Cast:
Erik: Ray
Christine: Amanda
Nadir Khan: Merlyn
Ayesha: Patch
Text: Amanda
Proof Reader: David
Person making sure Ray behaved: David
Note: Ray and Amanda play their respective characters for different small theatre companies. The conversation that exists between them is © to both them.
Of all the Angels
Nadir Khan rubbed his hands as he approached the lair, it was very cold, and the lake made it even more so. The door was open a little so he did not bother to knock, as the door swung open Christine and Erik stood up from the couch, both a little red and flustered.
Erik looked at him and frowned, "Nadir! What are you, pray, doing here?" he was clearly annoyed at the interruption and curious as to how Nadir got past his siren. Christine stood up and smoothed out her dress, her hair had fallen out of its pins and she tucked it behind her ears trying to look as natural as possible.
"Erik, I think you should think about the situation more carefully," Nadir told him, he looked Christine up and down so that it was apparent what he was talking about, Christine looked rather confused and looked at Erik for an explanation.
Erik, suddenly realising his shirt was gaping open took to doing it up, his powerful fingers working in the awkward buttons easily, "What situation! It is you, my dear daroga, who should think more carefully, do you wish to be killed"? He asked, tucking his shirt in and generally smartening himself.
"No, but I…" Nadir made an effort to explain himself but before he could finish Erik interrupted him with a wave of his hand, Nadir sighed and wished that just for once Erik would listen to him.
"Exactly, Nadir, so please keep away from my home." Erik told him simply, turning his eyes back to Christine, but seeing Nadir had not left he said angrily, "Go away, Nadir". However, Christine had decided that even if Erik did not wish to be hospitable to their guest she would be.
"Oh Erik let him stay, would you care for a drink Nadir"? Nadir shook his head and sat down, Erik knew he was not leaving.
Erik folded his arms and said under his breath, "I was rather hoping for a quiet night in, but Noo...."
"Oh don't be so grumpy"! Christine scolded him, Nadir smiled at Erik being told what to do but stopped when Christine turned her glare to him.
Erik smiled wickedly, and looking at Nadir proclaiming "I rather think that dear Nadir Khan, is either jealous or slightly sick minded...."
"Erik! I resent that accusation, I am certainly NOT jealous! I am not in the least bit interested in Christine" Nadir told him, pounding a clenched fist on his hand.
"Gentlemen…Please!" Christine made an effort to stop them arguing but she knew that neither of them could just leave it and it would end in tears.
"Oh I think you are Nadir, any man who is not attracted to Christine is a little bit…"Erik's sentence fizzled out at Christine threw him a warning look. "Sorry" he muttered, fiddling with his lapel.
"Christine, would you like to hear some funny stories about when Erik was in Persia?" Nadir asked with a smirk, this was sure to annoy Erik.
"If they are not in bad taste and will not cause you to argue, Oui" Christine thought that maybe if they talked about times they had been together they would not argue, how wrong she was.
"Nadir! Don't you dare!" Erik warned.
"Erik, it's up to Christine whether she wants to hear them," he said with an evil grin, "Christine, you are aware that Erik is afraid of spiders?" he said with relish.
"I am NOT!" Erik said in an unusually high pitched voice which suggested he was lying.
Christine smiled, "I didn't…. Oh how sweet" Erik turned very red and muttered something in Persian.
"Language Erik! Oh yes, very much so. The reasoning behind this is very amusing. Sometimes in Persia, he was known to sleep in just his underwear; there are many spiders out there, large ones, as big as your hand m'selle." He smiled at Erik, "one night Erik awoke to find a very LARGE spider climbing up his leg." Nadir bit his lip and tried not to laugh.
"Nadir..." Erik said pleadingly.
"What Erik? If Christine is going to live with you, she must know what you are afraid off" Nadir said with apparent innocence and a smile at Christine.
Christine nodded, "pay him no attention monsieur-he is not in the most pleasant of moods, please continue."
