-1Chapter Twelve- "Fighting the Darkness"

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The week went by slowly for Christine. Her voice returned a little more each day, and her head stopped hurting so much. Unfortunately, her heart's pain was not dulling in the least bit. Every day she would walk down to ballet practice with Meg and watch as her friend danced across the stage. Meg was truly a vision when she danced. Although Meg was only ten, she danced better than any of the other girls. Christine felt a small amount of jealousy as she watched her fair-haired friend, but quickly shoved it away. Meg was nothing but kind to her, and she never shoved her talent in anyone's face. Still, Christine wondered what it would be like to be able to dance so well, so naturally.

After rehearsals came to an end, Christine would walk back to the dormitories with her friend and listen intently as Meg chattered on about this and that. Christine was thankful for Meg's constant babble, because even when what she was saying was pointless, it kept Christine's mind occupied. Today, Meg was talking about how there was a rumor that Hannah the Witch was being pulled out of the Opera Populaire.

"They say it's because of...well...the incident..." Meg said, carefully watching Christine for her reaction. Meg had tried to avoid talking about Pierre's death, she knew it would upset her friend.

Christine's face fell slightly as her mind went back to what had happened to Pierre. "Well, good riddance. She never deserved to be here in the first place." Christine said, putting on a happy facade. In all honesty, she was truly happy to be rid of the witch, it would be one less person to try and break her spirits down.

Meg nodded and then directed the conversation off onto a new topic, but Christine had stopped walking. Meg noticed after a second and turned around, confusion written all over her pretty little face. "Christine?"

"Christine..." A voice softly murmured her name, and Christine felt her blood run cold.

"I forgot I was supposed to speak with Monsieur Reyer, go on ahead, I'll meet up with you later..." Christine lied before turning around and rushing the other way, leaving Meg standing in the corridor, a worried expression replacing the confused one she had moments earlier.

Christine ran backstage, her stomach knotted in fear. She knew she had heard someone, or something, saying her name. It was the same voice she had heard in her dreams after she hit her head. It sounded so distant, so soft, and if she hadn't heard it so many times she could have pretended she was just imagining it. But knew she wasn't imagining it.

"Christine..." She heard it again and she felt tears pop into her eyes. It was following her, and she couldn't escape it. She felt like she was trapped in a game of cat and mouse, and she was the mouse. Christine pumped her legs harder as she ran down the corridors, praying to God for protection. She didn't know what, or who, she needed protection from, but she knew she needed sanctuary somewhere. Normally she would have gone to the chapel, but now even that sacred room scared her. Christine turned right and burst into Madame Giry's office, her eyes wild with fear and her chest heaving from lack of air.

"Help me!" Christine cried out before finally fainting on the spot

Madame Giry watched the girl in horror and rushed to her side, catching her a moment before she hit the ground. "Christine? Child, what happened to you?" Madame said, aware that Christine was passed out and unable to hear her. She gently picked her up and placed her on one of the soft couches she had in her office and covered her with a small blanket.

She gazed at the child with sadness. Erik was driving her mad. She was too young to understand what was happening to her. As if on cue, her door opened and the masked man appeared in the room, quickly looking around for Christine. He never said a word to the woman standing before him, watching him with wary eyes as he walked over and knelt next his young protégé.

"Erik, what are you doing to her?" Madame whispered, her motherly instinct to protect the little girl raising in her chest.

The masked man slowly turned his head to face his old friend, his golden eyes glaring. "I am not doing this to her. She is refusing me, fighting me, and it's making her ill. She needs me." He growled before turning his face back to Christine's body. She looked so fragile laying on the couch, almost like a wilted flower.

"Stop it. Leave her alone, she is too young! You're frightening her!" Madame hissed, carefully watching to make sure Christine wasn't waking. The last thing the poor girl needed was to wake up and see a strange masked man looming in front of her, watching her like a lion watches its prey.

"I know what is best for her! I have guided her for three years, and she turns from me now? She is mine, I will not let her slip away!" Erik roared as he stood up and faced the ballet mistress.

Madame Giry gasped slightly at the sudden outburst from the man, but she regained her composure almost immediately, she would not allow him to intimidate her! "If you smother her, she will only try harder to rid herself from your chains." Madame walked over and placed her hand on Erik's shoulder so she could gently lead him away from the couch. "Erik, she belongs up here. I know you see it. Don't force her to live as you do, it's not fair to her. She's fragile, and your darkness will destroy her."

Christine's eyelids fluttered and she let out a groggy moan as she tried to sit up. Erik took one last look at her before exiting the room swiftly, leaving Madame alone with Christine. The ballet mistress took a deep breath, Erik had seemed to take her news well, but maybe that was because Christine had started to wake. Only time would tell, but in the mean time all she could do was hope.

"W-what happened?" Christine said as she opened her eyes fully and looked around.

