R/R please, but keep in mind that this is my first fanfic.
~*~*~*~*~
The sky was dark. I took this to be a sign--a warning. As much as I did not want to be there, the place itself did not want me.
Go, go, go, before it is too late. The wind blew past my face, whispering, warning. I wanted to go. I wanted to run away-far, far away from this looming building. I leaned against the car and watched silently as my aunt spoke to a small middle-aged woman. Closing me eyes, I remembered our conversation the night before.
"My darling, I promised your father I would take care of you and this is the only way I can keep that promise."
"I can just stay here with you! We will take care of each other."
"I'm too old, child. You need more than what I can give you. This school. I have heard marvelous things, Christine. Incredible things. They will unleash your voice and let it fly."
"But my soul will be caged."
Tears clouded my eyes. Caged indeed. I could see the key being turned in the lock, feel the cold metal handcuffs around my wrists. A sob caught in my throat. How could Auntie think I would be happy in this dark place? I stared up at the huge pointed tower, the aged brickwork, the tangle of climbing ivy. I would truly be alone here.
I had never really been alone before. My mother died when I was but a year old, but my father had been there to care for me. We were a team, he and I. The perfect team. All of Paris knew of us-the violinist and his singing daughter. Our life was full of adventure and fun. Then I watched as my father was infected by fever. I tried in vain to comfort him. I cooled his forehead with a wet cloth and made him tea. I had no way of calling a doctor; a phone would be silly we traveled so much. I couldn't bear to leave him alone, even to get help.
Then Auntie appeared from nowhere, as she often did. She had a wonderful habit of showing up unexpectedly to visit her dearest baby brother. Often she brought me sweets and pretty clothes. She was the closest thing I had ever had to a mother.
When she came, she cried out at my father's state. She dropped to her knees beside him and sent me for a doctor. She told me to run as fast as my thirteen-year-old legs would carry me. When the doctor and I returned to the house, Father was coughing blood. Auntie took my hand and led me from the room. She covered my ears to block the sound of Father's anguished moans. I had done everything in my power, but it was not enough. It was never enough.
Auntie took me in and raised me as her own. I didn't sing again for a year, and when my voice finally lifted in song it was different. It had changed into a dull sound, a half-hearted trill. My voice had died with my father.
Auntie did everything for me. She sent me to a proper school, which was definitely an improvement on Father's lessons. She spoiled me rotten, buying me everything my heart desired. She kept me a helpless little girl. As the years passed, her age became more and more visible. When I was nineteen, Auntie celebrated her seventy-second birthday. I lived with her for another two months before I was brought here, to my prison.
Auntie shook the woman's hand and walked over to me. She placed her delicate hand on my cheek and smiled, "Come now, love, everything's arranged. Come meet Ms. Kitern."
"Auntie, please don't make me go in there. I'm old enough to care for myself. If you don't want me anymore I'll live on my own. Please not here," I begged.
"Oh, never ever think I don't want you. You're all I have, but this is for the best. Your not nearly old enough to take care of yourself.you can't even take a drink legally!" Auntie chuckled.
"If you make me live here, I'll run away. I swear it," My voice betrayed me and made the statement seem unsure.
She sighed, "No, no you won't."
"And why not?"
"Because you wouldn't survive. I gave you everything but deprived you of so much. I've ruined you, child. Your age is nineteen, but your head and heart are barely twelve. You can't cook, and you don't know how to earn a dime. You'll learn here, Christine, learn much more than I know how to teach you."
Her words stung me, but they were true. I would die on my own. But wouldn't I die here all the same? I wanted to be mad at Auntie. I wanted to turn and walk away from her, but the glistening of tears on her wrinkled cheeks stopped me. With a sob I hugged her tightly, knowing this may be the last time I could. She drew back after a moment and brushed the hair from my face.
"It will be alright. You'll see. There will always be some one who loves you, Christine, no matter where you go. I bet you'll love it here. You'll forget about me in a week!" Auntie smiled weakly.
I shook my head, "No, I'll never forget you. Ever. I'll write you all the time, I promise."
"I'll miss you, my dear. I'll miss you more than I can say. You've been my daughter. I love you, darling, don't ever forget."
"I love you, too," My voice trembled.
"Goodbye, Christine. May God be with you," Auntie kissed my cheek and took my hand.
"Goodbye. Thank you for everything."
Auntie simply nodded. She gave my hand a squeeze and walked away. I watched her car disappear into the distance before turning towards Ms. Kitern. The woman smiled at me and gestured for me to pick up my bags. Before she began the journey towards the house, she attempted to comfort me.
"I think you will be very happy here, Miss Daae."
I attempted to smile back at her, but stopped as the wind's whisper flooded my ears. Look, look, look at what the tower hides. I obeyed and saw, in the heavily curtained window, an almost white flash of movement.
"Are there people in the tower often?" I asked.
Ms. Kitern paled, but quickly regained her composure, "No, don't be silly! Nothing is in that tower but cobwebs and junk."
