CHAPTER 24: ONLY MADE OF STONE
Kyrie eleison.
While the city slumbered Quasimodo sat awake.
As the night crept perilously onward.
Not one word he uttered,not one movement did he make.
Awaiting the inexorable dawn.
Kyrie eleison.
The light drizzle of rain from earlier had now turned into a raging thunderstorm as it poured down on the city like a waterfall. It didn't damper the gang or their spirits at all as they courageously powered through the storm,for the Palace Of Justice was just up ahead and their two friends to rescue.
But it was a far less impactful night for Quasimodo since was instead trapped at the belltower by being chained up to its pillars by the very chains that held the bells together. Frollo wanted his pupil to stay in the tower and he had made sure of it.
In any other situation Quasimodo would want to escape but here it was the complete opposite,he was drowning with despair due to his belief that the gang was dead and that Esmeralda,Phoebus and the rest of the gypsies would soon follow. And the worst part was that he felt responsible for it,Frollo didn't actually know the location of The Court Of Miracles,he just needed Quasimodo to lead him there and lead him he did. All Quasimodo felt like doing now was waiting for the inevitable to come,but Victor, Hugo and Laverne didn't exactly see it that way as they frantically pulled at the chains.
"Quasimodo you must try to free yourself!" suggested an out of breath Victor due to the weight of the chains before Laverne added equally as weighted out "The girl is gonna need your help."
"It's all my fault." whimpered a still distraught Quasimodo as he hung from the pillars like a manican to which tried to encourage in panic "Come on Quasi,snap out of it!" prompting Victor to agree as he went back to pulling the chains "Your friends will soon be down there."
"You gotta break these chains!" ordered Laverne who too went back to pulling only for the hunchback to more angrily refuse "There's no point,what difference would it make?" before an awestruck Victor reminded "But you can't let Froll win!"
"He already has. The kids are dead and soon Esmeralda, Phoebus and everyone else will be too. This is what happens when I try to help,I only make things worse!"
"So you're giving up? That's it?" marveled Hugo in awe as he hopped up to the hunchback before Laverne sternly added "If you truly knew those kids like you say you do then you'd know they found a way out of there. These chains aren't what's holding you back Quasimodo."
"How do you know what's holding me back? How do you know what I believe?"
Quasimodo:
What do you know of me?
What do you know of all the things I feel?
You're only made of stone.
Who is it that you see?
Instead of seeing what I am for real,this twisted flesh and bone!
"Quasi listen, it wasn't your fault!" argued Laverne.
You're a liar!
With every new excuse you try out,you only make me want to cry out "Would that I were made of stone like you."
"C'mon you can't mean that!" exclaimed Hugo before Victor added "Just take some time to-"
You give such good advice.
So why has not one single word you've said been any help at all?
"Quasimodo-"
And you who sounds so nice,the more your dreams and fancies fill my head.
The farther that I fall!
Shut my brain down!
If I were senseless,I'd prefer it,another gargoyle on this turret.
Spitting rain down to the stones below!
I've wasted my faith believing in saints of plaster.
But the only one worth believing in was my master.
He's the one who never lied,he told me it was cruel outside,he told me how I had to hide.
His words were cold as stone but they were true,not like you.
Take all the dreams you've sewn.
Take all your lies and leave me alone!
It was at this moment that the gargoyles looked at Quasimodo with a look of hurt while the hunchback merely turned his head away in shame and despair.
Hugo:
Alright Quasimodo,we'll leave you alone.
Victor:
Alright Quasimodo,we'll trouble you no longer.
Laverne:
You're right Quasimodo,we're only made of stone.
Hugo, Victor and Laverne:
We just thought you were made of something…stronger.
And just like that,the three gargoyles one by one turned back to their lifeless forms at the edge of the belltower,leaving only Quasimodo by himself and he was okay with it.
Quasimodo:
And now I'm on my own,never again to wonder what's out there.
Let it remain unknown.
And my one human eye will evermore be dry until the day I die!
As if I...were made of stone!
NEXT CHAPTER: ONE LAST PRAYER
Author's Note: In retrospect this song reminds me of Evermore from the live action Beauty And The Beast.