The Royal Flush
What if Christine had freed herself of her bonds and unlocked the torture chamber while
Erik was out?
"No!" Christine cried in alarm when Erik told her Raoul was in the torture
chamber along with the mysterious Persian. "You'll kill them! Let them go!"
Erik reflected and calmly replied, "It's quite possible that there will be some
deaths tonight. But I'd rather not talk about it. Why must you have such a morbid
curiosity with death, Christine? Curiosity killed the cat, you know."
"Yes, but satisfaction brought him back!" she retorted hotly. "Free them now or
I'll-"
"Or you'll what, my dear? I hardly think you're in the position to say that, seeing
as you're already bound to the very chair you're sitting in. Besides that, why should I free
them when they deserve to die?"
Christine began weeping and choked out, "Why do they deserve to die? They did
nothing...it was I! I deserve to die then, don't I?"
Erik stalked closely to her chair, trembling with fury. "Why? Why do they deserve
to die? Because they caused me infinite pain, Christine, as you did. But I could never
harm you, you know that. But they, but they on the other hand, can because they fell into
the torture chamber! I have nothing to do with it! The mirrors will work their own brand
of magic, as I have mine! I am a very good magician, Christine, let me show you. See? I
have nothing in my hands, in my cold and bony hands that smell of death, Christine. See
them now? They are holding two little caskets."
Christine watched in amazement and horror as his long slender fingers produced
the two tiny coffins. "Caskets?" she echoed numbly. "Erik, I want you to free them!"
Erik pretended not to here Christine and went on. "Now watch closely, Christine.
My lips aren't moving, no my beautiful lips aren't moving, my lips that my own mother
wouldn't kiss. Yet, I am still talking! How can that be? Listen-my voice is on the chair of
the ghost's box asking for a footstool, and now it is in Carlotta's throat saying 'Co-ack,
co-ack! It is I, Mr. Toad, co-ack!' Now it is back in the ghost's box saying 'She is singing
to-night to bring down the chandelier!' Look Christine, where is it now? It's in the little
ebony caskets saying, 'Which to choose? The scorpion or the grasshopper?' and now
Christine, Christine, it's in the torture chamber laughing, 'The mirrors show what you
don't want to see! Woe to those with a nose!'"
"Stop it! Stop it, Erik, you're scaring me! I tire of your tricks, let them out of the
torture chamber, please Erik, I beg you!" Christine cried in vain.
"My tricks? What about yours, Christine, what about yours? I grow weary with
your lying and begging! I shan't let them go and you will marry me! Do you not stop to
think that I would die if you left me here while you run off with your Vicomte?" Erik spat
out the words as if they were the most disgusting things he had ever tasted. "No, you see
Christine, that's the problem. You don't stop to think about anything at all! Absolutely
nothing because you feel that nobody will be affected by your rashness. Well, Christine,
it's a little late to say you're sorry because I'm sick of it. You hear me? Sick and tired of
it! Today is the last I will ever hear of because I'm ridding myself of it. Once that
meddling Vicomte is out of my way, you shan't be controlled by his moronic theories."
Erik stood before Christine, nearly foaming at the mouth because of his fit. Then he
turned on his heel and left the house.
As soon as she heard the front door slam, Christine manoeuvred herself so she
could reach her tiny pocket knife she carried with her. Using this, she freed herself of her
bonds and ran to fetch the bag of life and death from the mantle in Erik's room. She
returned to the Louis-Philippe room and unlocked the door to the torture chamber
releasing Raoul and the Persian.
Raoul ran to Christine and embraced her, crying out, "Christine, dear god, are you
hurt? Did the monster hurt you? Oh god, thank you for saving me!" He buried his head in
her shoulder and cried.
"Dear Raoul, I'm fine, but he's coming back! He will try to force me to marry
him!" Christine moaned, and to the trios horror, the front door opened. The Persian
posted himself at the door of Christine's bedroom while Raoul and Christine cowered in
the corner of the room, weeping.
As soon as the Persian saw Erik, he began speaking. "Erik, listen to me! Solve
this in a more civilised way! You promised me no more deaths! No more deaths Erik, but
what about us? You tried to kill us!"
Erik pushed him aside growling, "Out of my way, daroga. This is none of your
business."
"No Erik! Stop! Leave the boy and the girl and forget them! Forget them!" he
tried frantically. "I demand you solve this in a more civilised way!" The daroga racked his
brain and yelled, "A duel! You two shall fight in a duel!"
Erik stopped, thought, and smiled. "Perfect idea, Nadir! I always knew you were a
bright chap. Well then? Ten paces, boy."
Bewildered, Raoul gripped his pistol more tightly and backed up ten paces.
