Chapter 14: The Phantom's lair: Christina's Truth
As the Phantom played his haunting melodies the tension increased. Phineas and Jeffrey watched Christina move closer and stop behind him. She cautiously reached out her hands.
"This is it, Bogg, the unmasking! I can't believe it's happening for real." Jeffrey clutched Phineas' sleeve.
Phineas could only stare with growing helplessness. The Voyagers had a clear view of the Phantom's masked face, eerily lit by a candelabrum. Christina hesitated. Every time she attempted to grab the leather mask, the Phantom's body shifted and rose with a crescendo of music. She stiffened with pure determination and jerked the mask off. The Phantom struck the keys violently and screamed in anger. The last time either of the Voyagers felt such horror was when Jeffrey had fallen out the window.
The Phantom stood and glared at the Voyagers, his ghastly face shadowed with hatred. His nose was scarcely visible, his hollow eyes resembled black marbles and his mouth twisted in a vicious snarl. Erik's upper lip stretched unnaturally high to the right corner of his jawbone and his bottom lip was non-existent, giving him the appearance of a grinning skull. Burn scars ran across his cheeks. They'd healed to dark purple and reddish tones. He was nearly bald, except for a few black tufts of hair that sprung out on top of his head. He raised his gloved hands to his face and turned to Christina.
"Damn you! Curse you! You viper! You little prying Pandora! Face your fate! An eternity of this before your eyes!"
The Phantom thrust his face close to hers. "Is this what you wanted to see?"
Christina stumbled backwards, falling over a small divan as she tried to shield her eyes. She cried out for Phineas as Erik continued to rage.
"He cannot help you! No on can!"
"Erik! Erik! Forgive me! I did not mean for that to happen! Why couldn't you understand that I wanted you to leave the room?"
"Understand? All I understand is that you have condemned me to wallow in blood, denied me the joys of the flesh! You have infected me with a poison that killed our love!"
Erik compelled her to absorb his mangled flesh. He grabbed her face and forced her gaze upon him, laughing spitefully. Phineas fought against the ropes that held him captive, but Jeffrey shook his head.
"Bogg it has to play out like this!"
"But we have to get her away from that madman!"
"Don't interfere. We won't get a green light if you…" Jeffrey reached for the omni on his belt, but it was gone.
"Bogg! I've lost the omni!"
Anxiety welled up in his dark eyes. Panic gripped Phineas as his gaze roamed around the room for the device. He kept his voice calm.
"It's not your fault, Jeffrey. The whirlpool might've knocked it off" He said reassuringly. "We'll find it, if I can just get out of this!" He struggled, causing the ropes to tighten. "Aughh! I can't!"
Christina sobbed and the Phantom shoved her to the ground and mocked her.
"Why don't you tell your young lover the real story? How you maliciously ruined my life… our lives! Tell him!"
He drew her erect and dragged her to Phineas. He smirked at Jeffrey and Jeffrey hid his face against Bogg's shirt. The Phantom snapped his fingers and raised his hands like a conductor, slowly tugging at the air. The noose rose up and tightened around Phineas' neck, gradually pulling him against the restraints.
"No! Stop it! Bogg!" Jeff cried out.
He tried to climb the portcullis to reach the deadly lasso, but the Phantom swiftly yanked him off the rungs and tossed him to the ground like a rag doll. His grip still in the air, he leaned into him, his face mere inches away.
"Stay…out…of…this…you insolent boy!" He bared his teeth and the burns on his face darkened with his fury. Jeffrey didn't move as Erik turned to Christina. He did not want to risk Phineas' life more by enraging Erik.
"No Erik! No! Please don't harm him anymore!"
He pulled the noose tighter. "Your lover makes a passionate plea, Monsieur! Only she can save you now!"
"Erik, don't do this!" Phineas choked out.
The lasso stretched tight. It pulled Phineas' body and forced his head against the hard steel. His breath came out in ragged gasps and the restraints dug excruciatingly into his flesh.
~Oo~
Christina sank to her knees and clutched Erik's coat. "Don't hurt him anymore! I'll confess all!" She sobbed. "When you came that night I didn't want to see you because I feared for your life! I was a fallen woman and I was ashamed! That is why I left Sweden, and you!"
"What's this Christina? Speak further!" Erik commanded, his tone softened.
Christina took control of her emotions and no longer showed fear of Erik's face. She paced around the room and wrung her hands.
