Part 8
Christine treaded water for a while, catching her breath while her dressing gown and nightgown floating about her like silken petals. A kind of mad excitement lent her strength and she grinned in the darkness.
Suddenly the quiet was ripped by the distant sound of her name screamed out in shock and rage. In terror she turned her head and saw in the distance flickering lights through the window she had jumped out.
[Oh no!!] Christine thought in panic. If only he had slept through to the morning, giving her enough time to get away. She would not go back! She thought in fresh terror that he would surely get in his boat and come after her…
She took a deep breath and abandoning breaststroke put her head down and started swimming in earnest. A little while later Christine paused for breath, gasping. If only she knew the direction that would lead her to safety. She looked back fearfully and moaned in terror when she saw that a small boat had set out from behind the house. It had a lamp fastened to the front of it, which clearly showed Erik standing in it, poling the boat in furious, jerky movements while a black cape billowed around him giving him the appearance of an angel from hell.
[Do not come this way!] Christine begged silently as she sank down in the water until only her frightened green eyes were above the water. She nearly sobbed in relief when the boat veered away from her off to the right, Erik calling her name sweetly as if she was a lost child.
She lifted her head to take a deep breath and turned back to the direction in which she had been swimming. It seemed the best course of action to swim this way for now, and she dropped her head under water. She was good at swimming under water, and this way she would be less visible.
Feeling that she was now swimming for her life, she struck out swiftly under the water, pausing at intervals to lift her head, take a breath and check where she was going. Thanks to the light of Erik's lamp (still thankfully distant from her), she could see a vague suggestion of a wall in the distance, which gave her hope for she was starting to tire. Hopefully there would be a tunnel hole that would lead her back somehow to the Opera…
She took a deep breath and ducking under water again resumed swimming. After a while she stopped and was startled to see that she was just metres away from a stone wall which rose smoothly out of the water. It had been closer than she thought! She glanced back and flinched in terror for Erik had changed direction and was heading this way. Luckily he had not spotted her yet for he was still calling her name in sweet tones, asking her to show herself for she was surely chilled to the bone.
Turning her attention to the stone wall she saw that there was indeed a tunnel entrance just a couple of metres along, and though she was taking a risk in being seen, she paddled quietly towards it for she felt too out of breath to swim under water for now. Peering down the tunnel that stretched away into darkness she wondered where it led. Would it end near the shore near her old room? Or in another direction entirely? She had no way to be sure. She thought frantically. Surely there was a…service ladder of some kind in the tunnel? Anything that would take her upwards would be welcome. She strained her eyes and stared up at the tunnel walls. There!
On the right hand wall she could make out a thin metal ladder that glinted in the increasing light. Erik was drawing nearer….if she could get to the ladder in time she would be out of danger. Despite feeling dizzy, she took several deep breaths and ducked under the water again, swimming deep down to a point where she hoped she would not be easily spotted and struck out in the direction of the ladder, terror giving her a burst of energy though her strength was fading fast.
She inwardly cursed when she bumped into the other side of the tunnel, though she managed to keep her mouth shut. Cautiously she rose to the surface – and was spotted by Erik as he entered the tunnel in his boat, his keen ears having heard small splashes from this direction.
"There you are Christine!" he called out lightly as though her escape had been of no great consequence, but she heard the cold fury under his words. She glanced at the wall – the ladder was nearby and just within her reach. As it went down to the waters surface it was easy for her to grasp the rusty metal. Though she was shivering from cold and fear, she grimly ignored Erik and hoisting herself up onto the ladder, water streaming down her body, she started climbing.
Erik was slowly poling towards her in his boat, confident of her recapture. Her body ached in weariness and it was a vast effort for her to climb the ladder which periodically rattled when she grasped new rungs.
"You gave me quite a scare!" Erik continued in a gentle tone. "We were doing so well."
Another rung. Keep climbing. Another rung. Another.
She concentrated solely on climbing, her heart in her throat for she saw he had stopped the boat by the ladder, though he would now have to climb the ladder to reach her. Something jabbed her sharply in the back and she cried out in pain. Staring down she was horrified to see that Erik had taken his boat pole and had used it to poke her – how dare he!
"Come down or I will bring you down – by any means necessary!"