Christine and Nadir hid behind the door in the drawing room to watch from safety. As
soon as the two were a total of twenty paces apart, Raoul spun around to shoot Erik in the
back. But Erik reflexes were quicker. Raoul didn't see the Punjab lasso fly through the air
until it was too late.
"Thought you could shoot me in the back, boy? Well, that was the worst mistake
of your life! Now I get the pleasure to kill you with my own hands. To hell with the
mirrors!" Erik laughed maniacally as Nadir tried to restrain him. He knew it had been a
bad idea from the start.
"Erik, no deaths! Please! Just because you are treated as an animal, doesn't mean
you have to act like one! I beg of you, please, have an arm wrestle to solve this!" Nadir
cried out.
Reluctantly, Erik loosened his lasso just as Raoul's face was becoming a
frightening shade of blue. "An arm wrestle...? Simply splendid," he murmured. "To the
table, boy!" Erik yanked the Vicomte to his feet, nearly pulling his arm out of the socket,
and plopped him in a chair. Erik rolled up his sleeve to reveal a long, sinewy arm. Raoul
did the same, except his arm was shorter, but it seemed a fair match to Nadir.
"Now, when I say, begin," Nadir told them, as the two mean clasped hands on the
table. He nodded at them and said, "Go!"
Immediately, Raoul's arm was bent in an awkward fashion on the table under
Erik's. He was moaning in pain as Erik mocked, "Oh dear, I'm dreadfully sorry! I don't
realise my strength sometimes. Oh well, it's done and over with. I guess I won fair and
square." Erik rolled down his sleeve and stood up. He gave Raoul's arm (the same that
was nearly pulled out of the socket and crushed during the arm wrestle) a good pumping
and then bowed to Nadir.
"Lovely time seeing you again, perhaps we should do tea," Erik said casually.
"Erik! You know that wasn't fair! The poor boy was...weak, yes! weak from the
exhaustion he suffered in the torture chamber! I demand one more try! Cards! Yes, poker!
Who ever wins shall take Christine!" Nadir hated to resort to this, because he knew Erik
would cheat, and he was really starting to dislike the Vicomte's losing streak, but he
didn't say anything. Christine didn't mind anyway, though Nadir couldn't see why.
Erik hid a smirk and said, "Poker? Why daroga, my favourite card game of them
all! But we cannot play with only two people! Why don't we all play?"
Nadir began to think that Erik had something up his sleeve, but nonetheless, he
agreed. So did Christine. He was about to ask whether or not Christine knew how to play
when Erik clapped his hands together and announced, "Let the game begin! I'll deal." He
produced a packet of cards and Nadir thought, no doubt a set of magic cards, even though
he knew Erik despised card tricks and preferred to make things appear and disappear
instead. In Erik's hand appeared a bag full of heavy gold coins, which they would be
using to bet with.
The game went splendidly, but eventually, Nadir had to fold. He had absolutely
nothing worth of value and therefore, he spent the rest of the game eyeing Erik closely.
Erik did nothing but smile amiably at him and continue playing as if he played cards with
his enemies everyday. Nadir desperately wanted to know what the outcome would be, but
he couldn't foresee the future. Finally, the three of them were forced to show. Raoul
turned over a straight flush of hearts, two through six. Erik had a royal flush of spades.
Christine showed her cards: a knave of hearts, a two of spades, a king and queen of clubs,
and a six of hearts.
Nadir's eyes popped out of his head when he saw this. Poor Christine didn't know
how to play, Erik had beaten them soundly, and Raoul and Christine had the same card.
Raoul just opened and closed his mouth like a fish as Christine sat there pleased with
herself for turning up, what she thought, a superb hand. Erik tapped his fingers together
and smirked.
"Erik! You've used a trick deck! I knew you would!" Nadir pointed an accusing
finger at Erik as Raoul did nothing but nod his head vigorously.
"I did nothing of the sort! You know I didn't and you know I never amuse myself
with cards. I won! I always win!" Erik chuckled darkly. "Haven't you learned that by
now, my dear daroga? I never lose. And it's a shame, because now that I've won three
times in a row, I've wasted my time. I want all of you out of my house now!" he shouted
angrily and pointed to the door. "Before I kill someone, get out! I am sick and tired of
dealing with incompetents! I think it's time for a vacation..."
The sorry group was halfway through the door when Raoul asked, "May I make a
suggestion? Corsica is very beautiful this time of year. In fact, I-"
Raoul was cut off by the sight of Erik rampaging towards him with the Punjab
lasso in hand and steam pouring out his ears. "Get out before I get rid of you!" He
slammed the door shut and replied, "Besides, I'd rather go to Venice."