Yes, I thought, and a pale hand.
~*~*~*~*~
The sky was dark. I took this to be a sign--a warning. As much as I did not want to be there, the place itself did not want me.
Go, go, go, before it is too late. The wind blew past my face, whispering, warning. I wanted to go. I wanted to run away-far, far away from this looming building. I leaned against the car and watched silently as my aunt spoke to a small middle-aged woman. Closing me eyes, I remembered our conversation the night before.
"My darling, I promised your father I would take care of you and this is the only way I can keep that promise."
"I can just stay here with you! We will take care of each other."
"I'm too old, child. You need more than what I can give you. This school. I have heard marvelous things, Christine. Incredible things. They will unleash your voice and let it fly."
"But my soul will be caged."
Tears clouded my eyes. Caged indeed. I could see the key being turned in the lock, feel the cold metal handcuffs around my wrists. A sob caught in my throat. How could Auntie think I would be happy in this dark place? I stared up at the huge pointed tower, the aged brickwork, the tangle of climbing ivy. I would truly be alone here.
I had never really been alone before. My mother died when I was but a year old, but my father had been there to care for me. We were a team, he and I. The perfect team. All of Paris knew of us-the violinist and his singing daughter. Our life was full of adventure and fun. Then I watched as my father was infected by fever. I tried in vain to comfort him. I cooled his forehead with a wet cloth and made him tea. I had no way of calling a doctor; a phone would be silly we traveled so much. I couldn't bear to leave him alone, even to get help.
Then Auntie appeared from nowhere, as she often did. She had a wonderful habit of showing up unexpectedly to visit her dearest baby brother. Often she brought me sweets and pretty clothes. She was the closest thing I had ever had to a mother.
When she came, she cried out at my father's state. She dropped to her knees beside him and sent me for a doctor. She told me to run as fast as my thirteen-year-old legs would carry me. When the doctor and I returned to the house, Father was coughing blood. Auntie took my hand and led me from the room. She covered my ears to block the sound of Father's anguished moans. I had done everything in my power, but it was not enough. It was never enough.
Auntie took me in and raised me as her own. I didn't sing again for a year, and when my voice finally lifted in song it was different. It had changed into a dull sound, a half-hearted trill. My voice had died with my father.
Auntie did everything for me. She sent me to a proper school, which was definitely an improvement on Father's lessons. She spoiled me rotten, buying me everything my heart desired. She kept me a helpless little girl. As the years passed, her age became more and more visible. When I was nineteen, Auntie celebrated her seventy-second birthday. I lived with her for another two months before I was brought here, to my prison.
Auntie shook the woman's hand and walked over to me. She placed her delicate hand on my cheek and smiled, "Come now, love, everything's arranged. Come meet Ms. Kitern."
"Auntie, please don't make me go in there. I'm old enough to care for myself. If you don't want me anymore I'll live on my own. Please not here," I begged.
"Oh, never ever think I don't want you. You're all I have, but this is for the best. Your not nearly old enough to take care of yourself.you can't even take a drink legally!" Auntie chuckled.
"If you make me live here, I'll run away. I swear it," My voice betrayed me and made the statement seem unsure.
She sighed, "No, no you won't."
"And why not?"
"Because you wouldn't survive. I gave you everything but deprived you of so much. I've ruined you, child. Your age is nineteen, but your head and heart are barely twelve. You can't cook, and you don't know how to earn a dime. You'll learn here, Christine, learn much more than I know how to teach you."
Her words stung me, but they were true. I would die on my own. But wouldn't I die here all the same? I wanted to be mad at Auntie. I wanted to turn and walk away from her, but the glistening of tears on her wrinkled cheeks stopped me. With a sob I hugged her tightly, knowing this may be the last time I could. She drew back after a moment and brushed the hair from my face.
"It will be alright. You'll see. There will always be some one who loves you, Christine, no matter where you go. I bet you'll love it here. You'll forget about me in a week!" Auntie smiled weakly.
I shook my head, "No, I'll never forget you. Ever. I'll write you all the time, I promise."
"I'll miss you, my dear. I'll miss you more than I can say. You've been my daughter. I love you, darling, don't ever forget."
"I love you, too," My voice trembled.
"Goodbye, Christine. May God be with you," Auntie kissed my cheek and took my hand.
"Goodbye. Thank you for everything."
Auntie simply nodded. She gave my hand a squeeze and walked away. I watched her car disappear into the distance before turning towards Ms. Kitern. The woman smiled at me and gestured for me to pick up my bags. Before she began the journey towards the house, she attempted to comfort me.
"I think you will be very happy here, Miss Daae."
I attempted to smile back at her, but stopped as the wind's whisper flooded my ears. Look, look, look at what the tower hides. I obeyed and saw, in the heavily curtained window, an almost white flash of movement.
"Are there people in the tower often?" I asked.
Ms. Kitern paled, but quickly regained her composure, "No, don't be silly! Nothing is in that tower but cobwebs and junk."
Yes, I thought, and a pale hand.