A life without love
Chapter 11: desperate to escape
Christian and Satine could hear Toulouse's voice echoing through the building followed by a door slamming shut, which rattled the windows. Fear struck the hearts of Christian and Satine, as they ran as fast as possible up the stairs, Satine ran ahead and Christian right behind her, glancing behind his shoulder, his heart beating faster as the sound of their pursuers footsteps got nearer and nearer and the growling noise of the Duke's enraged voice screaming at Warner to move faster.
Satine was breathing loudly, her chest tightening up a bit but Christian urged her on, their only suitcase swaying in his hand, as they climbed higher up the stairs they saw the fire escape exit with the printed red letters across the door.
"There!" Christian pointed, out of breath and breathing hard. Satine nodded and raced up to the door, turning the handle at lightening speed and shoving it open.
Up on top of the roof of the building, the cold Paris winter air chilled their faces instantly; they could see the whole city below them and the Monemarte gates at the end of the city. Christian slammed the door shut and pulled a discarded chair and jammed it under the handle so the door was fixed shut. "That should buy us some time," he whispered, his lips turning blue.
"Christian where's the fire escape ladder?" Satine asked her voice painted in panic. "Over there!" Christian replied, grabbing her hand and leading her over to the rusty ladder acting as a fire escape. "Quick" Christian said, helping Satine over the side of the building and onto the ladder where she began to climb down.
He then threw their suitcase over the side and it dropped like a deadweight to the ground and surprisingly didn't burst open or break. He swung himself over the edge and began to climb down after Satine, he could already hear Warner barging the door that he had jammed shut.
Satine climbed down slowly, the rusty ladder that she clung to stained her hands and she shivered in the cold and from fear and then made the mistake of looking down, she brought herself closer to the ladder and pulling all her strength together continued down.
It took about 10 minutes for them to climb down the unsafe, rickety ladder until they got back onto the safe ground in the alleyway behind the building, the ground was still wet from the rain the night before, and the scent of drunks, absinthe tinged the cold air making them shiver.
"Come on!" Christian said, shaking the cold off him, he took Satine's hand in his and they raced down the street, they'd barely got round the corner and we passing the Moulin Rouge when they were intercepted.
A hand caught Satine's free hand from behind and pulled her, she let out a cry and Christian spun around ready to clobber the figure, but stopped mid punch in realization.
It was Harry Zidler
"The Duke's after you" he said, huffing behind his orange moustache "Come with me, Marie and I have a plan" he whispered, looking around.
Satine nodded and began to follow him but stopped and looked back when Christian didn't move. Satine looked at Christian, "Christian, come on, Marie will know what to do, don't worry about Harry" she reassured him
"Is this another of your plans 'for the best'" Christian taunted Zidler, ignoring Satine.
"The duke's henchmen are guarding the city gates, what choice do you have" Harry said back firmly and walked on "It's up to you" he said, Satine shook her head and began to follow him, pulling Christian forcefully behind her.
That's it for now; sorry I haven't written for a while, with school going back its hard, stupid school!!! Anyways, I'll try to write again ASAP. Thanks all. Lec. (aka snoopyandcharlie) p.s I have no idea if they used fire escapes back then.
Christian and Satine could hear Toulouse's voice echoing through the building followed by a door slamming shut, which rattled the windows. Fear struck the hearts of Christian and Satine, as they ran as fast as possible up the stairs, Satine ran ahead and Christian right behind her, glancing behind his shoulder, his heart beating faster as the sound of their pursuers footsteps got nearer and nearer and the growling noise of the Duke's enraged voice screaming at Warner to move faster.
Satine was breathing loudly, her chest tightening up a bit but Christian urged her on, their only suitcase swaying in his hand, as they climbed higher up the stairs they saw the fire escape exit with the printed red letters across the door.
"There!" Christian pointed, out of breath and breathing hard. Satine nodded and raced up to the door, turning the handle at lightening speed and shoving it open.
Up on top of the roof of the building, the cold Paris winter air chilled their faces instantly; they could see the whole city below them and the Monemarte gates at the end of the city. Christian slammed the door shut and pulled a discarded chair and jammed it under the handle so the door was fixed shut. "That should buy us some time," he whispered, his lips turning blue.
"Christian where's the fire escape ladder?" Satine asked her voice painted in panic. "Over there!" Christian replied, grabbing her hand and leading her over to the rusty ladder acting as a fire escape. "Quick" Christian said, helping Satine over the side of the building and onto the ladder where she began to climb down.
He then threw their suitcase over the side and it dropped like a deadweight to the ground and surprisingly didn't burst open or break. He swung himself over the edge and began to climb down after Satine, he could already hear Warner barging the door that he had jammed shut.
Satine climbed down slowly, the rusty ladder that she clung to stained her hands and she shivered in the cold and from fear and then made the mistake of looking down, she brought herself closer to the ladder and pulling all her strength together continued down.
It took about 10 minutes for them to climb down the unsafe, rickety ladder until they got back onto the safe ground in the alleyway behind the building, the ground was still wet from the rain the night before, and the scent of drunks, absinthe tinged the cold air making them shiver.
"Come on!" Christian said, shaking the cold off him, he took Satine's hand in his and they raced down the street, they'd barely got round the corner and we passing the Moulin Rouge when they were intercepted.
A hand caught Satine's free hand from behind and pulled her, she let out a cry and Christian spun around ready to clobber the figure, but stopped mid punch in realization.
It was Harry Zidler
"The Duke's after you" he said, huffing behind his orange moustache "Come with me, Marie and I have a plan" he whispered, looking around.
Satine nodded and began to follow him but stopped and looked back when Christian didn't move. Satine looked at Christian, "Christian, come on, Marie will know what to do, don't worry about Harry" she reassured him
"Is this another of your plans 'for the best'" Christian taunted Zidler, ignoring Satine.
"The duke's henchmen are guarding the city gates, what choice do you have" Harry said back firmly and walked on "It's up to you" he said, Satine shook her head and began to follow him, pulling Christian forcefully behind her.
That's it for now; sorry I haven't written for a while, with school going back its hard, stupid school!!! Anyways, I'll try to write again ASAP. Thanks all. Lec. (aka snoopyandcharlie) p.s I have no idea if they used fire escapes back then.