"Just embarrassed I think" Nadir said, still making every effort not to laugh.
"Well would you be in a pleasant mood if your friend were telling everyone your fears?" Erik fiddled with his buttons nervously. "I am not embarrassed!" he maintained, very red at this point and clearly lying.
"Erik, you know, playing with yourself is not a good idea in front of a woman, oh and Erik, don't lie." He smiled, "back to the story. So Erik awoke, and all we heard was a shout, and running in, we found Erik trembling as this LARGE spider (which was in reality only about as big as your ring) was walking up his leg."
Christine put a hand on Erik's knee, "Oh you poor dear" she said softly.
"I am not playing with myself; I am just checking the buttons! And, I am not lying! And, please, the spider was about as big as my hand."
"Erik, the spider was SMALL!" He showed how small the spider was with his fingers, very small indeed. "You are embarrassed; Aww, it's good that you have someone who won't laugh at your fear." He said now laughing loudly.
Erik looked at Christine and blushed. "Nadir...." he glared at him. "And no the spider was not that small! I believe you are getting confused with your...." he was stopped by Christine squeezing his knee hard, leaving his sentence open.
"Excuse me, Erik, unless you have been looking you REALLY should not know that." Christine had folded her arms and turned away.
"Nadir, it's painfully obvious! Where else would you have got a measurement that small from?"
Nadir scowled, "You are just jealous, I will punch you if I have too."
Christine stood up, "PLEASE!"
"You would not dare!" Erik said, getting up too.
Christine stood in front of Erik and put a hand on his chest, "Erik no!"
"Erik, I don't like Christine, she's not...well.... Nice looking enough for me, I would dare!"
Erik sat down again, then realised what he had just said, he stood up slightly wobbly in fury, "HOW DARE YOU SAY CHRISTINE IS NOT GOOD LOOKING!"
"Don't get me involved with this!" Christine snapped, "Just STOP fighting you are like children!" she told both of them.
"We are not fighting." Erik told her, Christine had by this time had enough and elbowed Erik to make him sit back down.
Erik clutched at himself, and said in a slightly higher voice "ooff!" he sat back down and winced, "owww!"
'Grow up! The pair of you'! Christine demanded.
"Ouch! M'selle, that hurts you know!" Nadir looked at Erik and laughed, "Erik it can't have hurt that much!"
Christine glared at Nadir; "it will hurt you too in a moment"
"I'll be good," Nadir told her, but Christine did not look too assured.
"Owww.... For your information Nadir, that hurt a lot! Christine - why did you elbow me?" He mumbled about women not understanding how much it hurt and so on.
"Don't dare ask me why I elbowed you when a moment ago you were standing there arguing."
"Christine, but why did you have to get me where it hurts most?" he asked pathetically.
Christine kissed his cheek by way of apology, "If you can't behave like a gentleman you don't deserve to be treated like one!" she told him.
"It does indeed hurt, but Erik, you deserved it!" Nadir said, risking himself being hit but luckily, both Christine and Erik overlooked it.
"I did not! Considering...er...no, I had better not say. What do you mean that I can't behave like a gentleman?" he asked.
Christine groaned, "why do I bother? Okay...go ahead... Get yourself hit-see if I'll nurse you!"
Nadir laughed, "Nadir would not dare hit me anyway!" Erik proclaimed.
"Maybe I'd better go, you seem to be having a bit of a lovers tiff" he smiled.
"Good! You were not invited anyway" Erik mumbled.
"I would hit you!"
"Ha! No you would not!" Erik said certainly. Christine sat down to watch them; she shook her head disapprovingly. Nadir punched Erik in the stomach, Erik doubled up, and turned very pale, he was nearly sick.
"Erik, you did ask for it" Nadir said patting him on the back.
Christine ran to him and put an arm round him, she told him not to speak. "Christine.... I think I am...
