PART ONE--Madam Giry:
I pulled back the tattered red curtain that covered what was left of the 'Phantom's' mirror and stepped through the large, gaping hole in the glass. Eerie sounds echoed all through the dark, damp hallway. I was sure that their were rats all around me, but I didn't care any more. Eventually, I reached a large, water filled room; not unlike the one the 'Phantom' had lived in only hours before. Part of me felt sorry for Christine, being the one the 'Phantom' had picked.
However, part of me wanted to curse her for doing what she had to him. Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. I knew who it was immediately.
"Giry," he whispered; his breath softly touching the back of my neck, sending tingles down my spine. But the next moment, his tone changed. "Why are you here?" he asked loudly, his voice both commanding and full of pain. I turned around to look at him. One of his dark masks was now on the distorted side ofhis face.
"I-I-," I stammered. I couldn't think of anything to say.
"Well?"
"They're coming after you." I sighed.
"I don't care," he said, walking past me.
"Erik...."
"Don't call me that!" he thundered, turning back to face me with blazing eyes. I fell back a step and then froze in place, breathing hard. His face softened. "Gir--Madame. I know you mean well, but there's nothing you can do. It's over. She left with him and now I am resigned to the furthermost catacombs. Please, for your own sake, go back"
"But I....," I began, but he put up a single hand, stopping me. I sighed. "You don't even trust me anymore, do you?"
He didn't answer, instead turning and starting to walk away. I ran up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait. Please," I called. He turned back to face me.
"What do you want, Madame?" he cried. I mustered up my strength and reached up to take off his mask. His eyes went wide and he shouted a curse as he grabbed the mask away from me, pushing me to the ground as he did so. I gave a yelp of pain as my body hit the cold, hard stone. "Don't EVER do that again!" he roared, placing the mask back on.
"And why not?" I cried back from the floor. "Why can I not look? Was it not I who saw what you were really like and still felt pity for you? Was it not I who gazed upon your face and, instead of seeing a repulsive creature, saw a young boy who had been mistreated and abused for no reason? I brought you to live here! I helped you when the world turned it's back on you and I didn't even stop to consider how you looked. Why then do you abuse me when I wish to see the real one that I helped, now so long ago?"
He looked down at the ground. Unless my eyes decieved me, it appeared he was crying. I would have hurried over to comfort him, but all of a sudden, I heard voices coming from near the passage way that I had entered by. I turned back to look at Phillipe, but he had already started to retreat still farther into the catacombs. He turned back to me and put a finger to his lips.
"This way," he whispered, then started forward again. I quickly pulled myself up and ran after him.