Chapter 12
"Seal my fate tonight… I hate to have to cut the fun short… but the joke's wearing thin… let the audience in… let my opera begin!"
The audience was all filing into the theater and Ashley felt her body shake. She should have gotten over her stage fright by now, but this was far different from just singing her songs from her iPod. This was Erik's opera! Not only that, but she was to sing one of the most iconic songs from the Phantom of the Opera musical! Her legs felt like giving out and her head was swimming on top of the fluttering in the pit of her stomach. She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped at the contact.
"Ashley, it's only me." She turned to see Christine, dressed in full costume, with a concerned look on her face. "I'm sorry you're being put through this."
"It's not your fault Christine." She said turning back to peak through the curtain.
"Ashley, what about the Phantom do you like?" She asked. Ashley turned back to her surrogate sister with a slightly surprised look.
"There's so much to like about him." She said. "His voice, his eyes, his music. It's true that he can be scary at times and has a very bad temper, but he can also be very kind and loving. When I first met him, I won't deny that he frightened me, but as we spent more and more time together, I got to see the best side of him. He's everything to me." Christine saw Ashley's eyes as she spoke of him when one more thought invaded her mind.
"Have you seen his face?" She asked. Ashley's face went from dreamy to sober.
"No." She answered bluntly. "I didn't want to betray his trust. I believed that when the time came… he would show me himself." Ashley had seen more than one Phantom of the Opera adaptation in her seven years of Phandom and knew what happened if you removed his mask. She wouldn't dare take his mask.
"How can you say you love him if you've never seen his face?" Christine wondered.
"Because I know it would cause him pain if I took away his mask." She said sounding very distant. Christine analyzed her words carefully and understood her meaning. She remembered when he took her to his lair and when she removed his mask. He was furious at her, but more so was hurt by her action. She decided now was the best time to bow out and made her way to her position.
The switch was simple; Christine was to walk from one end of the stage towards the table for a small moment and while our Passarino and Don Juan were speaking, Christine would quickly run off stage and Ashley would take her place. Ashley knew that Erik would be taking Piangi's place as Do Juan, having seen the movie a thousand times and the performance twice and the Anniversary performance God knows how many times since she got it, she was even more nervous to be performing with him making her job all the more terrifying.
You can do this Ashley. She said to herself. Maybe he won't show up. But that's a very slim chance. But you've always dreamed of this happening.
The intro began to play and everyone took their places and began to sing. The nerves came back tenfold as they began approaching Point of No Return. Since Don Juan would be wearing the black cloak with the large hood over his head, Ashley knew that she would have to pull it up to reveal the Phantom. But what after that? Would he just kidnap her and pretend to kill her off stage? Would they just run away? Or would Raoul succeed and Erik would die? Over her dead body he would! She heard Piangi sing and prepared herself for the switch. She could see Christine already in position across the stage. Christine gave her a reassuring smile and Ashley had no choice but to smile back. When Piangi disappeared behind the curtain, she knew the time of reckoning was at hand.
"No thought within her head but thoughts of joy…" Christine began to sing making her way to the table, "…No dreams within her heart but dreams of love!" They heard their Passarino acknowledge Don Juan and Christine jumped from her place and Ashley ran to where she was.
"Go away for the trap is set and waits for its prey." She heard the fake Piangi voice sing and felt her heart speed up. She wanted to run but her legs did not respond. She wanted to scream but her voice was numb. "You have come here in pursuit of your deepest urge, in pursuit of that wish which 'til now has been silent… silent." She could feel his eyes on her and a blush creped onto her cheeks at the thought of him finding her instead of Christine. "I have brought you that our passions may fuse and merge. In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me. Now you are here with me, no second thoughts, you've decided… decided." Ashley was struggling to stay in character but it was so hard when she knew she was living her greatest fantasies of all time. She wanted so badly to just run to him and just pull away the hood and kiss him in front of everyone, but she had to keep herself calm.
"Past the point of no return
No backward glances
The games we've played 'til now are at an end
Past all thought of 'if' or 'when'
No use resisting
Abandon thought and let the dream descend"
Ashley could feel electricity run through her blood when his hands made contact with her body and couldn't help but slightly move towards him wanting to get closer. But she snapped herself out of it when she knew there was a show to do and couldn't get distracted. She moved away from him and back over to the table where she sat down on the bench.
"What raging fire shall flood the soul
What rich desire unlocks its door
What sweet seduction lies before us?"
She felt him approach her then he sat down just behind her and felt his hands begin to roam across her.
"Past the point of no return
The final threshold
What warm unspoken secrets will we learn
Beyond the point of no return?"
