"You see him?" Tom called from another end of Bill's underground home.
I sighed, shining the flashlight to illuminate the dark spaces he could he hiding in. "No, there's nothing here."
"Well…" Tom said his frustration showing in his voice. "Where the hell could that bastard have taken him?
He paused for a minute, us both realizing in the exact same moment that Tom may have said the answer in his question.
"Oh insert you choice of Russian swear word here. Why this? Why us?" I paused, letting my weary head fall into my hands. I realized that, even if we did find a way to smuggle Bill back into society and get something that can hide scars, this would never end. This "Opera Ghost" would still be after us, after what he would say was "rightfully his". The beginnings of tears stung my eyes.
"I think we better go now, Chrissy," Tom put a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. "He's not here and might not even be in a place we could get to him. There's nothing we can do right now."
I wanted to stay. I wanted to go to the ends of the earth to find Bill and make sure he was safe so we could run away somewhere, get married and have a normal – as normal as we could get – relationship and whatnot, but I knew Tom was right. At least as of right now, there was nothing I – we – could do about The Opera Ghost's power over Bill.
I just hope I don't fall into a trap and become his, too.
"No!" I screamed at the dark figures surrounding the pole where my love was tied. "Let him go!"
No one did anything. No one moved. No one turned. They all kept their dark eye sockets glued to him, but did nothing. Their bony skeletal faces made it seem like they were smiling, though I couldn't tell if they were or not. They wore huge, thick-looking black cloaks, though I was sweating. I'd been in hot weather before – up to 99 degrees – though this temperature surpassed it by a great deal.
Since no one seemed to care about me, I made my way past the crowd and up by Bill. I was shocked to see that no one did anything.
"Bill!" I tapped the side of his face. "Bill, can you hear me?"
There was something different about him, though. His features were set a little harder than normal, his scars set too much into a perfect shape. His eyes opened and he smiled, showing off a mouthful of too sharp teeth. His eyes – they were not the pretty, deep pools of molten dark chocolate that I knew so well – they were red. Blood red. Like, his entire eye – even his pupils and the whites around his iris.
I jumped back as this raspy voice hissed at me.
"You should take a closer look at who your angel is."
I sat straight up, screaming and crying. My heart was racing and my breathing came staggering and erratic.
"Chrissy!" a familiar voice said, while arms tried to calm me. "Chrissy, it was just a dream."
It took me a minute to realize who was talking to me – that voice…that soothing, calm, patient voice….
It was…! …or was it really?
"Get away from me!" I hissed at him and fumbled over the blankets to get around him, though he got to my lamp before I did, blinding me with the sudden bright light.
"Chrissy, look at me!" he argued with me. I didn't want to – I didn't want to see his blood red eyes, again. But I had no choice. I averted my eyes to his…and was amazed. There was no blood red. Just warm chocolate brown, like normal eyes. His features were soft and beautiful – the way they always had been.
It was Bill. He was back. He was here, with no strings attached.
There were no words for what I was feeling in that moment – joy, relief, happiness, shock…. I threw my arms around his next and kissed him with a passion I never thought was possible. And while I was kissing him, I had no doubts – this was my Bill and not some sick interpretation of him. I thanked God for this moment. Tom and I couldn't have helped him – how else could he have gotten out, short of a miracle?
"I'm here, Chrissy," he whispered in my ear, when tears of joy streamed down my face. "I'm here with you."
"I…I thought…I thought you were…" I trailed. "Gone. Forever. I thought…."
"Shhh," he raised a finger to my lips.
No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here – Nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you
Let me be your freedom – let daylight dry your tears
I'm here – With you, beside you
To guard you and to guide you
I looked into his eyes – this was something I realized I could never get tired of doing.
Say you'll love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summertime
Say you need me with you now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask you
Bill sat on my bed with his back leaning against the wall and I curled next to him, resting my head against his chest and listening to0 his heart go thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.
Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe – no one will find you
Your fears are far behind me
I looked up at him.
All I want is freedom
A world with no more night
And you always beside me
To hold me and to hide me
His arms tightened around me.
Then say you'll share with me
One love – one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you
Here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go, too
Chrissy, that's all I ask of you
Say you'll share with me
One love – one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you
Share each day with me
Each night, each morning
Say you love me
You know I do
Bill's lips met mine again.
Love me, that's all I ask of you
