Chapter 11- Leaving the House for the First Time
Christine awoke seven hours later feeling much better than she had seven hours earlier.
Well.. Ok, truthfully she was still nervous. The way Erik had behaved hours before was terrifying. When he'd first kidnapped her, back weeks ago, that was the Erik she feared- the Erik she saw with Nadir, yelling and threatening. But, besides that one encounter, he never acted that way with her. He was kind and almost too caring.
Still, though.. What if Nadir was like some sort of trigger? What if Erik had literally changed into a psychotic lunatic and was just waiting for the chance to murder- wait, no, she couldn't think like that! Christine let out a frustrated sigh and inwardly cursed her silly imagination.
After putting on a pair of blue jeans and a pale purple sweater, she ran her fingers through her hair a few times and went downstairs. No matter how on edge she felt at the moment, she had to keep in mind how he'd behaved after Nadir left. Erik had become himself again, calm and caring. So, with that in mind, she headed towards the kitchen.
She smelled coffee as she entered the room. Her eyes spotted Erik who was looking out a window. "Good morning," she greeted shyly.
He turned towards her with a smile. "Good morning, my dear." She looked lovely in her purple sweater, but he could already see she was acting timid. It was understandable, of course. He'd scared her badly only a short time ago. Damn Nadir... No matter, she would warm up to him again. He moved to the counter, poured a cup of coffee, and placed it on the counter near her.
Christine watched as he opened the refrigerator and remove French vanilla creamer. He also got a packet of sugar from a jar beside the coffee pot and a spoon from a drawer before placing all three things beside her coffee mug.
Erik grinned. "I believe this is how you like it, right?"
She looked down at the array and grinned before looking up into his eyes and brightly saying, "Yes, thank you."
His lips curled upward. "It's no trouble, Christine."
She smiled while fixing her coffee and then took a sip. Thinking about how good it tasted, her eyes strayed from her cup to the kitchen window, and an excited gasp escaped her lips. It was snowing. "Oh wow, it's snowing! It's beautiful!"
Erik continued to stare at her with devotion. "Yes, it certainly is," he agreed, but he was referring to her beauty, not the snow. Christine's next question broke his trance.
"Erik, what's today's date?" That was a question she'd never asked before, oddly. Gosh, what has happened to me? It seemed like questions, such as dates, were important. Weeks ago, that sort of question was of the utmost importance. Now though.. it just wasn't the same. How can I be so used to this? Is there something wrong with me that I'm not freaking out all the time? Inwardly pushing the thought aside, she continued to look out the window and sip her coffee while waiting for an answer.
That threw him off guard and he hesitated before replying, "It's the third of December."
Christine let out a gasp before turning and looking him straight in the eye. She whispered, "Did you say...the third?"
He looked into her eyes, confused. "Yes.."
The coffee cup almost fell from her grasp, but Erik removed it from her shaking hand and unthinkingly placed it on the counter, his eyes never straying from her. Christine's hand flew to her mouth as tears formed in her eyes.
Erik was completely shocked by her reaction. "What? What is it?" He inwardly readied himself for painful words. She was probably devastated over being kept here for so long.
She lowered her hand from her mouth and shakily said, "M-my mom.. She died two years ago today.."
His eyes widened in surprise. He had completely forgotten. How could he? How could he have overlooked the anniversary of the most devastating day of her life? Without hesitation, Erik closed the distance between them and held her close so she could cry on his shoulder. He whispered, "Christine, I'm so, so sorry," while stroking her hair. Each body wracking sob that came from her fragile body broke his heart and made him feel more horrible. I'd do anything to make her happy again.
After a few minutes, she regained some control and stepped away from him with her eyes downcast. "Wh-when she died, I swore to myself that I'd visit her grave as much as I could so that she'd never have to be alone for long. It's been so long since I've gone.."
Erik stared at her attentively while comprehending what she was saying and feeling. Realization struck. Of course.. I can't keep her locked in here forever. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her green eyes with determination. "We'll visit her grave today, Christine. Right now."