"Never!" she screamed down at him, crying out when the pole jabbed her again, sharper this time. Breathing raggedly, she did her best to climb faster and out of his reach. Peering up she was elated to see the roof of the tunnel and a round hatch at the ladders top.
She heard Erik curse – was she out of the reach of his pole? There was a clattering sound and after a moment the ladder shook slightly. Pausing to look down Christine cried out, for after dropping the pole in the boat, Erik had fastened his boat to the ladder with a rope and was now climbing the ladder. He was as lithe as a cat and his billowing cape gave him the appearance of a bat. She started climbing again but she was not fast enough for within seconds Christine felt a strong hand grasp her foot, holding it tightly to a rung and he laughed in triumph.
"Nooo!!" she yelled and kicked out wildly with her other foot. She felt it make contact, heard a faint splash and heard Erik's cry of rage. She peered down and let out a shriek for in the light of the lamp in the boat she saw she had kicked off Eriks' mask – revealed to her shocked gaze was twisted flesh that surrounded his baleful blue eyes and [no!!] a gaping hole where his nose should be.
She shrieked again and kicked out with her trapped foot. She heard him grunt in pain, the ladder jerked alarmingly and then her foot was free. There was a loud splash but she did not paused to look down. In terror she climbed hastily up the ladder and reaching the hatch saw in puzzlement there was a little spoked iron wheel attached to the hatch. Cautiously she touched it with her right hand and it moved around easily in her hand as if it had been oiled. This must be the way to open the hatch! Grasping it firmly she spun the wheel until she heard a faint click and then she had to duck her head as the hatch swung downward on hinges. A rush of air swept through the dark hole revealed to her – stale, but breathable.
Feeling a bit hysterical she laughed, and awkwardly climbed through into the dark passage above. Leaning back down she managed to grab the hatch lid and gasping, pulled it up – but before she closed it she peered warily at the water below. There was no sign of Erik, only the boat bobbing quietly on the lake. But a little voice in her head whispered that she had not seen the last of her former teacher and shivering, closed the hatch.
There was an identical metal wheel fastened on the other side of the hatch and she frantically turned it around, sealing the lid into place. She collapsed on the floor, sobbing in relief and shivering in the dark. There was still a long way to go.
Christine treaded water for a while, catching her breath while her dressing gown and nightgown floating about her like silken petals. A kind of mad excitement lent her strength and she grinned in the darkness.
Suddenly the quiet was ripped by the distant sound of her name screamed out in shock and rage. In terror she turned her head and saw in the distance flickering lights through the window she had jumped out.
[Oh no!!] Christine thought in panic. If only he had slept through to the morning, giving her enough time to get away. She would not go back! She thought in fresh terror that he would surely get in his boat and come after her…
She took a deep breath and abandoning breaststroke put her head down and started swimming in earnest. A little while later Christine paused for breath, gasping. If only she knew the direction that would lead her to safety. She looked back fearfully and moaned in terror when she saw that a small boat had set out from behind the house. It had a lamp fastened to the front of it, which clearly showed Erik standing in it, poling the boat in furious, jerky movements while a black cape billowed around him giving him the appearance of an angel from hell.
[Do not come this way!] Christine begged silently as she sank down in the water until only her frightened green eyes were above the water. She nearly sobbed in relief when the boat veered away from her off to the right, Erik calling her name sweetly as if she was a lost child.
She lifted her head to take a deep breath and turned back to the direction in which she had been swimming. It seemed the best course of action to swim this way for now, and she dropped her head under water. She was good at swimming under water, and this way she would be less visible.
Feeling that she was now swimming for her life, she struck out swiftly under the water, pausing at intervals to lift her head, take a breath and check where she was going. Thanks to the light of Erik's lamp (still thankfully distant from her), she could see a vague suggestion of a wall in the distance, which gave her hope for she was starting to tire. Hopefully there would be a tunnel hole that would lead her back somehow to the Opera…
She took a deep breath and ducking under water again resumed swimming. After a while she stopped and was startled to see that she was just metres away from a stone wall which rose smoothly out of the water. It had been closer than she thought! She glanced back and flinched in terror for Erik had changed direction and was heading this way. Luckily he had not spotted her yet for he was still calling her name in sweet tones, asking her to show herself for she was surely chilled to the bone.