"You showed me nothing but kindness. You were my mentor, my friend and eventually, my first love. But I was still like a child, Erik. I had so many dreams and desires and I felt smothered. I did love you Erik, and when I found another I couldn't bear to face you with the truth of my infidelity, so I wrote you my farewell letter. It was a fleeting, childish romance with one of my admirers from the county fair. You were so demanding of me at times, I couldn't tell you the truth so I left you that letter. I hoped that you would never find me, and that you'd move on with a woman who'd truly love you. But as my fame grew I found out you searched for me, so I traveled often."
"That damnable letter!" Erik sneered. "So neat and perfect with a delicate white ribbon! I still have it, Christina, I've read it every night since!"
Christina was shaken by his madness. The Phantom sent his letters with a black ribbon to mock her. She continued her story.
"The night I played La Traviata at the Theater Lyrique; I was in another foolish relationship. Rudolph was a journalist I met on holiday. He turned out to be a violent sort. I didn't realize his true character until the day he struck me and called me a rebellious creature. During rehearsals he found the letters you sent me and threatened your life should you come."
She had Erik's full attention; He slowly released his hold on the invisible threading which secured the Punjab lasso. Phineas sagged back against the grate, trying desperately to get air into his lungs. Christina moved around freely and Erik followed her every step. Jeffrey boldly climbed up and removed the noose off Phineas' neck. Phineas heaved deep breaths of air and Jeffrey leaned his head on his shoulder. It was the closest thing to a hug he could manage.
Christina continued her story.
"I knew you would be at the theater to see my performance sometime, Erik. The night you appeared, Rudolph and I had a terrible fight. He knew that my old teacher was in the audience and he was prepared for a duel! I despised him then, he hurt me so much!" She abruptly turned and led Erik in the direction of the shattered mirror.
Jeffrey climbed down to hunt for the missing omni. Christina stopped talking. She lowered her face and gently touched the wedding veil on the dummy. Erik's expression turned sympathetic. Jeffrey looked past the couple to the organ: the omni lay next to the candelabra.
Erik came up behind Christina and held her arms, urging her to continue. This afforded Jeffrey the opportunity he needed. He crept to the organ and grabbed the omni and a single candle. He hurried back to Phineas' side and opened the omni: it was still red. He snatched the end of the Punjab lasso and burned the fine thread that suspended it, preventing the Phantom from using it on Phineas again. Feeling slightly more secure, he burned the ropes as Christina's voice carried to them.
"When you came to my room after the performance, my heart melted. I had missed you so, and you came bearing gifts. You'd given me the ring!"
Erik withdrew a small, shining diamond ring from his vest pocket.
"Yes, the ring, I took it back from you then, Christina." He clenched it in his fist.
"I was in a panic, Erik! Rudolph was coming to my room at any moment. I knew that you were not a fighter. I had to make you go away by telling you those awful things."
"Did you think that I would harm you, Christina? I loved you! I wanted to forgive you and win you back. I would have fought to the death for you! I am stronger than you imagine. Your words were more a curse to my flesh than the fire!"
Christina boldly faced the man who'd haunted her and killed for her.
"Don't you remember, Erik? My scream was to warn you! Rudolph was in my doorway; he had pulled his pistol and aimed for you. I threw the lantern! I never meant to strike you! Never! And then I could never take the blame for what I did and that was horrid of me! Oh Erik, forgive me!"
Christina bent over from grief, and Erik stood very still. He threw his head back and his deep, sadistic laughter echoed through the lair. Jeffrey finished burning the ropes and helped Phineas down off the grating. Phineas leaned against the portcullis, unable to support himself fully. Suddenly they heard a mob of angry voices in the distance.
'Track down this murderer! He must be found! Hunt out this animal! This creature must never go free!"
The Phantom grew wrathful again and turned on Christina.
"Do you hear that? You have led them to me! Deceived again! You little demon! You little lying Delilah! Now you can never be free!"
He dragged her to his side, pure malice in his twisted face. He pushed her to a wall and removed a giant black curtain. On the left lay a golden scorpion figure with a ruby tail, and on the right an emerald grasshopper.
"This is it! Make your choice! Turn the grasshopper and you will destroy us all! Turn the scorpion and you must give your heart and soul to me! But either way you choose you cannot win!"
He turned to the Voyagers. "And as for the two of you, I will make you pay for her sins!"
The look of anguish in Christina's eyes roused Phineas into action and he ran towards her.
"Erik! this has to end now!"
Erik thrust out his hands. Using a small conductor in his palm, he struck Phineas in the chest with blue lightning bolts. Phineas fell to the ground writhing in shock. Christina screamed and Jeffrey ran to his side, imploring him to stay conscious.
"Bogg stay with me! Don't pass out. Bogg! Please!"
The Phantom's shadow overwhelmed them and prepared for the kill.