Chapter 7

Chapter 7

She awoke in a start. A loud ruckus reverberated through her skull. Sitting up quickly, she saw what looked like a man's shadow go to the corner to camouflage itself. Madeline had seen what caused the noise in the solitary candle's light. The small wooden table that she had set up next to the window was tipped completely over.

Her body felt paralyzed as if she stayed still the problem would go away. She knew it wouldn't.

"Hello? Who's there?" A loud clap of thunder made her jump, allowing her body to move after what seemed like an eternity. Rain began pouring through the open window. Madeline got up cautiously and closed it. The room was still.

"Is there any one there?" She had some false hope that it was Raoul, knowing her despair, coming to rescue her from all of this. She tiptoed towards the corner that the shadow had hid itself. She shook uncontrollably; tears were running down her cheek as she walked towards what felt like her doom, but something also pulled her. She could not turn away. As she walked, she held in her breath, and soon enough she could hear another's ragged breathing.

She turned to run, but he had stopped her. They were definitely a man's arms wrapped tightly around her; his hand over her mouth. She felt the man tremble and pull his hand slightly away when he felt that she was heavy with child.

"Shhh…silence. Don't scream." His voice sounded defeated and exhausted, yet soothing and familiar. Her back was against his chest. His breathing was slow yet shallow, as though he had been crying.

"If I take my hand away, just stay silent. I am not going to harm you. I just needed a place to run to." He slowly let go of her. Taking his hand slightly from her mouth to test if she would make a sound, then he let her completely free.

"Who are you?" she asked curiously trying to see into the shadows.

"I am no one. I will leave you alone; do not try to see my face. I would appreciate that."

"And I would like to know who you are and what you are doing in my house, monsieur."

"You will be better off not knowing. Now, if I were you, Madame, I would go to your chambers while I am feeling rather benevolent." He spat at her in rising anger.

"I beg your pardon, monsieur, but this is my home!"

"Plea-please, just leave me." She heard his body slump to the boarded floor. She felt pity for this unknown man.

He seemed harmless despite his threats. Although she loathed being among her husband and his friends, she left the poor creature alone.


Erik slumped to the ground and was able to relax when he heard the woman leave him in his solitude once again. He was back where he started; this hellish place he had once called home. Once he heard the door close behind her, he crept quietly out of the shadows toward the makeshift bed she was sleeping in when he had crawled out of the darkness and into her candlelight.

He collapsed into the pile of blankets. His heart was aching and longing again for Christine. It was really over. There was no way she would ever want him back now.

Erik had threatened Raoul's life in a desperate attempt to keep him and Christine together. Jealousy still flooded his being. He shoved his hand into his pocket and took out the beautiful ruby ring he had given Christine. This was the only thing he had left from her now. He wanted to die…there was no longer a reason for living. She was his breath, his heart beat, his everything. Erik no longer felt music rising and falling with in every sound around him. It was now dead silent, something he had always feared. The one person that could have saved him from his loneliness denied him.

Exhausted and upset, he fell into a restless sleep with endless nightmares.


Madeline crept up the wooden staircase to the attic. Curiosity kept her spinning in the sheets all night long. Who was that man? So many thoughts were twisting in her skull. She needed to know if he was still there.

Each step seemed like an eternity and every crack seemed louder than normal. She clenched her petticoat to her crossing her arms as some sort of defense mechanism. Holding her breath, she reached the top. Her eyes fell on the man, lying shivering and crumpled in her heap of blankets. His face was nuzzled into the blankets therefore she could not see who he was, but thankfully he seemed to not hear her arrival.

She took an extra blanket from a crate and lightly laid it over the trembling stranger. He seemed to be a tall, muscular built man. He could probably tear her in two if he so wished. She decided she would take that chance and stay until he awoke.

Madeline sat reading a book that she had found in a pile in one corner of the basement when suddenly she heard the stranger stir. She quickly put the book down, and hid behind a stack of crates.

Erik awoke, momentarily forgetting what had happened the night before, he stood and stretched. Then, he remembered the whole thing. Christine! Why…how could she leave him?

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw slight movement. He turned quickly, and in one swift, catlike advance he was on top of Madeline. When he saw it was the woman from the night before, he stood up and lifted his hand to his face.

She backed away meek and uneasy.

"I told you to leave me! How long were you here!!" Erik howled in what was more despair than anger.

For the first time, the woman intruder looked up at him. It was her. He would recognize those eyes anywhere, Helen of Troy.