"Ah..." Christine looked very concerned despite having told him only a few moments ago that if he went and got himself hit she would not nurse him, she grabbed a large bowl and handed it to him "here...just take deep breaths" she said softly.
"I think I'll leave..." Nadir said looking at the shade of green Erik was going.
Erik was sick, Christine sat with him and looked up at Nadir, "oh no you will not" she told him.
Erik looked up, "sorry" he mumbled and was sick again.
"Shhh…Don't worry…." Christine said soothingly.
"I must take my mask off," he said, choking as he tried not to be sick again.
"Need some help"? Christine asked him.
"Please don't worry Nadir, please stay," he said looking up, and was sick all over Christine. She thrust the bowl back at him and glared at Nadir, "Sorry" he said to Christine meekly and allowed her to help him off with the mask.
"Erik.... Don't worry about Nadir he's staying."
Nadir looked away, "I will not look whilst you remove it, Erik," he said reassuringly.
Christine took off the mask and smiled, "that better"?
Erik was crying now "yes, thank you, please don't look, Christine, please."
Christine rubbed his back a little, "shhh…." Nadir sat back trying not to look at Erik, Christine did not avoid looking at him because she felt was rude to ignore someone in such a way, and really had not even thought of not looking or being scared until Erik had asked her not to look.
"I'll get you a glass of water, really Erik I am sorry," Nadir apologised.
"It was my fault" Erik said sadly, wiping his eyes, "Christine, I am sorry that I was Er...sick on you" Erik said embarrassed.
Christine shook her head and said it did not matter, she put her hand to his forehead to see is he was hot.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he yelled, and Christine pulled her hand back in surprise.
"Erik, calm down…." She said quietly
"Look, I will go, and Er...come back later." Nadir told them, placing Erik's glass of water on the table next to him.
"No-you will go for a walk to calm down-then come back," Christine told him. Erik picked up the glass but his hands were trembling and as he took it, it spilled down his trousers.
"Yes, I will.... I'll...I'll be back later, Erik, I'm sorry." Nadir turned to leave.
"No! Nadir please stay," Erik said, slipping on his mask and attempting to dry his trousers with the tablecloth.
Christine took the glass from him and put it on the table, "Erik why don't I see to these while you rest"? She said, leaning for the buttons on his trousers.
"NO!" Erik pushed her hand away, "I am sorry Christine, but I would rather you did not help me with that. Nadir..."
Christine smiled "okay Erik..." she took the bowl, "I'll Er-sort this."
Nadir looked a little embarrassed, "Are you sure you would not rather Christine?"
"No, I'd rather you helped me."
"Stand up Erik," Nadir helped him with the buttons, "look I am really sorry for hitting you,"
"It was not your fault, it was partly mine. I asked you to..." he diverted Nadir's hand from the last few buttons and did them himself.
"Would you like me to get you a pair of trousers from your room?" Nadir asked him.
"Please, Nadir" he said and sat rather embarrassed in his underwear. Nadir got up and as he opened the door he collided with Christine, Erik squealed and looked for something to cover himself with.
"Oops sorry," Nadir said quickly.
Christine rubbed her arm and tried to get past him, "quite alright."
Nadir looked at Erik in his state of undress and said; "Maybe, it would be a good idea for you to wait...." he trailed off into silence noticing her dress, which she had changed. It was soft and white, a blue ribbon tied around her waist, "That's a nice dress," he commented. Erik turned very red and grabbed a pillow, to cover himself. "Erik, did you get Christine the dress?" Nadir asked him.
"Yes...." he mumbled and dropped his pillow, "arh!" and grabbed for it in an effort to save his dignity.
Christine laughed, "a large jar then…."
Erik blushed furiously and fidgeted a little, "When you've all stopped gawking at me, perhaps someone can get me a pair of trousers?" Nadir could not stop laughing, "You're just jealous, Nadir..." Erik told him
Christine twirled round admiring her new dress, "Erik this really is the most beautiful dress." she said beaming.
