sighs; whether they're Erik's or yours you're not sure. You look up, thinking you hear the rustling of wings above you. You see nothing but blackness covering Apollo's head. You're about to turn away when you see the blackness move. With horror you realize that the blackness is coming towards you. You jump up and turn around to face the statue. The blackness gets close enough to make out a silk cape. You step backwards, once... twice... you're foot slips on the roof's edge. Flailing against air you try desperately to grab onto something, but to no avail. You plummet through the night toward the street below. The blackness stands at the edge watching you fall. Finally, it turns away in search of it's next victim.
 You never find out what happened to Michael and Tatiana, because the next morning your family is burying you in your homeland, while headlines in Paris tell of a foreign girl who committed suicide by jumping from the roof of the Paris Opera House.
 Nice obituary.
                                             The End
 

Erik won! Click on the rose.