Ashley felt her heart beat faster and her desire growing, but the show must go on. As she prepared to sing, she no longer felt the nervousness as she did before. She couldn't feel the hundreds of eyes watching her on a stage, only the eyes of the man sitting right there. She got up from her seat and began to sing.
"You have brought me
To that moment where words run dry
To that moment when speech disappears
Into silence… silence"
She moved across the stage putting a bit of distance between them and felt her heart begin to slow allowing her to concentrate better.
"I have come here
Hardly knowing the reason why
In my mind I've already imagined
Our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent
And now I am here with you
No second thoughts
I've decided… decided"
She was no longer just singing in an opera, she was singing for the Angel of Music. This was the man who gave her a voice, who made her into who she is today, the man she loves. She wanted to make this absolutely perfect. But she wanted to be sure it really was him.
"Past the point of no return
No going back now
Our passion play has now at last begun"
She began moving towards the table again and to her Don Juan, readying herself for what's to come.
"Past all thought of right or wrong
One final question
How long should we to wait before we're one?"
His hands came up and Ashley took them in her own entwining their fingers. She then brought her arms around him as she continued to sing
"When will the blood begin to race
The sleeping bud burst into bloom
When will the flames at last consume us?"
She brought herself around so she was beside him and he quickly stood up and grabbed her by her arms and began leading her slowly center stage.
"Past the point of no return
The final threshold
The bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn…"
His hands made their way up her arms up her shoulders and were now resting on her neck while Ashley's hands were on his chest nearing his hood.
"…We've past the point of no return!"
Ashley pulled the hood up to reveal the familiar white mask and the handsome face of the man she loved. She felt her heart soar knowing she sang to the right person. He released her and turned to leave only to find guards blocking his path along with Raoul. Ashley could feel herself shaking again, anxiously awaiting her fate at the hands of the Phantom. She was surprised when she heard him begin to sing.
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Lead me, save me from my solitude…"
She saw him reaching for something on his person and felt like she may faint. Was he really going to reveal everything right now?
"Say you want me with you here beside you…"
He turned back to her and she saw he was holding a ring. It was a silver band with a blue diamond shaped like a heart with two roses on either side of the gem with the stems acting as the band. It was the most beautiful ring she ever laid her eyes on. He approached her and took her hands in his.
"Anywhere you go let me go too…"
He sang as he slipped the ring onto her finger.
"Ashley, that's all I ask of-"
But before he could finish the line, someone had approached from behind and removed his mask and wig. What Ashley saw as positively mind boggling. His face was like none of the Phantom deformities she had ever seen! If you were to watch every unmasking from every Phantom movie or musical you've ever seen, it just didn't compare to this! There were absolutely no words that could describe it at all. But even with such a ravaged face such as his, Ashley was unphased by it. No matter what his face looked like, she knew that Erik was still Erik. But that didn't stop him from going ballistic. As soon as the mask and wig her torn from his face, he shouted and turned to see it was Christine who revealed him to everyone including Ashley. His Ashley. And she has yet to see his face before now. He pulled a knife from his cloak and threw it at a rope. As it cut through, the chandelier over head began to sway, indicating it was going to fall. Erik turned back to Ashley and grabbed her before pulling her away from the stage.
"No! Don't shoot!" Raoul shouted as the police began closing in on them. But one of the officers had fired and Ashley let out a shriek and covered her ears while clinging closer to Erik. He faced the mob in back of them and set off a fire bomb and they continued their escape. Raoul's attention was diverted when he heard the audience scream as the chandelier began to fall. He looked up to see it make its way towards the stage and he along with the rest of the armed guard vacated before it had a chance to hit the ground. He heard yet another scream while back stage and saw Piangi lying on the ground dead with a lasso around his neck.
"Madame Giry!" He shouted out to the ballet mistress as she ran passed. "Madame Giry, wait!"
"Please monsieur, I cannot help you!" She shouted.
"But what about Ashley?" He questioned.
"There is nothing you can do for her. If you go after them, he will not hesitate to end you. He lost her once; he's not risking losing her again." Raoul thought about her words and knew she was referring to the incident six years ago.
"But she's seen his face!" He reminded her.
"If you wish to give up your life then do as you please, but I will not be responsible for what becomes of any of you!" She said before taking Meg and fleeing the scene. Raoul growled in frustration then spotted Christine.
"Christine, where are you going? You have to get out of here!" Raoul shouted.
"I can't allow my friend to die for my wrong." She stated then tore away from her sweetheart but he took hold of her once again.
"I'll go with you! You don't know what he might do." Christine shook her head.