What if Christine had freed herself of her bonds and unlocked the torture chamber while
Erik was out?
"No!" Christine cried in alarm when Erik told her Raoul was in the torture
chamber along with the mysterious Persian. "You'll kill them! Let them go!"
Erik reflected and calmly replied, "It's quite possible that there will be some
deaths tonight. But I'd rather not talk about it. Why must you have such a morbid
curiosity with death, Christine? Curiosity killed the cat, you know."
"Yes, but satisfaction brought him back!" she retorted hotly. "Free them now or
I'll-"
"Or you'll what, my dear? I hardly think you're in the position to say that, seeing
as you're already bound to the very chair you're sitting in. Besides that, why should I free
them when they deserve to die?"
Christine began weeping and choked out, "Why do they deserve to die? They did
nothing...it was I! I deserve to die then, don't I?"
Erik stalked closely to her chair, trembling with fury. "Why? Why do they deserve
to die? Because they caused me infinite pain, Christine, as you did. But I could never
harm you, you know that. But they, but they on the other hand, can because they fell into
the torture chamber! I have nothing to do with it! The mirrors will work their own brand
of magic, as I have mine! I am a very good magician, Christine, let me show you. See? I
have nothing in my hands, in my cold and bony hands that smell of death, Christine. See
them now? They are holding two little caskets."
Christine watched in amazement and horror as his long slender fingers produced
the two tiny coffins. "Caskets?" she echoed numbly. "Erik, I want you to free them!"
Erik pretended not to here Christine and went on. "Now watch closely, Christine.
My lips aren't moving, no my beautiful lips aren't moving, my lips that my own mother
wouldn't kiss. Yet, I am still talking! How can that be? Listen-my voice is on the chair of
the ghost's box asking for a footstool, and now it is in Carlotta's throat saying 'Co-ack,
co-ack! It is I, Mr. Toad, co-ack!' Now it is back in the ghost's box saying 'She is singing
to-night to bring down the chandelier!' Look Christine, where is it now? It's in the little
ebony caskets saying, 'Which to choose? The scorpion or the grasshopper?' and now
Christine, Christine, it's in the torture chamber laughing, 'The mirrors show what you
don't want to see! Woe to those with a nose!'"
"Stop it! Stop it, Erik, you're scaring me! I tire of your tricks, let them out of the
torture chamber, please Erik, I beg you!" Christine cried in vain.
"My tricks? What about yours, Christine, what about yours? I grow weary with
your lying and begging! I shan't let them go and you will marry me! Do you not stop to
think that I would die if you left me here while you run off with your Vicomte?" Erik spat
out the words as if they were the most disgusting things he had ever tasted. "No, you see
Christine, that's the problem. You don't stop to think about anything at all! Absolutely
nothing because you feel that nobody will be affected by your rashness. Well, Christine,
it's a little late to say you're sorry because I'm sick of it. You hear me? Sick and tired of
it! Today is the last I will ever hear of because I'm ridding myself of it. Once that
meddling Vicomte is out of my way, you shan't be controlled by his moronic theories."
Erik stood before Christine, nearly foaming at the mouth because of his fit. Then he
turned on his heel and left the house.
As soon as she heard the front door slam, Christine manoeuvred herself so she
could reach her tiny pocket knife she carried with her. Using this, she freed herself of her
bonds and ran to fetch the bag of life and death from the mantle in Erik's room. She
returned to the Louis-Philippe room and unlocked the door to the torture chamber
releasing Raoul and the Persian.
Raoul ran to Christine and embraced her, crying out, "Christine, dear god, are you
hurt? Did the monster hurt you? Oh god, thank you for saving me!" He buried his head in
her shoulder and cried.
"Dear Raoul, I'm fine, but he's coming back! He will try to force me to marry
him!" Christine moaned, and to the trios horror, the front door opened. The Persian
posted himself at the door of Christine's bedroom while Raoul and Christine cowered in
the corner of the room, weeping.
As soon as the Persian saw Erik, he began speaking. "Erik, listen to me! Solve
this in a more civilised way! You promised me no more deaths! No more deaths Erik, but
what about us? You tried to kill us!"
Erik pushed him aside growling, "Out of my way, daroga. This is none of your
business."
"No Erik! Stop! Leave the boy and the girl and forget them! Forget them!" he
tried frantically. "I demand you solve this in a more civilised way!" The daroga racked his
brain and yelled, "A duel! You two shall fight in a duel!"
Erik stopped, thought, and smiled. "Perfect idea, Nadir! I always knew you were a
bright chap. Well then? Ten paces, boy."
Bewildered, Raoul gripped his pistol more tightly and backed up ten paces.
