Disclaimer: Somehow, I think the world would be a better place if I
did own Phantom, but it just wasn't meant to be. *tear*
Author's Note: Hey everyone; don't have much to say this time. This chapter is longer (please forgive the Dante reference and the character death.*looks around room; must change subject*. . .have faith people!) and I hope you all enjoy it. As always, much love and many thanks to my reviewers!
Feedback: Please!
*Erik's POV*
I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped through the Rue Scribe entrance; the lurid smell of alcohol lingered in the air, and the, ever so faint, scent of acrid smoke warned of some yet unseen disaster. I froze in the darkness, my cloak falling around me as my movement stopped and I became still. Christine nearly bumped into me, but she said nothing as she must have seen the apprehension plainly written on my face. For a moment, there was naught but silence, and I simply listened for any further signs of trouble.
There was nothing to be heard but water dripping softly in the distance, and Christine's breath upon my neck. I turned to her, and I said, "You must stay close to me, I fear something is amiss, and if my suppositions are correct, we may be in danger."
"Raoul. . ." she whispered quietly; angrily. I felt her hand grasp my own and I pulled her close to me protectively. Rapidly, we walked through the passages, the faint smell of smoke growing into a strong odor and, finally, a haze that filled the tunnels and an increasingly intense heat. It was painfully obvious that we were about to walk into our own private Inferno.
We reached the house after some time, only to find that it was no more than charred ashes and smoldering remnants of what once was; and what might have been. "Oh, Erik. . ." I heard Christine sob, and I took her in my arms.
"Sshhh," I soothed as she cried into my chest, "it will be alright; we will be alright. As long as we have each other, we will always have a home." My words, however, were much more than an attempt to end her tears; they were more than the truth itself. As I looked at the ashes of my house, I saw beyond the destruction of my home.
I saw the shattered edifices of my prison.
Christine had set me free from my past when she came to me, she released me from my pain, my fear; my desolation. Somehow, it seemed fitting that the last remnant of my past was in ashes.
Somehow, it seemed appropriate that I now had to find a place in the world above - in the light.
Still, Christine cried, her noisy sobs fading gradually to silent tears. After a moment, she looked up at me, her eyes red and swollen, and she simply said, "Ayesha. . ."
With one word, she stole my optimistic train of thought.
With one word, she brought a veritable flurry of emotions down upon me.
"Ayesha," I echoed sadly; mournfully.
Ayesha, indeed. The one creature that had never failed to love me, who had never turned from me or rejected me. In the frenzy of the moment, I had forgotten the one thing that had brought me happiness before Christine.
"Perhaps she ran out of the house and into the cellars," Christine said rapidly, pulling away from me and moving in several directions in a frantic search, "Perhaps she managed to get to the lake."
"Christine," I pleaded hoarsely, tears forming in my eyes, as I grasped her wrist to stop her frenetic quest, "Everything is gone. Everything." I repeated the last word sullenly, and she embraced me quietly.
"I know," she whispered, "but. . ."
I interrupted, turning towards the passages, "We must go. They would not burn the house if they didn't intend on making some use of the situation. I fear, my dear, that we have fallen prey to an ambush." Christine nodded, absorbing what I had just said. I looked towards the lake, and made a quick decision, "We will leave through the door in your former dressing room. I doubt they would have anticipated that. Go to the dock and wait for me, I shall be along directly."
Christine kissed my cheek, and casting one last, mournful glance at what was left of my home, she began to walk slowly towards the lake. When she was out of sight, I fell to my knees before the ruins, my hands falling into my lap as my eyes closed and my lips began moving with a silent prayer for what was gone.
I stayed there for short time, knowing we had to leave before our chance to escape was completely lost. Standing up, I said for one more prayer for Ayesha, and walked to the dock to rejoin Christine.
*Christine's POV*
Erik came to the dock suddenly, emerging from the shadows and smoke and silently helping me into the boat. He quickly joined me, and began rowing us towards the distant, opposite shore. We traveled in silence for a long time, overwhelmed and exhausted, and I could find the will to do nothing but look out to the glassy, dark waters that seemed to reflect my mood with uncanny accuracy.
Questions plagued me, the future was suddenly a mystery. Eventually, it became unbearable, and I had to ask, "Where will we go?"
There was a brief pause before Erik replied, but after his hesitation, he spoke simply and resolutely, "Nadir's. We shall go to Nadir's for the time being."
I nodded, not knowing if there was anything else I could possibly say. I sat quietly, pondering the situation, but, soon I realized that the smoky ruins of the house were out of sight, the waters no longer rippled slightly and soon I felt the boat jostle as it reached the shore. He stood, and, helping me out of the boat, he led me towards the labyrinth of passages that led to the surface; to our new life.
