A life without love Chapter 10: Trapped They were ready to leave, to where, they had no idea, and they had decided to catch the first train to anywhere. Christian had their luggage in both hands and was walking over to the door to leave, followed by Satine, when Toulouse's lisp voice called out to them. "Christian! Satine!" he called, looking through the hole in his floor. "Toulouse!" Christian exclaimed "We're leaving, its too dangerous for us to stay here" Toulouse shook his head, "If you go onto the streets you'll be found, the Duke is alive, he's gone completely mad! He's still bleeding for where you shot him and he and Warner are searching for you, I saw him a few hours ago" Toulouse said all in a rush. "What?" Satine gasped. "Then we have to leave even sooner now!" Christian said. "Oh my God, look!" Satine cried, she was standing near the window looking out at the street below, and walking towards the building, were two figures, one large stocky man with broad shoulders and with him was a scrawny short man, with a bandage wrapped tightly around his bloodstained white shirt. "Its them!" Satine gasped, fear overcoming her. Christian rushed to the window, and saw the two men enter the building of Christian's garret. "Bugger!" Christian cursed, "We're trapped!" he whispered. "Oh Christian what are we to do? They'll be here any second!" Satine cried, they could already hear the heavy footsteps coming up the stairs outside. "Quick you two, up here!" Toulouse called to them from above. Acting fast, Christian helped Satine up the ladder into Toulouse's flat as the footsteps got closer, then just as the door handle turned Christian jumped up out of sight with their bags as the door swung open. "Christian, Satine and Toulouse moved clear of the hole they had come through and stayed as quiet as possible as the Duke's scratchy voice and the heavy footsteps of Warner filled the air below them. "Christian, you two sneak out here and go down the stairs past them, then you'll have to get out of the city fast" Toulouse whispered across the hole at them. Christian nodded, and he and Satine moved slowly and quietly over to the door, Satine pulled it open and it creaked loudly, making them both cringe. The Duke's voice went quiet. Then he spoke again. "Warner, you stand at the door in case they come down the stairs behind us, I'll search the rest of the place" the Duke ordered Warner, and he obeyed. On the above floor, Christian and Satine peeked around the corner to see Warner guarding the door; they were trapped in the building. Quickly and silently they hurried back into Toulouse's place. "We're trapped!" Satine whispered to Toulouse, but then fell silent again when the sound of the Duke smashing and looking through things downstairs and swearing could be heard. "Damn that boy for shooting me and stealing MY diamond!" the Duke fumed from below. "When I find him, I'll shoot him myself, and I'll shoot her too! She's worthless now, I could've given her everything, but she betrayed me, she and her poet will pay!" the Duke shouted as loudly as he could. Above Christian and Satine were frozen in fear, then the sound of Toulouse's soft whisper gave them a chance. "You could climb the stairs, up onto the roof, then climb down the fire escape, it's risky, but it seems to be your only chance" Christian and Satine looked at each other, as if asking one another if they should, and then with no other words, they moved towards the door, Christian decided to leave his typewriter, as it would only slow them down, he asked Toulouse to mind it for him, and then they left. Satine moved over to the door again, and carefully pulled it, praying it wouldn't creak, but it did, loud and long, so almost everyone in the building could hear. "They're up there!" the Duke's voice from below sounded. "They're hiding in that dwarfs house!" he growled "Hurry Warner, get up the bloody ladder!" The sound of the big muscled body of Warner coming up the ladder filled the air, fear was painted across the faces of the young lovers. "Go! I'll stall them!" Toulouse urged, waving them on, and with a quick thank you from them both they were gone, running up the stairs of the building with one suitcase and nothing else. By now, the Duke and Warner had entered Toulouse's garret, and had cornered the artist. "Where are they?" the Duke screamed at the little man, hitting him on the head. "They're not here, they left this morning!" Toulouse meekly shouted back, only to be hit hard again by the flimsy hand of the Duke. "They were here! She was here! I can smell her perfume!" the Duke screamed in an uncontrollable rage, he certainly had gone mad. "You'd better tell me where they are dwarf or you wont paint another picture again!" the duke yelled, punching Toulouse. "Sir" Warner's voice interrupted the Duke's bashing of Toulouse, "Listen" he said, and they could hear hurried footsteps running up the stairs above them. An evil little rat smiled curled across the Duke's face as he let Toulouse go "We almost have them" he growled, leaping to his feet and storming out the door, followed closely by Warner. "Run Christian and Satine!" Toulouse yelled from his wounded position on his floor, only to get the sound of his front door slamming behind an enraged Duke and his deadly manservant.

Cliffhanger! Well sort of, hehe! I'll post the next chapter soon, please tell me what you guys think, and I'd also like to put a huge, huge THANKYOU! And hug to all my reviewers. *snoopy*