Christine and Nadir hid behind the door in the drawing room to watch from safety. As
soon as the two were a total of twenty paces apart, Raoul spun around to shoot Erik in the
back. But Erik reflexes were quicker. Raoul didn't see the Punjab lasso fly through the air
until it was too late.
"Thought you could shoot me in the back, boy? Well, that was the worst mistake
of your life! Now I get the pleasure to kill you with my own hands. To hell with the
mirrors!" Erik laughed maniacally as Nadir tried to restrain him. He knew it had been a
bad idea from the start.
"Erik, no deaths! Please! Just because you are treated as an animal, doesn't mean
you have to act like one! I beg of you, please, have an arm wrestle to solve this!" Nadir
cried out.
Reluctantly, Erik loosened his lasso just as Raoul's face was becoming a
frightening shade of blue. "An arm wrestle...? Simply splendid," he murmured. "To the
table, boy!" Erik yanked the Vicomte to his feet, nearly pulling his arm out of the socket,
and plopped him in a chair. Erik rolled up his sleeve to reveal a long, sinewy arm. Raoul
did the same, except his arm was shorter, but it seemed a fair match to Nadir.
"Now, when I say, begin," Nadir told them, as the two mean clasped hands on the
table. He nodded at them and said, "Go!"
Immediately, Raoul's arm was bent in an awkward fashion on the table under
Erik's. He was moaning in pain as Erik mocked, "Oh dear, I'm dreadfully sorry! I don't
realise my strength sometimes. Oh well, it's done and over with. I guess I won fair and
square." Erik rolled down his sleeve and stood up. He gave Raoul's arm (the same that
was nearly pulled out of the socket and crushed during the arm wrestle) a good pumping
and then bowed to Nadir.
"Lovely time seeing you again, perhaps we should do tea," Erik said casually.
"Erik! You know that wasn't fair! The poor boy was...weak, yes! weak from the
exhaustion he suffered in the torture chamber! I demand one more try! Cards! Yes, poker!
Who ever wins shall take Christine!" Nadir hated to resort to this, because he knew Erik
would cheat, and he was really starting to dislike the Vicomte's losing streak, but he
didn't say anything. Christine didn't mind anyway, though Nadir couldn't see why.
Erik hid a smirk and said, "Poker? Why daroga, my favourite card game of them
all! But we cannot play with only two people! Why don't we all play?"
Nadir began to think that Erik had something up his sleeve, but nonetheless, he
agreed. So did Christine. He was about to ask whether or not Christine knew how to play
when Erik clapped his hands together and announced, "Let the game begin! I'll deal." He
produced a packet of cards and Nadir thought, no doubt a set of magic cards, even though
he knew Erik despised card tricks and preferred to make things appear and disappear
instead. In Erik's hand appeared a bag full of heavy gold coins, which they would be
using to bet with.
The game went splendidly, but eventually, Nadir had to fold. He had absolutely
nothing worth of value and therefore, he spent the rest of the game eyeing Erik closely.
Erik did nothing but smile amiably at him and continue playing as if he played cards with
his enemies everyday. Nadir desperately wanted to know what the outcome would be, but
he couldn't foresee the future. Finally, the three of them were forced to show. Raoul
turned over a straight flush of hearts, two through six. Erik had a royal flush of spades.
Christine showed her cards: a knave of hearts, a two of spades, a king and queen of clubs,
and a six of hearts.
Nadir's eyes popped out of his head when he saw this. Poor Christine didn't know
how to play, Erik had beaten them soundly, and Raoul and Christine had the same card.
Raoul just opened and closed his mouth like a fish as Christine sat there pleased with
herself for turning up, what she thought, a superb hand. Erik tapped his fingers together
and smirked.
"Erik! You've used a trick deck! I knew you would!" Nadir pointed an accusing
finger at Erik as Raoul did nothing but nod his head vigorously.
"I did nothing of the sort! You know I didn't and you know I never amuse myself
with cards. I won! I always win!" Erik chuckled darkly. "Haven't you learned that by
now, my dear daroga? I never lose. And it's a shame, because now that I've won three
times in a row, I've wasted my time. I want all of you out of my house now!" he shouted
angrily and pointed to the door. "Before I kill someone, get out! I am sick and tired of
dealing with incompetents! I think it's time for a vacation..."
The sorry group was halfway through the door when Raoul asked, "May I make a
suggestion? Corsica is very beautiful this time of year. In fact, I-"
Raoul was cut off by the sight of Erik rampaging towards him with the Punjab
lasso in hand and steam pouring out his ears. "Get out before I get rid of you!" He
slammed the door shut and replied, "Besides, I'd rather go to Venice."