Chapter 8: Who's At Fault?
Erik, Antoinette and Meg fled to the Parisian ports of Calais but were disappointed to find that they had been ordered closed by none other than Vicomte Raoul De Chagny and Erik growled in frustration,
"... Christine's foppish lover" he grumbled,
"Fiancé..." Meg corrected timidly earning Erik's surprise but he simply grumbled before once again ushering his two companions back into the shadows where they once again climbed into their carriage.
Antoinette had insisted that Erik head towards her alternative accommodation but upon their approach they saw that the authorities were ransacking the place and Erik wore a firm expression whereas Antoinette and Meg looked both horrified and hopeless,
"... We've no where else to go..." Antoinette murmured sadly but noticed the reluctant frown on Erik's face,
"... Do you know somewhere?" she pressed, already knowing his answer when he sighed in defeat despite his reluctance,
"... Hell" he grumbled before flicking the reigns that caused the horse pulling their carriage to begin moving once again as it carried them farther north.
It had been a week of travelling before Erik insisted they ditch their carriage and walk the rest of the way... Antoinette and Meg could only watch in vain as the masked man set the horse free, allowing it to ride off... They continued on foot for 2 days until they finally entered the small village of Boscherville... Erik kept the hood of his cloak up to conceal his masked face as he lead Antoinette and Meg to the very edge of the village where they approached an old, run down house with bordered up windows and Antoinette watched as Erik swiftly applied a firm kick to the front door after making sure the night filled streets were clear of anyone.
Erik used his flint and steel to create a small fire within the abandoned house's fireplace... He could feel Antoinette's burning gaze on him as she glared in his direction whilst Meg sat down on an old raggedy couch as she pulled her cloak around her shoulders tightly for more warmth as she finally allowed mournful tears to fall,
"What happened?" Antoinette demanded firmly... Maintaining her glare in Erik's direction as a long, seemingly endless moment passed before Erik finally stood and faced her,
"... She was right beside me and we were on our way to freedom but..." he struggled,
"... She ran back to retrieve my father's watch..." he admitted as he retrieved the silver pocket watch from his pocket... Holding it within a tight grip as he brushed his thumb over the engraving of his father's name and closed his eyes tightly,
"... Clara... Clara is dead because of you!" Antoinette yelled with mourning tears of anger spilling down her cheeks,
"I never wanted her to get hurt. I tried to stop her..." Erik tried in vain,
"I hope her face haunts you for this! I hope the image of her dying because of your actions torments you for the rest of your life!" she roared but Erik looked at her sharply as she became stunned by the sight of tears streaming down his own face,
"I can assure you it will, Madame and I shall welcome every torturous vision in hopes that it will inflict that most excruciating of pain imaginable because I fear that the knowledge is not painful enough a punishment for my part in Clara's death... The knowledge that... That I will never..." he struggled before turning away and allowed himself to sob and rested his masked forehead against the fireplace with bruising firmness,
"... That I will never... See her... Again..." he whispered shakily and Antoinette watched as his shoulders shook and trembled as he wept... The former ballet mistress soon approached him and placed a gentle hand on his back, coaxing him to look at her with slow, shameful reluctance so that he was able to see the sad tears falling down her own cheeks,
"... I cannot begin to describe just how sorry I am... Just how much more I hate my own existence which is truly something I never thought would be possible..." Erik whispered, prompting Antoinette to hug him gently but Erik was too broken... Too exhausted... to return the gesture... Meg soon approached, prompting her mother to pull her into the hug.
Antoinette and Meg eventually found halfhearted slumber whilst Erik made his way up the house's staircase as he made his way to an old attic... A small ragged stained mattress lay upon the floor... An old crate on a table that had once acted as a poor substitute for a crib when he was born, sat within the corner of the room... Erik looked around the walls as he examined all the childish drawings he had made so many years ago... He looked down at his father's watch in his hand and slowly clicked the watch open, allowing the soft melody to fill the air as he leaned against the attic wall, weakly as fresh tears streamed down his face,
"... Oh Clara..." he whispered as images of the memory from when Clara had taught him to dance to this very tune filled his head... He soon took out the flint and steel before using the latter to scratch away his father's first name and proceeded to carve Clara's above it,
"... Clara Destler..." he murmured with a sad smile,
"... A dream I discovered far too late... But I'll still carry it close to my heart" he vowed before closing the pocket watch and raised it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to Clara's name before placing it in his inside jacket pocket... Right over his heart.
Many weeks passed and the trio were forced to remain in Boscherville as they awaited word that the Parisian ports had been reopened... Antoinette had no choice but to allow Erik to leave the house at night so he could sneak to the market place and break into various stores for food and other essential provisions... However it was one night when Erik was about to leave that he noticed the front door handle moving and he quickly retrieved an iron poker from the fireplace as Antoinette hid behind him... The door soon swung open and an aged man smiled brightly at the sight of a mask he knew too well,
"Erik!" he cried joyfully,
"It would seem that I am a demon because Satan knows my name" he growled causing the uninvited guest to chuckle,
"Now is that any way to greet an old..." he began but Meg whacked him on the back of the head sending him crashing to the ground,
"... Friend" he grumbled,
"Friend?!" Meg and Antoinette chorused,
"Unfortunate acquaintance" Erik corrected,
"How did you find me here, Nadir?" he demanded angrily as suspicion filled his mind as the Persian man sat up with a painful grumble as he rubbed the back of his head,
"I heard of the incident at the opera house and rushed to investigate. My first thought was to check Calais for any reported sightings of you but unfortunately the ports were closed and I had no hope of finding you until your friend recalled you mentioning the place of your birth" Nadir grumbled standing before looking towards the door he had entered through,
"See? I told you that we would find him in the most abandoned looking house" he called and Erik, Antoinette and Meg all looked towards the door as a cloaked figure made their way inside before lowering their hood,
"... Clara..." Erik whispered,
"Erik..." Clara murmured in return as a relieved, soft smile developed on her face,
"CLARA!" Antoinette cried, rushing forward and hugging her niece tightly whilst Meg did the same as the three began crying tears of joy,
"Of that's just wonderful. She gets warm embraces and tears of joy and I get a frying pan to the back of my head" Nadir grumbled sarcastically but Erik paid no attention as he slowly approached Clara with a stunned expression... Antoinette and Meg slowly moved aside for him as Clara looked up at him gently as he slowly... Hesitantly reached up and brushed his fingertips against her cheek causing her to close her eyes softly,
"... You're alive..." he whispered, watching as she opened her eyes and placed her hand over his own, holding his touch against her cheek as tears fell from her eyes and she nodded shakily,
"... Oh Clara..." he whispered before pulling her into a tight embrace, burying his masked face in her shoulder as she hugged him back whilst she sobbed,
"... Anyone going to offer me an ice pack?... Some aspirin?... No?... Ok then..." Nadir asked sarcastically with a grumble but he was simply ignored.
Review For Chapter 9!
Kind Regards,
QueenOfDisney96