Christine blinked at that. "R-really?" She looked at him in shock. "But how? I mean, isn't it a long way away? I-"
"Shh," Erik interrupted and shook his head. "Do not question, angel. We will go." Thinking quickly, he knew there needed to be certain steps taken before they could actually leave- the first of those steps being to get Christine very sleepy. She couldn't actually be awake during the drive to Asheville. That was out of the question. He didn't think she was ready for such knowledge.
Now, Erik was always a very prepared man. For instance, along with the cell phone he kept in his pocket at all times, he kept a small supply of sedatives.
He only needed to catch Christine off guard... The way she was acting, all flustered by the new information he'd presented, indicated that an opportunity was well within reach.
And then, as if it were meant to be, the perfect opportunity presented itself. A bit overexcited by the thought of leaving the house for the first time, Christine turned to leave the room. Quickly, he slipped a powdered substance into her coffee, which had now cooled some, and it instantly dissolved. He himself had made the rather strong sedative. In definition, it would put the victim to sleep after roughly ten minutes and keep them that way for about three hours.
Nonchalantly, Erik asked, "Christine, won't you drink the rest of your coffee?"
She turned, nodded, and drank it in two gulps before saying, "Let me get a coat," and hurrying to her bedroom.
Erik proceeded to fill two bottles of water, one of which he put his sleeping powder in. Hiding them in his coat pocket, he waited for her.
Christine hunted through her closet and found a black pea-coat. Pulling it on, she ran downstairs and found Erik to be waiting in the foyer with his coat already on.
They stood in the foyer for a few moments. Erik was trying to discreetly study her, and that was when he noticed her body waver slightly. His lips curled upward. "Are you ready?" he asked with a low hypnotic tone that he knew would have an effect on her.
Christine's brow furrowed at the odd way she was feeling, but she was determined. Nothing was going to stop her from visiting her mother's grave. Nothing. She nodded, her concentration on keeping steady.
Erik took a deep breath before opening the door. This entire outing was getting more nerve wracking by the second. What if something goes wrong? What if I lose her? All rationality aside, Erik wasn't ever going to lose her. He would kill anyone in order to keep her. Whatever it takes..
The fullness of the situation hadn't yet sunk into Christine's brain. She was just overjoyed to be visiting her mother. She didn't even think of how she was about to be free from this prison after almost a month of lockdown. She was still trying to focus on keeping her body steady as they walked. But why did it seem like such a challenge to focus?
They walked outside, Erik watching her the entire time. He knew it wouldn't be long until... Right after descending the steps of the porch, her body began to sway. He was ready to catch her if she fell.
"Erik?" Christine questioned nervously while blinking several times. He was immediately in front of her. "So-something's wrong... I don't feel right.."
He caught her just in time as she stumbled into unconsciousness. Scooping her up into his arms, Erik carried her to the car. He despised himself for drugging her and scaring her so, but he really saw no other way. She still hadn't learned to trust him fully, so he couldn't let her stay awake during the drive. That would ruin quite a few details that he wished to keep from her, the primary detail being that of her location. He only did what had to be done.
Erik looked down at her in his arms and felt a mixture of self hatred and worry. No doubt her stumbling into unconsciousness was terrifying, but she would be just fine. He'd tested the sedative on himself more than once, and there were no flaws. Even so, with that knowledge, his heart was still unsure.
He hated that. He hated when his brain and his heart weren't on the same page. He didn't like confusion. With a sigh, he carefully reached out with Christine in his arms and opened the back car door in order to gently lay her across the back seat. He walked around to the driver's side and, before starting the engine, removed the water bottles from his pocket and placed them in cup holders.
The drive was quiet, boring. It made Erik realize just how important Christine had become to his very existence. He frequently glanced at her through the rearview mirror. Her still form made him yearn, more than anything, to see her green eyes and precious smile.
He had to keep reminding himself that it was better this way. He could be without her for a few hours. She was still there, after all. It was torture, yes, but Erik had already experienced so much of that in his life that this should feel like nothing.
As a distraction, Erik focused most of his attention on the smooth jazz music coming from the CD player. His over-analyzation of every Christine-related situation was ridiculous and exhausting. Anything she did, even if she merely glanced in his direction, he would ponder over it for hours. But, of course, he loved all of it, all of her.
The two hour drive finally ended when Erik's car reached a parking place in an eerie, abandoned parking lot.
