Chapter 52 (two separate souls)
Erik was awoken by severe stabs of cold. He looked around. There was a merry fire crackling in the fireplace and he was lying beneath layers of warm blanket. Still, he felt the bone-chilling cold. He closed his eyes, and thought he heard a girl's voice calling his name.
Erik! Erik!
Erik opened his eyes again. Lavender, he thought, the usual feeling of dread and angst came back to him. I've got to go and get her! He thought again, grabbing his cape. But where was she hidden? He thought. The Vicompte could have easily moved his hostages to somewhere else.
Damn! Erik thought angrily, tossing his cloak aside again. but there was it, a voice, calling in his head.
"Lavender," Erik began sobbing into his hands. Lavender. just the name hurt. he remembered how Lavender cowered away from him when they first met, and those silly tricks which she played on them.
The exploding fruit bowl, Erik thought. At least these thoughts gave him something to cheer up upon, but he knew that forever, he would never be able to see the real thing.
I've got to persuade Meg and Madam Taller Giry that Lavender is alive! Erik thought desperately. I've got to………
"Meg! You got to believe me, Lavender's alive!" Erik yelled, as the blonde girl entered the room. Meg stopped in her tracks.
"What?" she asked.
"LAVENDER'S ALIVE AND WE GOT TO GO AND HELP HER!" Erik shouted.
Meg looked shocked.
"Erik, lay off that thought, she will never be alive, you had proof that she is dead," Meg said slowly.
"THE VICOMPTE IS FAKING IT! DAMN YOU! CAN YOU JUST COME ALONG TO HE…"
"Really, Erik, you got to get your mindset right!"
"YOU NEED TO DO THAT! WE GOT TO HELP HER!"
"Erik! Trust me, there is nothing we can do!"
"FINE! THEN I WILL GO MYSELF!"
So saying, Erik swung his cloak over his shoulders and walked out of the room before Meg could stop him.
Outside, Erik grabbed his sword and stepped into the gondola. With strong stroke, he was off.
"Erik! Wait! Erik?" Meg called, running out of the room.
"Damn!" Meg thought angrily. She grabbed her own cloak and rowed after Erik in the smaller gondola.
She climbed up the shore, looking around. In the distance, fading sound of horse hoofs reached her ears.
"MUM! I need a horse, any kind, right now!" Meg said, as Madam Giry walked up in front of her.
"Why?" Madam Giry said slowly.
"Don't ask, just give me the damn horse!" Meg screamed. Her mother gave her one and within minutes, she was out in the cold, speeding after her husband.
She watched as Erik began to ride south, towards the countryside. Maybe he really knew where to go! Meg thought. At nightfall, they were no yet reaching. Meg's arms began to sore from holding up the railings, and she was tired.
"Erik! Turn back!" she shouted. Erik stopped, and dismounted.
"Did I tell you to follow me?" he asked in a deadly voice. Meg tilted her chin up defiantly.
"So? You will get lost!" she said.
"No, I will never get lost, now go away," Erik said a little too harshly.
"How can I be sure that you know where to go?" Meg asked again, getting irritated.
Erik grew rigid. He spun around, his sapphire eyes dancing with flames.
"I KNOW PERFECTLY WHERE TO GO! NOW GO AWAY!"
What a nice guy he is, thought Meg sarcastically. She would follow him, in case he need help.
Up ahead, Erik began to feel really tired. He had being riding for no less than 3 hours, and the cold was beginning to suffocate him. You will kill yourself, his instinct warned him. Don't care, he thought fiercely, I will go ahead and save my sister.
By midnight, he was almost slipping off his horse. I will stop for the night, he thought. He found a nearby shade and hooked his horse up to the pole, spread his cloak out for a more comfortable spot to sleep. He was soon asleep, his dreams mauled by the cries for help from his sister.