"I wasn't sure on the size," he said ringing his hands.
"It's perfect," she said quietly, looking at him adoringly.
"I'll get you some trousers, in the wardrobe?" Nadir asked; "You'd have no problem being sure on your own size..." he laughed.
"I am glad you like it..." Erik mumbled. Blushing a little; he threw the cushion at Nadir and then looked at Christine, who was still smiling at him.
"It really is the most wonderful, most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me" she continued
"Er...Christine, you're making me blush..." Erik squirmed uncomfortably. He was not used to being complemented in such a way and did not really know how to take it. Nadir caught the cushion and threw it back, unfortunately he hit Christine with it, "oops!" and he ran to get the trousers before Christine tried to hurt him.
"Nadir!" she shouted after him, Erik laughed.
"Sorry"! Nadir shouted back.
Christine pouted at Erik, "and what are you laughing at?" she asked him, hands on hips.
"Er...nothing dear..." he assured her quickly. Nadir handed Erik a pair of trousers; Erik took them and placed them over his lap. "Thank you, Nadir" he smiled.
"Why are you covering the wonderful view Erik"? Christine asked him. She went to sit with him and Erik blushed, fumbling with the buttons of his trousers, which he had managed to tug on.
"I think I'll leave now," Nadir said looking at the pair of them, Erik looked at Christine.
"Yes please Nadir" he sighed.
"Good bye, have fun you two, sorry about hitting you Erik," and he left; neither Erik nor Christine noticed Nadir leave. Christine took over Erik's buttons and did them up for him.
"Christine I can manage!" he moaned.
"No you can't" she whispered and kissed him, Erik enjoyed the kiss but moved her hands up to his waist.
"Kindly keep away from there, you have cold hands" he told her with a smile.
"That'll be from emptying your bowl..." she replied.
"I hope you washed your…" Christine kissed him again, "never mind..." he sighed. She played with a piece of his hair, it was in fact a hairpiece, but she was not to know that,
"Are you and Nadir always like that?" She asked.
"Most of the time" he admitted. Ayesha Erik's cat had decided that Christine was receiving way too much of Erik's attention and that it was now her turn. She jumped on Erik's lap and snuggled against his chest. Christine jumped and edged away from her. "I think someone is jealous" Erik tickled Ayesha then noticed Christine looking rather nervous, "don't be scared of her, she's harmless…give me your hand"
Christine placed her hand trustingly in his and Erik put her hand beside Ayesha's head, she smelled it then licked it giving her approval. She smiled and relaxed, suddenly there was a bang, and both Ayesha and Christine jumped, Christine onto his foot and Ayesha onto his crotch.
"GET OFF MY FOOT! Ouch…." Erik bit his lip in pain.
"Sorry," Christine removed her foot.
"It's okay - Ow...not my lucky day" he smiled, wincing, "I shall go look,"
"Be careful"! Christine told him and put his cloak on for him, he took his hat from her and put it on himself.
"Knowing my luck I'll fall over and make a complete idiot of myself. I shall return shortly." He assured her.
"Hurry back" She called out after him. He tripped over the doorstep and went flying forwards, only just steadying himself from falling into the lake. Christine ran out after him, thinking he had fallen in and needed help. "Are you hurt?" she called out, it was very dark and she could see neither see Erik nor where she was walking, she fell in, Erik saw he fall and dived in to save her, he reached her and she was shivering.
"It is so cold"! She exclaimed.
"I think I may as well stop wearing clothes" he mused, "...yes it is, but you get used to it." He told her.
Erik pulled himself out of the lake and standing offered Christine his hand, as she came onto the edge Erik turned Red, what had before been her beautiful white dress was now completely see through and she may as well have not been wearing it at all. Erik wondered how best to tell her and settled for the option that it was best not to.
Christine shivered, "so...what am I supposed to wear now-or am I to start a new fashion in bed sheets"?