"You over-worked yourself and fainted, my dear. Come, I'll take you back to Meg, maybe you two can go to the park? I think the fresh air would do you go." Madame said gently as Christine carefully sat up and rose from the couch.

"That sounds like a good idea..." Christine muttered. The pain in her head was searing, but she knew sunshine and fresh air would lift her spirits. "Madame, may I ask a question before I leave?"

Madame Giry smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"Who is Erik?" Christine asked and looked up at her mother-figure, surprised at her reaction. Madame's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped for a second before she could catch herself.

"Erik? Surely you are mistaken?" Madame Giry said, her mind trying to come up with something to tell the child before her. How could she explain to Christine that a grown man, one who was a known murderer and madman, was stalking her?

"No, I'm certain you said Erik. When I was on the couch, I remembered hearing his voice, and you called him Erik..." Christine prodded, her eyes studying Madame Giry's closely. She had never seen her flustered before, and her curiosity was getting the better of her. Why would the mention of a name set off the woman like this?

"Christine, I think you were dreaming. There has been no one in this room other than yourself and I." Madame said and briskly walked over to the door. "Now, you should go find Meg and go to the park, before it gets too dark.

Christine nodded and walked out of the room. She was confused and uncertain about many things, but she knew there had been another person, a man, in the room. What she didn't know was why Madame Giry was trying to hide that fact from her.

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Meg was happily surprised when Christine asked her to accompany her to the park, and she agreed immediately. Christine felt her spirits start to raise as soon as they stepped outside of the opera house and into the brilliant sunshine of the day. Meg seemed to sense the happiness her friend was feeling and she smiled, glad to know that the dark clouds that seemed to be looming over her friend for so long were starting to dissipate, if only a little.

Once the pair reached their destination they sat down in a grassy shaded spot and talked. Christine even managed to smile and laugh a few times.

"I'm so glad to see you smile again Christine! I was afraid you had forgotten how!" Meg exclaimed

Christine smiled extra wide, showing her friend that she had not forgotten how to smile. "I know, I've been so gloomy lately. Thank you for sticking with me..." Christine said

Meg seemed shocked that her friend was thanking her for being there. "Oh, Christine! You don't have to thank me! I'm your friend, I'm supposed to be there for you."

"I know..." Christine said as she picked at the grass around her feet. "Meg, did you ever meet a man named Erik in the Opera Populaire?"

Meg was silent for a minute as she thought about the question. "Not that I can remember, why?"

Christine shook her head. "It doesn't matter, I just thought I heard someone being called Erik and I couldn't remember there being an Erik at the opera house..."

Meg arched her eyebrow "That's because there's not. I know everyone who works there, you know, because of Maman. And there is no Erik..."

Christine nibbled on her lip. "That's odd..." Meg nodded and her eyes sparkled.

"Maybe we should...investigate..." Meg couldn't hide the excitement in her voice.

Christine laughed and rolled her eyes. "Meg, it's not that odd. Erik could have just been a visitor, or maybe a potential patron. I doubt that he's anything more than that."

Meg's excitement seemed to die down at her friend's rational thinking. "I suppose you're right." Meg crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "For the record, you're no fun at all."

Christine giggled and stood up. "Well neither are you. Come on, we should go home before it gets dark." Christine offered Meg her hand and the pair made their way back to the opera house, unaware that a pair of cat-like eyes had been watching and listening to them the whole time.

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Christine stood in front of the grand entrance of the opera house for a minute, aware that Meg was standing on the steps waiting for her. She felt her heart start to race and her eyes trailed the magnificent building, all the way to the roof. That roof… Christine thought. So many strange and unexplainable things had happened to her on that roof. Her eyes gazed at the angles that adorned the top and she felt a small smile tug at her lips, but then her gaze fell on the gargoyles and it vanished. They were so menacing! They seemed to glare at the angles with envy, and they were so furious that Christine shuddered and dropped her gaze back down to Meg who was impatiently tapping her foot.

"Will you come on already? Dinner is almost ready, I can smell it from here!" Meg said as she crossed her little arms over her chest.

Christine sadly started walking towards her friend. For so long the opera house had provided her with a sense of happiness, it was her home! But now the dark corridors and creaky floorboards frightened her, and every shadow was a potential danger. Christine took one last breath and walked inside, her spirits dropping at once. The darkness of the opera house was flooding her soul.

Meg had been carefully watching Christine and her face wrinkled with worry. Her poor friend was in some sort of internal conflict, and there was nothing she could do. She quickly started chattering about dinner to try and bring some sort of distraction to her friend, but she knew it wasn't working when Christine stopped at the foot of the grand marble staircase.

"Christine?"