However, there was a single light post shining down upon the empty lot. Maybe it wasn't as 'abandoned' as Erik thought. Even so, they were alone.
Erik waited while staring at Christine's unconscious face. Her appearance made him especially uneasy, almost sick feeling. The word 'death' couldn't help but flash through his mind. He shuddered. She's fine, she's just fine, he kept reminding himself.
It had been two hours and thirty minutes. Just another half hour. She's fine..
Attempting to distract himself again, Erik switched the jazz music to classical, Mozart's Requiem. Mozart's unfinished work. It made him think of his beloved Don Juan Triumphant. Unlike Mozart, he would finish Don Juan before his death. Christine was such an inspiration to his music. He'd written more than ever with her around. And if he wasn't in such a state of worry over her current state, he'd probably be creating music in his mind while waiting.
His thoughts vanished completely when he heard a soft moan. His attention shifted to the back seat where Christine was stirring from her slumber. Relief spread through his body, and he began breathing normally again.
Christine's brow furrowed in confusion. Her eyes were still closed. Why on earth did it seem like such a task to open them? She finally did and blinked several times to focus before rubbing her face with her hands. Everything felt so heavy. Why? A weird sense of déjà vu swept through her. I'm in a car... She gasped and sat up so abruptly that she felt dizzy. As she faced forward, black reached her vision. "Erik?" Her throat felt so dry..
"Oh good, you're awake," Erik said while keeping his voice as normal and inconspicuous as possible. He turned in his seat to look at her.
"What's going on?" she asked with confusion. "Where are-" She suddenly remembered everything from that morning. "Oh!" Christine sat up straighter.
Erik chuckled softly. "Yes, we've made it to the cemetery."
She peered past Erik and out the car windshield. "I can't believe I fell asleep. How long have we been driving?" Her eyes tried to locate a clock, since most cars have them, but there wasn't one.
"Oh, for a while," he replied simply and turned back towards the steering wheel.
Christine felt a twinge of remembrance and, dare she admit, reality. He'd kidnapped her and was purposefully keeping the location of his house a secret, as well as the time. He was in complete control of everything she did, every move she made. ...But she couldn't think about that now! Look at where I am! I've been locked in his house for weeks, and he's finally let me out! Be grateful! She felt Erik staring at her through the rearview mirror, so she looked back at him.
Erik could tell she was thinking too hard on something, and that 'something' probably wasn't good for her. Changing subjects, he casually asked, "Well then, are you ready to go?"
For a brief but intense moment, Christine thought he meant to go back to his home. She was about to protest. "Oh," she murmured, while blushing at the realization that he was referring to getting out of the car. "Sure," came her meek reply. "I mean, yes," she said firmly. Turning to the right, she reached over to open the door.. but it was locked. Without thinking, she tried pushing the 'unlock' button, but nothing happened. All gratefulness forgotten, her eyes widened in fear.
Erik quickly apologized. "Oh, forgive me, my dear." He pressed the 'unlock' button, which released the 'child lock'. "There," he said reassuringly.
The fact that he felt the need to use that kind of lock made her nervous. Quickly, she opened the car door and got out. She tried to ignore the odd wave of dizziness that came over her as she stood.
Erik was terrified. Will she run from me? Faster than Christine, he got out and hurried to her side. Studying her expression, he was beyond relieved to notice that she wasn't going to try to flee. She appeared to be uncomfortable, but the look of utter fear -the fear he saw when she tried to run from him all those weeks ago- wasn't there.
Like Erik, Christine did recall when she ran from him the night of her kidnapping. Now though, two things prevented her from repeating that act. One, it was pointless. He would undoubtedly catch her and take her back without visiting her mother's grave. And two, well, she honestly didn't want to run. Was it wrong of her to want to stay? Was she actually developing a liking towards him? Yes, her mind whispered.
Returning her attention to Erik, Christine asked, "How do we get there?" She'd never been to this parking lot before.
Erik was still feeling relief from her willingness to stay, and he looked down at her with a smile of pure joy on his face. "Well, we have to walk through the woods." He gestured with his hand towards the expanse of snow-covered trees.
"Oh." She didn't mind at all. She'd do anything to get there.