"I am sure you would look divine in bed sheets...naked too" Erik blushed at what he had just said, "I apologise for my last comment"
Christine giggled, "Don't." Erik led her to her room;
"I shall leave you to sort yourself, kindly don't enter my room until I say you can..." he told her. Christine nodded and Erik retreated to his own room.
Christine pulled off her drenched dress, still unaware that it was see through, she wrapped a towel around herself and opened the wardrobe to find a new dress, her third one today. As she opened the door a relatively large spider scuttled up the wooden door, across her hand and into the woodwork. She screamed loudly.
Erik came running in, grasping a towel round his waist with one hand, "Christine! What is it?" he asked
Christine took a deep breath and managed to stutter out, "uh-s...Spider"
Erik backed away, " yes..." he muttered.
Christine looked at him then waved her arms franticly "do something"! She demanded.
"Christine...I...I do not...do not like them either!" he mumbled, keeping as far away from the wardrobe as possible.
"Right, fine...I can do this..." Christine said quietly, taking a deep breath and getting herself ready, she trapped the offending spider under a glass and slid a piece of paper underneath it, cringing she put it on the window sill and allowed it to crawl away.
"You'd have thought after all my time in the dark, I would not be scared of them." Erik commented.
"Quite" Christine lost the grip on her towel a little, she held on to it as tight as she could, "um-maybe you should er-..." She suggested, nodding towards the door.
"Leave? Certainly" Erik turned to go, on his way out, he caught his towel on the handle let out a squeal, and he scrabbled to recover the towel blushing madly. Erik mumbled an apology and covered himself with his hands.
Christine smiled, "Don't bother Erik..."
Erik smiled weakly, very red, "sorry for you seeing that..." me murmured.
"Erik, we are living together" she told reminded him.
"Yes but I don't...well.... I like to be private about some things."
"But you were going to have to..." Christine blushed, "never mind" she said quickly.
"If you think, Christine, that I would make you do that..."
"I know you wouldn't but."
"Christine I would not ask you to...."
"And I would not expect you too" Erik grabbed the towel to cover himself up again.
"You don't need to ask Erik, I love you."
Erik dropped the towel again in surprise, "you...you...what?" he stammered.
Christine blinked a bit, having forgotten what she was saying, "er..."
Erik covered himself quickly, "sorry..."
Christine nodded, "I love you" she repeated
"Oh Christine...Christine, I...love you"
Christine rushed forward and hugged him, "Christine, I have dropped my towel again...." he muttered. Christine ignored him and kissed him, Erik held her gently, she put her hand to the right side of his face, he put his hand upon hers, wanting her to hold him close, but not wishing her to remove his mask.
Christine dropped her towel, "oops" she grabbed for it, Erik quickly diverted his eyes, and Christine grabbed a white dressing gown to put on.
"I won't look," he said quickly.
"Erik look where you like...no secrets." Erik mumbled something. "What was that"? Christine asked.
"I've never seen a woman naked before" he confessed, he looked back at her and was pleased to see she had recovered herself.
"Well you have now", Christine smiled, "Or was I too quick?"
"I didn't look," he said quietly.
Christine hugged him again; "Well I'm sure you have er-a pretty good idea"
"Only from pictures..." Erik went very red.
"You would feel more comfortable if I told you something of myself?" She asked him.
"Er.... It is really up to you, but can you wait until I put something on?"
Christine laughed, "yes."
Erik left. When he came back ten minutes later Christine was sitting on the bed in a new dress, positioned in front of her was a small blue fronted book, inside there were many pages filled with rather untidy writing, it was Christine's diary from when she had been young. "You were in my dreams before I met you..." she told him without looking up, "My friend and angel...saviour and guardian."
Erik sat down beside her, "I often dreamed there was someone out there who could love me. I never kept a diary though, my writing was too poor, and still is." He said sadly.
