Thanks for the constructive criticism, it is helping and I'll try to heed the advice. J
By Rina
Erik raised his head from the floor. He opened his eyes, too, which didn't make much difference in the thorough darkness. He winced; moving any part of his body was becoming increasingly bothersome. He'd escaped effectively from the clumsy mob, but though it had only been a couple of months since he'd given up any pretense of living, he could practically feel his muscles beginning to atrophy.
The heartache was absolutely excruciating. Of course he hadn't expected it to be anything less but now that she was gone… really gone…
For the next portion of the forevers his life had become, he sobbed. He had wondered if he could live without her; now it seemed that the worst option was the case: he could. But he felt that every moment his love, and directly related, his pain, was greater than the last instant and less than the instant to come. Though her presence was not there, it seemed the memory of her was just as potent, squeezing the life substance out of his heart. He hoped she'd had better luck forgetting about what he had caused her, with the help of that boy.
A sound distracted him. The rats had been scared away by the mob's commotion, but it seemed they were beginning to venture back out now. Erik duly and dully noted the irony: he had taken care of terrorizing the ballet rats, and the mob had effectively done that to the rats of the cellars.
The rat seemed to be scuttling- no, more like scraping- closer. He hoped he wouldn't have to fend off aggressive rats trying to gnaw on him, as well as what was gnawing at his heart.
Suddenly, as his fatigued eyes were adjusting better to the darkness, he discerned a distinctly human shape not twenty feet away from him…
Sorry, I know this is the worst kind of cliffhanger, but I promise I won't keep you waiting long!