They stood awkwardly while Erik pondered in frustration. He didn't want to walk ahead of her because of the whole trust issue, and he couldn't walk behind since she didn't know how to get there. He closed his eyes momentarily before opening them and hesitantly asking, "Would you hold onto my arm? I wouldn't want you to fall." Really, he wouldn't want her to run.
Christine bit her bottom lip apprehensively before complying. Neither of them trusted one another completely.
Erik was delighted as he cherished the feel of her arm entwined with his. He led her through the woods, and they both admired the snow, which was lightly covering the ground and trees.
Solemnity hung in the air as the purpose of their trip took precedence over everything else. They walked in silence, each consumed in thought.
About ten minutes passed before the cemetery came into view. Erik looked at Christine who was looking straight ahead.
The woods ended, and they began walking past grave stones. Her mother's grave was towards the back.
Surprisingly, Christine began to speak softly. "She was everything to me. She was pretty much my only true friend. When she died..." She had to pause to compose herself. "When she died, it was like everything in my life shattered. I just wish.. I wish she was still here." The tears in her eyes spilled over.
Erik listened with a heavy heart. His angel, his poor angel... Not knowing what to say and feeling like his words weren't enough to soothe her, they continued walking in silence.
After a few moments, Christine continued speaking. "But she's gone. She's not coming back. You can't change the past, can you?" It was a rhetorical question, to which Erik didn't answer. "Why can't I just accept it? Why can't I just say good-bye?"
"Because you love her," Erik couldn't help but reply. "She was your world. When you lost her, you lost a piece of your heart." It dawned on him that he could apply those same feelings towards Christine. Not that she was dead, of course.. He cringed at the thought. But, if anything did ever happen to her, if he lost her, he wouldn't be able to go on. I think I understand how you feel, Christine. To know that she was suffering from such deep sorrow and had been for such a long time made him want to hug her, or comfort her in some way, so badly that it hurt.
They finally reached the intended grave, and Erik reluctantly let go of her. He watched from a distance as Christine moved towards the grave. She was an angel, so innocent. She believed in a Higher Power, and he certainly did not. How could I? My face alone proves that I am a descendent of hell. A 'God' wouldn't be so cruel. But he wouldn't tell Christine of his feelings.
Unbeknownst to Erik, Christine truly didn't believe in 'God'. A 'God' wouldn't take her mom away. Not when she needed her so badly. A 'God' wouldn't sit back and let her suffer. Christine reached out and touched the gravestone.
The tears that seemed never ending began, once more, to roll down her cheeks as she sank to her knees. "Mom," she whispered so Erik wouldn't hear. "I'm so sorry I haven't visited in so long. I'm trapped. I've been kidnapped. And... well, I know it sounds horrible, but it's not so bad.
"His name is Erik. He's different, Mom. He's not like the stereotypical kidnapper. Actually, I've never known anyone like him... And, after everything, I don't hate him. I thought I did in the beginning. I thought I would always be afraid of and despise him. I thought he would kill me. But, to tell the truth, I don't think so anymore. He's been nothing but nice to me. And Mom, he's giving me voice lessons. I've really improved. He's a musical genius. I- I really do care for him. Is that wrong? Am I a bad person for wanting to live with him more than I want to live with Dad? Not that I have a choice.. But I think, given the choice, I would choose Erik."
She stopped and shifted her eyes back towards Erik. He was watching with his arms crossed against his chest. It was noticeable that he wasn't watching just her either. Every so often, his eyes would scan the area suspiciously.
Her attention returned to her mother's grave. "I love you so much," she whispered while tears streamed down her cheeks. "I- I don't know when I'll come back, but I promise I will come back. I love you." She shakily kissed her hand and placed it on the grave stone. Then, she stood and turned to Erik. His eyes had wandered again, but he quickly focused on her.
Christine walked towards him and looked into his light blue eyes. "Thank you so much for bringing me here. It means so much to me." Without overanalyzing it, she stepped forward and hugged him. A warmth spread through her rather cold body, thanks to their embrace, and she didn't let go.
Erik tensed immediately and stopped breathing completely when he felt her body mold against his. She was hugging him willingly. His angel, the innocent girl he loved more than life itself, had her arms around him and her head against his chest. When she didn't back away after several seconds had passed, the tension he felt dissolved, and he returned the hug whole heartedly while stroking her brown curls. Erik even thought he heard her sigh contentedly.