"I kept a diary because I had no one to talk to, they would all have thought me mad...even..." Christine coughed unsure whether to say his name, "Raoul"
"I just spoke to Sasha, my mother's dog." Erik shrugged, "I never had any one to talk to when I was little. I do not find you mad. I sometimes believe that I am mad...."
Christine walked over to the fire and flung her diary into the middle of it, "Such childish illusions I never thought possible...."
Erik looked at the floor; "I am not an angel, Christine. You and I both know that. Angels are pretty and from heaven, not ugly and from hell."
Christine's eyes flashed angrily, she looked like Erik had just uttered the most revolting curse words. She clenched her hands at her sides until they were very white and tried not to shout, she couldn't help it, she stamped her foot and shouted at the somewhat taken back Erik "You are NOT from hell! Neither are you ugly! Tell me this, how could someone from hell have made me so happy?"
Erik's eyes were wide, still shocked by Christine's sudden outburst, "How I make you live in this darkness? No, Christine, you must go, I cannot have you living here, in fear and hiding from the light. It would be wrong, Christine I cannot keep pretending. I am ugly."
"If you make me leave-I will kill myself, I mean it Erik-if I wished to leave then I would have..." she sat on the edge of the bed.
Erik took her hands into his; he looked into her eyes, "Don't speak like that.... Please."
"Erik I mean it...I shall cut my wrists and bleed to death" she removed her hands from his grip.
"Please never speak like that" Erik said again, he was frowning deeply, trying as hard as he possibly could not to think about Christine's promise that she would kill herself if he made her leave.
"Then never tell me you want me to leave."
"Christine, I love you more than I can say. Words don't describe it, nor music.", Erik took her hand again, "just never say you will kill yourself" he begged her, he began to cry, "don't leave me...." he sobbed.
"Without you I would not want to live" she put her arms around him, not wanting him to cry, "I would rather…. Don't make me leave Erik, please."
"I won't, I never want you to leave me," Erik tried to compose himself, "You've made me cry," he said quietly.
Christine was shaking, "Promise me that you will remember what I have said, I cannot live without you Erik and refuse to, promise you will never make me kill myself, promise!"
"I promise" Erik said, trying hard not to cry again.
Christine nodded at the fire, flames licked the pages of her diary and they curled into ash, "You are an angel Erik-the angel that haunted my dreams, but...you are real"
"I am not an angel Christine! I am sorry to disappoint you..." he mumbled.
Christine put her hand over his heart and he grasped it between his, "Yes, you are-my father told me that the angel of music would sing to me, and he has…you Erik, you are an angel-angels are not all of purest white, why can you not see that?" Christine glanced at the diary, which was nothing more now than dust.
"An angel of hell perhaps, but no, not an angel. Angels are not monsters. The only thing I have in common with an angel is that I am pure." Erik muttered sadly.
"Satan rots in hell through his own evil Erik, you are not evil, nor a monster, you have done nothing-heavens owes you Erik" Christine told him.
"If there was a God, he would not take pity upon me. Christine, can we change the topic of conversation?" he asked.
Christine nodded and tried to smile, but she burst out crying, her chest heaved and Erik held her, "Oh Christine, I am sorry" Erik softly.
"I am crying because I love you so much I think I shall faint at the thought of it" she sobbed.
Erik kissed her, "all the angels could not be more beautiful than you. I love you. Now, rest." He said softly, she lay down on the bed.
"Thank-you, oh Erik...." her eyelids flickered and before she could finish sleep over came her, Erik reached forward and pulled a blanket over her.
"Sleep well..." he said softly.
Disclaimer:
Erik, Christine, and the daroga belong to Gaston Leroux. Ayesha may or may not have existed in his volume, but belongs to Susan Kay."
Merlyn and Amanda would like to point out that they have said nothing about Ray's continuos miss-spelling of the word *Ray puts his hands over Amanda and Merlyn's mouths to shut them up*"