Turning her attention to the stone wall she saw that there was indeed a tunnel entrance just a couple of metres along, and though she was taking a risk in being seen, she paddled quietly towards it for she felt too out of breath to swim under water for now. Peering down the tunnel that stretched away into darkness she wondered where it led. Would it end near the shore near her old room? Or in another direction entirely? She had no way to be sure. She thought frantically. Surely there was a…service ladder of some kind in the tunnel? Anything that would take her upwards would be welcome. She strained her eyes and stared up at the tunnel walls. There!
On the right hand wall she could make out a thin metal ladder that glinted in the increasing light. Erik was drawing nearer….if she could get to the ladder in time she would be out of danger. Despite feeling dizzy, she took several deep breaths and ducked under the water again, swimming deep down to a point where she hoped she would not be easily spotted and struck out in the direction of the ladder, terror giving her a burst of energy though her strength was fading fast.
She inwardly cursed when she bumped into the other side of the tunnel, though she managed to keep her mouth shut. Cautiously she rose to the surface – and was spotted by Erik as he entered the tunnel in his boat, his keen ears having heard small splashes from this direction.
"There you are Christine!" he called out lightly as though her escape had been of no great consequence, but she heard the cold fury under his words. She glanced at the wall – the ladder was nearby and just within her reach. As it went down to the waters surface it was easy for her to grasp the rusty metal. Though she was shivering from cold and fear, she grimly ignored Erik and hoisting herself up onto the ladder, water streaming down her body, she started climbing.
Erik was slowly poling towards her in his boat, confident of her recapture. Her body ached in weariness and it was a vast effort for her to climb the ladder which periodically rattled when she grasped new rungs.
"You gave me quite a scare!" Erik continued in a gentle tone. "We were doing so well."
Another rung. Keep climbing. Another rung. Another.
She concentrated solely on climbing, her heart in her throat for she saw he had stopped the boat by the ladder, though he would now have to climb the ladder to reach her. Something jabbed her sharply in the back and she cried out in pain. Staring down she was horrified to see that Erik had taken his boat pole and had used it to poke her – how dare he!
"Come down or I will bring you down – by any means necessary!"
"Never!" she screamed down at him, crying out when the pole jabbed her again, sharper this time. Breathing raggedly, she did her best to climb faster and out of his reach. Peering up she was elated to see the roof of the tunnel and a round hatch at the ladders top.
She heard Erik curse – was she out of the reach of his pole? There was a clattering sound and after a moment the ladder shook slightly. Pausing to look down Christine cried out, for after dropping the pole in the boat, Erik had fastened his boat to the ladder with a rope and was now climbing the ladder. He was as lithe as a cat and his billowing cape gave him the appearance of a bat. She started climbing again but she was not fast enough for within seconds Christine felt a strong hand grasp her foot, holding it tightly to a rung and he laughed in triumph.
"Nooo!!" she yelled and kicked out wildly with her other foot. She felt it make contact, heard a faint splash and heard Erik's cry of rage. She peered down and let out a shriek for in the light of the lamp in the boat she saw she had kicked off Eriks' mask – revealed to her shocked gaze was twisted flesh that surrounded his baleful blue eyes and [no!!] a gaping hole where his nose should be.
She shrieked again and kicked out with her trapped foot. She heard him grunt in pain, the ladder jerked alarmingly and then her foot was free. There was a loud splash but she did not paused to look down. In terror she climbed hastily up the ladder and reaching the hatch saw in puzzlement there was a little spoked iron wheel attached to the hatch. Cautiously she touched it with her right hand and it moved around easily in her hand as if it had been oiled. This must be the way to open the hatch! Grasping it firmly she spun the wheel until she heard a faint click and then she had to duck her head as the hatch swung downward on hinges. A rush of air swept through the dark hole revealed to her – stale, but breathable.
Feeling a bit hysterical she laughed, and awkwardly climbed through into the dark passage above. Leaning back down she managed to grab the hatch lid and gasping, pulled it up – but before she closed it she peered warily at the water below. There was no sign of Erik, only the boat bobbing quietly on the lake. But a little voice in her head whispered that she had not seen the last of her former teacher and shivering, closed the hatch.
There was an identical metal wheel fastened on the other side of the hatch and she frantically turned it around, sealing the lid into place. She collapsed on the floor, sobbing in relief and shivering in the dark. There was still a long way to go.