He treasured the contact and wished she would never let go. His eyes closed, and his lips curled upward. After a few more precious seconds, Christine finally did let go and backed away. An attractive blush permeated her cheeks while she looked down. Of course, Erik thought with disappointment. She regrets it.
Actually, she didn't. Christine honestly didn't regret it. In fact, I think I liked that more than I should have... What is wrong with me?
A movement behind Christine made Erik's eyes dart towards it. In the distance, he saw a person walking their way. It was a man, and he was walking at a slow pace.
Oh, no, Erik thought. Charles Daae.. Christine's father... Immediately, his attention returned to Christine. She looked like she was in a sort of daze, but he didn't have time to ponder over her expression. "Christine, we must leave now." Luckily, his voice was calm.
Christine could hear the commanding tone. Was he mad at her? I shouldn't have hugged him... A soft gasp escaped her lips when she felt him take her hand and lead her away. Why was he hurrying? Getting a bit nervous, she forced herself to allow his actions without protest.
Erik could tell she was confused, but he really didn't have time to care. His only thoughts were of keeping her safe. He couldn't lose her, especially to him. Christine's father was the epitome of evil. Anyone who could ever harm his angel deserved death. But he couldn't kill him now, not in front of Christine. In fact, he wasn't going to inform her of her father's presence at all.
They hurried towards the back of the graveyard. "Erik, we didn't come in this way."
Before she could look behind her, Erik commanded, "Christine, look forward. I don't want you to trip."
She nodded and continued to look ahead. They reached woods, and Erik kept leading her until they were surrounded by trees and growth. They wouldn't be seen there.
Willing to relieve her of at least one thing, Erik stopped and released her hand from his grasp. Turning towards her, he asked, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she replied awkwardly.
"I'm sorry we had to leave so abruptly." He wasn't going to elaborate.
Christine looked into his eyes, which were focused on her. "No, it's fine. I was done."
He breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, shall we?" He watched her beautiful head nod, and they walked. Erik didn't feel it necessary to have her hold onto his arm. He had a feeling she wouldn't run. Surprisingly though, and without his asking, he felt her hesitantly touch his arm. Then, with more courage, her arm looped around his.
Erik looked down at her in absolute shock. She was looking ahead with a soft smile on her face. A surge of warmth coursed through his veins. However, maybe she was doing this out of what she felt was obligation? Perhaps she thought he would request it? No matter, he was enjoying the close contact.
They reached the car fairly quickly, and Erik glanced in every direction before opening the passenger's side door. Christine got in, and he closed it.
After he got in and closed his car door, they sat in silence. "Here," Erik said while reaching for a water bottle. "I'm sure you're thirsty." He smiled while inwardly cursing himself. The water bottle contained sleeping powder, which would knock her out for three hours. It was necessary, though. He had to keep reminding himself of that. One wrong move, and Christine could turn on him. She could go back to acting as she had in the beginning. He couldn't let that happen.
They sat in silence while Christine drank. Ten minutes passed without so much as a word spoken between them. Then, she was out. Erik turned towards her with a painful expression. "Please don't hate me," he whispered desperately. Wanting her to be comfortable, he reclined her seat until there was only a slight incline. He then buckled her seat belt, turned, started the engine, and drove. Not even the soothing classical music could lessen his despair and self hatred.
The two hours dragged on for what felt like days. Finally, when they reached the driveway, Erik parked the car and hurriedly walked to Christine's side of the car. He carried her to the front door and then stopped.
There was a note taped to his front door. Erik's brow furrowed in anger as he reached to tear if off. Daroga... He read aloud, "'Erik, where are you? You had better come back soon. It is 4:30. I will return shortly.'"
Erik was surprised by his own stupidity. I cannot believe I forgot the deal. Nadir's terms replayed in his mind. 'I will be watching, so there is no use in trying to escape.' Of course, presently, Nadir was doing a pathetic job 'watching'. Erik shook his head furiously and glanced down at his watch- 5:15.
"Let him come," he whispered maliciously while holding Christine possessively in his arms.