The Hangover
Chapter 7
Christian stood at his window, watching the sun rise over the remains of a dead city. He looked out and saw the empty buildings. He witnessed those same structures, that had once been vibrant and so full of life only a year ago, rust and waste away. His senses were bombarded with the sights, sounds and smell of the poor and needy. He himself being one, felt very little pity. He closed his eyes to block out the sin of the world.
It was then that a noise came from the door and suddenly, a figure barged in. Christian's eyes grew wide.
"Excuse me," It was the same girl as before! She leaned on the door for support. "I don't think this is my room." Christian's mouth hung open. In a matter of hours, he had run into this same woman three different times; more rather, she into him. "No, its too...depressing. You monsieur are a depressing person to live in a place like this." She slurred as she sauntered her way over to a nearby dresser and quickly began touching the few photos that made the top of it their home.
"Mademoiselle-"
"You know, you should really go see that short fellow. He does wonders for the soul." She grinned drunkenly.
"Madmoi-"
"Although, he has that lissssss-pah." She walked over to the man who icily watched her move far to close. "Do you have a lisss-pah? I don't think you do...you're just, depressing."
"You've stated that." Christian's voice was as cold as his stare.
"I have?" She looked confused for a moment before smiling. "You know what you need? You need a drink. Monsieur-" She moved ever closer, her face within a few inches of his still, unmoving features. "Well, if you would stop moving so I could get a good look at you I would-"
"Mademoiselle, please leave before you-"
Violet's eyes slowly closed as she fell into his arms. Christian had half a mind to drop her on the floor. However, after the fall from earlier, even he couldn't be that heartless. He held her from beneath her arms and dragged her over to his small bed and laid her down.
Her breathing was slow, but there. Christian looked down at the pale girl, her wounds from the fall still wrapped up. She was quite attractive and looked as if she came from wealth. Why had she come to work at the Moulin Rouge as a construction worker? Something was a miss.
"You know, you should really go see that short fellow."
"Toulouse!" He turned quickly and left for the apartment up the stairs. It was at a time like this that he wished he hadn't patched the hole in his ceiling. He climbed the creaky steps and ended up at the old wooden door. Without knocking, he turned the nob and let himself in.
The apartment smelled of fresh paint and liquor. Although it was common throughout the streets of Montmartre, the smell itself was distinctly Monsieur Lautrec's.
"Toulouse?" Christian called out. His shoes lightly tapped the floor boards as he walked. "Toulouse!" He walked into the small kitchen and peeked in. Nothing. "You know, there is a very drunk girl in my room and, since you seem to know her fairly well, if you wouldn't mind getting her out..." He peered over the couch and found his short friend passed out on the floor with an empty bottle of Absinthe in his hand. With a sigh, Christian grabbed the drunken dwarf off the ground and placed him on the couch which he had appeared to have fallen off of.
"You don't mind if I stay here do you?" Christian asked. He grabbed Toulouse's unconscious head and shook it. "I didn't think so." With that, Christian laid his friend down and walked over to the tiny bed.
Violet's eyes fluttered open and quickly closed shut with a moan escaping her lips.
The sun seemed to be extremely bright for this early and her head throbbed at its radiant glow. Even the light seemed to have its own screeching sound pound in her head. She slowly sat up. The springs of the bed she was on squealed with displeasure. She fell backwards again. It was to early.
"Good afternoon!" A familiar voice boomed in her ears. "I see dat you had a pleasuwable sleep!" Toulouse walked over with a small tray in hand. "So much so dat you can not get up!" He giggled as he placed the tray down on a near by table.
"What time is it?" Violet asked, slowly trying to open her eyes again.
"Why its neawly fowr in the afternoon."
"Four!" Violet shot up. Before she could go anywhere, the pain made her stop and hold her head in her hands. "I have work!"
"Coorrection! You DID have work."
"Did? Did? There is still PLENTY of time too-" She went to stand, but once again was stopped. Not by the pain in her back or the pain in her head, but by the small man's tiny hands pushing her down.
"Here you are." He grabbed a small cup from the tray that was filled with a viscous purplish-green fluid.
Violet took the cup and looked into it, her face turned from a look curiosity to a look of disgust.
"What is this?"
"My hangover cure! It's been passed down fwom genewation to genewation. Twy it!" He watched her with sheer anticipation as she hesitantly lifted the cup to her mouth.
"Is she awake Toulouse?" Christian walked in from the hall.
"Abowt! She is still wather, 'dead' if you know what I mean" He laughed and when back to watching the girl, whose eyes were wide and looking into the cup.
How did he know where she lived? Why did he know where she was? Why did he care if she was awake?
Violet took a deep breath and rushed the fluid into her mouth. Toulouse clapped excitedly as she gulped down the substance.
"Dat was amazing!" He smiled. "Even I don't dwink the whole thing!" He shook his head as he grabbed the cup and went back to the kitchen. "She's awll yours Chwistian!" He yelled back.
Violet grabbed her stomach and lad back down. This "Chwistian" looked like he wanted to talk, and all she wanted to do was sleep. Any other time she would GLADLY speak to him, the "hero" he was, but not right now.
"Mademoiselle?" His voice carried throughout the room.
"Monseiur." Violet's voice was cold and uncaring. Christian sat down in a nearby chair.
After a night of sleep and thought, he had decided that this woman wasn't leaving anytime soon and he might as well make peace with her. That, and after a talk with Toulouse early in the morning he had come to the find out that this woman was considerably wealthy.
Of course she had said otherwise; that she was just another worker. The small man, however, could tell there was more to her story. After many hours of searching and near by talk, he had found out that she was in fact, a Benoit and had recently acquired the deeds to the Moulin Rouge.
If she had that kind of money just laying around, she could certainly help publish his book. Sure he would have to write it again, but it was their story. It needed to be told. It was fate that this girl kept falling in his lap. It was fate that she was living in the same building. All he had to do was get her to trust him. If friends helped friends, then wealthy friends helped poor friends.
"Violet." He said, he calm and patient. "Are you alright?"
"I'm in pain. I missed work. I'm bruised everywhere because I'm a clumsy oaf. Not to mention I slept in some odd man's apartment." She gasped then looked at her body then gave a sigh of relief. She was still fully clothed. Violet looked at the man who was dressed in merely slacks and a white shirt. His hair was slightly disheveled but it worked well on him. "How did you find me anyway Monsieur?"
He smiled and ran a hand through his messy hair. One wrong word and he could kiss his plan good-bye. He looked into her eyes and simply said: "Luck."
She sighed and threw her head in her pillow, letting out a long groan.
Not one of my better ones, but I felt bad for not updating sooner. Ya win some you lose some.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Thank you to all of you who added this story on your alerts/favorites! It totally makes my day :D
I am trying to make this as fun and as "exciting" as I can while trying to rush to quickly. I am not a "writer" I just like stories. SO! If you see any MAJOR flaws or what have you, fell free to leave a comment or message me with your questions/concerns.
deathcab4kimmie: Thank you SOOO much for continuing to read this story! You are amazing! As far as Christian crying, it does get old VERY quickly. Not only for the reader, but you would think for the writer as well. I am trying to go as far from that as I can without totally ruining his character, so, intellectual and sneaky is my route!
D.B. Levredge: Thank you very much! I will try not to disappoint.
LittleMissAngel: That's awesome that you found it again! Thank you for leaving a review :)
Pelahnar: I am happy that you chose to read it and found you liked it :D With all of these kinds of stories it's a hit or miss. Haha!
Again, thank you so much to all the readers out there! You guys are amazing!