"It's too dangerous for you Raoul. He won't harm me, but if he sees you, he'll kill you!" And with that being said, she ran off in search if an entrance leaving Raoul behind in anger and frustration.
"Monsieur." He turned to face Madame Giry once more. "Are you that determined to find her?" He nodded. "Then I can lead you to him."
"But can I trust you?" He asked.
"You must. But remember; keep your hand at the level of your eyes." She said bringing up her own hand in example.
"But why?"
"Why? The Punjab lasso monsieur! First Buquet and now Piangi! Come now monsieur, we must hurry or we shall be too late!" And without another word she led him from the fray and towards one of the hidden entrances.
Erik had an arm around Ashley's shoulders and his cape covering her small form as they descended into the catacombs of the opera house. He held her on his left so that she didn't have to look at the deformed side of his face.
"Down once more to the dungeons of my black despair
Down we plunge to the prison of my mind"
As he continued down the corridors, Ashley began having a hard time keeping up with him and stumbled once or twice trying to keep pace. Every now and again she would look over her shoulder to see if anyone was following. She knew at some point Raoul would be on his way down to find them and hoped they had a good enough lead.
"Down that path into darkness deep as hell…"
He stopped for a moment then looked back towards where they came.
"Why would she ask was I bound and chained
in this cold and dismal place
Not for any mortal sin
But the wickedness of my abhorred face!"
Ashley could almost hear the faint sounds of the mob chanting "Track down this murderer, he must be found" in her mind.
I've got Phantom on my brain too much. She thought ironically. Erik soon began walking again returning to his fast stride from moments ago.
"Hunted out by everyone
Met with hatred everywhere
No kind words from anyone
No compassion anywhere…"
"Christine… Christine, why? WHY!" As he shouted these last words he heard Ashley let out a shriek as she fell onto the ground. "Ashley!" He stopped walking and made his way to the fallen girl.
"I'm alright." She said trying to pull herself up. "I'm not as fast as you and it was hard for me to keep up." She smiled at him and he felt a small twinge of guilt. He was so caught up with Christine revealing his face; letting his anger run through him, he almost forgot about Ashley.
"Can you stand?" He asked sounding concerned.
"I think so-" But as she tried getting up, a sharp pain sprung from her foot. "Damn it!" Erik was a little surprised at her for using such language. When she was fourteen she usually never spoke in such a way. "I'll be fine, probably just twisted my ankle a bit." She continued getting up trying to ignore the pain. Erik shook his head then quickly whipped his arm behind her legs and proceeded to lift her into his arms. Ashley quickly clung to him looking down at the ground. She didn't like people lifting her ever since she was young when her father had lifted her over his shoulder and ended up falling flat on her face behind him.
"Ashley, look at me." He said but she was too focused on the ground to hear him. "Look at me." She heard him that time and slowly turned herself to look up into his intense green eyes and instantly felt her fear melt away. "I won't let you fall. You have to trust me." Ashley could sense the desperation in his voice, as if he thought she saw him differently now that she'd seen him.
"I do trust you." She said then rested her head against his shoulder. After a second or two, he began walking again only this time being more careful. He was shocked that she would still stay with him after seeing his true face. He was sure that she would do anything to get away from him and shun him as a monster like many others have. Yet she still looks at him as if he was human.
Tonight he ended their charade which meant neither of them was safe. He would finally make Ashley his bride tonight then take her far from Paris to begin a new life together. She would never see her home or her friends again, but he knew that as long as he was with her, she didn't care.
"Keep your hand at the level of your eyes!"
"…at the level of your eyes…"
"He lives just across the lake monsieur." Madame Giry said pointing out towards the massive lake before them. "This is as far as I dare go." She turned back and began her journey to the surface.
"Madame Giry!" She stopped and turned to Raoul. "Thank you." She nodded to him and continued her ascension. Raoul rolled up his sleeves and made for the lake. "Prepare yourself, clever friend." He said and reached onto his belt and pulled out a gun. "Only one will die tonight. Let's see who will reign victorious."
This chapter's songs are Point of No Return and Down Once More both from The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. So, I just got the 25th Anniversary Celebration CD on itunes and it is INCREDIBLE! I still have to wait until I go home to see Secret World of Arrietty before I can see the actual performance since the DVD is waiting for me there. But know it will not disappoint!
I had a bit of a hard time with this chapter since I wanted to cut it off at a certain point so that we can have the lair scene in chapter thirteen. I wanted to get at least 3,000 words before I stopped. And we got Ashley and Erik singing Point of No Return! I couldn't stop myself from fangirling the entire time I was writing that part! But I digress.
Reviews are most welcome and I will do my best with the next chapter!