To be continued (soon, hopefully)
Author's Note: Hey everyone; don't have much to say this time. This chapter is longer (please forgive the Dante reference and the character death.*looks around room; must change subject*. . .have faith people!) and I hope you all enjoy it. As always, much love and many thanks to my reviewers!
Feedback: Please!
*Erik's POV*
I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped through the Rue Scribe entrance; the lurid smell of alcohol lingered in the air, and the, ever so faint, scent of acrid smoke warned of some yet unseen disaster. I froze in the darkness, my cloak falling around me as my movement stopped and I became still. Christine nearly bumped into me, but she said nothing as she must have seen the apprehension plainly written on my face. For a moment, there was naught but silence, and I simply listened for any further signs of trouble.
There was nothing to be heard but water dripping softly in the distance, and Christine's breath upon my neck. I turned to her, and I said, "You must stay close to me, I fear something is amiss, and if my suppositions are correct, we may be in danger."
"Raoul. . ." she whispered quietly; angrily. I felt her hand grasp my own and I pulled her close to me protectively. Rapidly, we walked through the passages, the faint smell of smoke growing into a strong odor and, finally, a haze that filled the tunnels and an increasingly intense heat. It was painfully obvious that we were about to walk into our own private Inferno.
We reached the house after some time, only to find that it was no more than charred ashes and smoldering remnants of what once was; and what might have been. "Oh, Erik. . ." I heard Christine sob, and I took her in my arms.
"Sshhh," I soothed as she cried into my chest, "it will be alright; we will be alright. As long as we have each other, we will always have a home." My words, however, were much more than an attempt to end her tears; they were more than the truth itself. As I looked at the ashes of my house, I saw beyond the destruction of my home.
I saw the shattered edifices of my prison.
Christine had set me free from my past when she came to me, she released me from my pain, my fear; my desolation. Somehow, it seemed fitting that the last remnant of my past was in ashes.
Somehow, it seemed appropriate that I now had to find a place in the world above - in the light.
Still, Christine cried, her noisy sobs fading gradually to silent tears. After a moment, she looked up at me, her eyes red and swollen, and she simply said, "Ayesha. . ."
With one word, she stole my optimistic train of thought.
With one word, she brought a veritable flurry of emotions down upon me.
"Ayesha," I echoed sadly; mournfully.
Ayesha, indeed. The one creature that had never failed to love me, who had never turned from me or rejected me. In the frenzy of the moment, I had forgotten the one thing that had brought me happiness before Christine.
"Perhaps she ran out of the house and into the cellars," Christine said rapidly, pulling away from me and moving in several directions in a frantic search, "Perhaps she managed to get to the lake."
"Christine," I pleaded hoarsely, tears forming in my eyes, as I grasped her wrist to stop her frenetic quest, "Everything is gone. Everything." I repeated the last word sullenly, and she embraced me quietly.
"I know," she whispered, "but. . ."
I interrupted, turning towards the passages, "We must go. They would not burn the house if they didn't intend on making some use of the situation. I fear, my dear, that we have fallen prey to an ambush." Christine nodded, absorbing what I had just said. I looked towards the lake, and made a quick decision, "We will leave through the door in your former dressing room. I doubt they would have anticipated that. Go to the dock and wait for me, I shall be along directly."
Christine kissed my cheek, and casting one last, mournful glance at what was left of my home, she began to walk slowly towards the lake. When she was out of sight, I fell to my knees before the ruins, my hands falling into my lap as my eyes closed and my lips began moving with a silent prayer for what was gone.
I stayed there for short time, knowing we had to leave before our chance to escape was completely lost. Standing up, I said for one more prayer for Ayesha, and walked to the dock to rejoin Christine.
*Christine's POV*
Erik came to the dock suddenly, emerging from the shadows and smoke and silently helping me into the boat. He quickly joined me, and began rowing us towards the distant, opposite shore. We traveled in silence for a long time, overwhelmed and exhausted, and I could find the will to do nothing but look out to the glassy, dark waters that seemed to reflect my mood with uncanny accuracy.
Questions plagued me, the future was suddenly a mystery. Eventually, it became unbearable, and I had to ask, "Where will we go?"
There was a brief pause before Erik replied, but after his hesitation, he spoke simply and resolutely, "Nadir's. We shall go to Nadir's for the time being."
I nodded, not knowing if there was anything else I could possibly say. I sat quietly, pondering the situation, but, soon I realized that the smoky ruins of the house were out of sight, the waters no longer rippled slightly and soon I felt the boat jostle as it reached the shore. He stood, and, helping me out of the boat, he led me towards the labyrinth of passages that led to the surface; to our new life.
To be continued (soon, hopefully)