Christine looked up at her friend, tears shining in her big doe eyes. "I'm so scared of this place…"

Meg wrapped her arms around her friend as she started sobbing. Meg had lived in the Populaire her whole life, and there had been many times when she was scared, but Christine was more than just scared, she was terrified. "Christine, don't worry, I'll go get Maman…" Meg soothed, but when she tried to pull away Christine clutched her arm tightly, her eyes wide in fear.

"No! Please don't leave me alone!" Christine whispered, looking around frantically.

Meg felt her stomach knot up, Christine was starting to frighten her. "Ok, you can come with me."

That seemed to suit Christine better and she followed closely behind Meg as they made their way to Madame Giry's office.

Meg didn't bother knocking when they arrived, and Madame didn't seem to mind when she noticed that Meg was trailing a petrified Christine.

"Meg, you make go down to dinner." Madame said, although her words were not harsh. Meg did not argue and gave Christine one last hug before scurrying off.

Christine stood trembling in the doorway and Madame slowly made her way from behind her desk to her. "Christine, tell me what scares you so." She said gently.

"I-I don't know! I feel like something is haunting me. I can feel eyes on me all the time now, and then I think I hear someone calling my name! Oh, Madame! I'm going mad, aren't I?" Christine cried as she cradled her aching head in her hands.

Madame was about to respond, when she noticed to glaring eyes shining at her from the shadows of her room. Erik. She felt her blood boil. He saw what he was doing to the poor girl, and still he persisted! She locked her eyes with Erik's angry gold ones and spoke. "Do not fear, Christine. The Opera Populaire houses many things, but I can assure you that you are safe from whatever dangers you seek. But, if it would ease you, why don't you go down to the chapel and pray? I know you haven't been down there lately."

Christine shook her head violently at Madame's suggestion. "I can't! Not even the chapel is safe anymore!"

Madame glared at Erik one last time before she moved over to her desk. She looked around at its messy top for a moment before she found the object she was searching for. She picked up the gilded rosary and brought it over to Christine and placed it in one of her shaking hands. "Here, take this. I can promise you nothing will haunt you down there tonight."

Christine clutched the string of beads to her chest and looked up at Madame Giry with sad eyes. "Thank you…"

"You're welcome child. Now go, and don't stay down there too long." She said as she opened the door for Christine. She watched as the girl ran down the hall and closed the door, making sure to lock it behind her. Sure that Christine was long gone and out of hearing distance, she whirled around to where Erik had been hiding moments before. "Erik, come out of those shadows immediately."

Erik slowly moved out of the dark that had protected him during Christine's visit, annoyed with Madame's tone. "What can I do for you?"

"How can you be so cold!? Did you not see her? How dare you! She thinks she is going mad! For God's sake, stop this madness now!" Madame Giry shouted as she paced her room.

Erik let out a cold laugh. "Can you not see it? I cannot." Erik said cynically and sat on her small couch.

Madame Giry stopped pacing at stared at Erik for a long time. "Christine is not you. Do not try to make her like you. She believes in all those things you have given up on, God, love, the good in all people, and to take that away from her is worse than any sin you've committed."

Erik arched his visible eyebrow. "How can you be so sure of that, Madame? Do you know the sins I committed, and possibly, still commit?"

Madame Giry was unfazed by Erik's comment. "God help me Erik, I will send her to another opera house before I will let you destroy her!"

Erik's cool look seemed to slither off his face at Madame's threat. "You wouldn't dare." His tone was harsh and cold, much like a frozen dagger and Madame Giry felt shivers run up and down her spine.

"Christine is as much my daughter as Meg, and I will not let harm befall any of them. If you keep this up I will move all of us to another, distant, opera. You will remain here and be king of your domain, although, I am curious, who will deliver your notes? Or see that the list of things you need to survive is taken care of?"

Erik angrily stood up and started his own pacing. "No, no…you will do no such thing!" He roared.

Madame did not allow herself to flinch and she squared her shoulders back. "Do not test me Erik. Leave Christine alone. Take your darkness back where it belongs."

Erik stopped pacing and looked at the woman before him, a look of pain and betrayal obvious on the visible portion of his face. His bright eyes caught the hard, dark ones of Madame Giry's and he felt the sting of defeat. Anger flooded his soul like a tidal wave and he let out an angry roar before disappearing through the secret tunnel he had entered in.

Madame Giry stared at the empty spot that used to be Erik for a few moments before she finally cradled her head in one of her hands and rubbed her throbbing temple. "I'm sorry Erik, there was no other way."

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Down in the chapel, Christine finished up a prayer and blew out all but one candle, the candle she always left lit for her father, and stood up. She had finally been able to pray and talk to her father again, and although she had received no response or wisdom from him, she felt like a burden had been lifted from her tiny shoulders. With a happy smile she exited the chapel and made her way back to her room for the night. She was almost certain the darkness she had been fighting had been defeated.