My fear mounted as I drew closer and closer to the doors of the Moulin Rouge. The play had already begun, with its flashing lights and full orchestra. Everyone was costumed with detail, and the singing had started. I slipped stealthily in from a window leading to the backstage. I suppose I wasn't as quiet as I would have liked, and I was noticed my the Duke's manservant, who had obviously been set to kill me if I did arrive.
As he rounded the corner after me, I slipped between some wooden planking until he was out of sight again. Then I proceeded to make my way to Satine's dressing room. She was onstage at the moment, so I waited, holding my breath, for her to return backstage and to give me my final goodbye.
She was singing her famous solo song, but in an Indian style.
"Kiss. . . .hand. . . . diamonds best friend."
"Kiss . . . . . grand . . . . diamonds best friend."
"Men, cold. . . . .girls, old. . . . and we all lose our charms in the end."
I moved still closer to my destination.
"Diamonds are a, diamonds are a, diamonds are a. . . "
"Girls best friend."
As the song ended I approached a steep staircase and peered upwards. Just then the Argentinean fell in front of me, unconscious yet again. I took his costume and ran to Satine's dressing room, a plan already brewing.
As I rounded her door, she pivoted around to face me, gasping.
"I've come to pay my bill." I said sadly.
"You shouldn't be here Christian." She answered me indirectly, walking out the door. I followed her, fully aware that she had to be on the stage in a matter of minutes. "Just leave." She commanded. But I couldn't just go. I had to know.
Satine gasped as she tried to run from me. I caught her arm as she was about to climb up the stairs to the stage.
"You made me believe that you loved me." I spat. "Why shouldn't I pay you!"
"Please Christian," She begged, a glazed look in her eye.
"You did your job so very well." I hissed, almost pushing her up the stairs. She struggled to get away, but I was stronger. I wouldn't leave until she told me she had never loved me.
"Why can't I pay you like everyone else does?" I yelled, fuming.
"Don't Christian, there's no point, just leave." She demanded again.
We had reached the stage now, and I held her wrists tight, Zidler yelling lines on the other side.
"If it wasn't real, why can't I pay you?" I said again. Tears were now running down her face, leaving streaks of black on her cheeks. All this time, Toulouse was hanging many levels above my head, trying to prevent what had already happened.
"Let me pay, let me pay!" I yelled frantically. "Tell me you don't love me, tell me it wasn't real!"
"Open the door!"
The door in front of us opened, exposing us to the bright stage lights and the audience. Blinded for a moment, I blinked and breathed heavily, still hanging on to Satine's wrists.
But once again, Zidler had a lie in mind. He laughed it off, explaining to the audience that I was indeed the Sitar Player, only in a disguise. They seemed to believe it. I walked Satine down the stairs and dropped her, making her fall to the floor. The audience sighed in sympathy. What did they know? Nothing, they knew nothing.
I looked out at the Duke and pointed to Satine.
"This woman is yours now." I said, throwing money at her. "I've paid my whore." This made the audience gasp, but I was far from caring.
I turned to Satine, tears starting to sting my eyes. "I owe you nothing, and you are nothing to me." I paused, starting to choke up as a lump formed in my throat.
"Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with love." I said, trying to hold back sobs unsuccessfully. As I exited the stage I paused to look at the Duke, then I began to walk slowly down the aisle.
"This Sitar player doesn't love you!" Zidler ad-libbed. "See he flees the kingdom!"
Just as I was about the leave the theatre for good, I heard Toulouse's yells from backstage.
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return!" He screamed. This made me stop in my tracks. Then I heard Satine start to sing.
"Never knew I could feel like this." Why was she singing our song? I thought she didn't love me.
"It's like I've never seen the sky before." I was confused, doubtful, hopeful, and angry all at once. But this time I wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or not. I had been tricked once, and I wasn't about to be tricked again.
"Want to vanish inside your kiss." My doubt was slipping away. How could she be lying if she was singing our song?
"Every day I'm loving you more and more. Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?" I turned around slowly. "Come back to me and forgive everything!" I was sure she wasn't pretending anymore.
"Seasons may change. Winter to spring. I love you till the end of time."
I knew what I had to do. I opened my mouth and began to sing.
"Come what may."
"Come what may."
"Come what may."
"Come what may." I began walking briskly back up to the stage. "I will love you until my dying day." My heart flooded with relief. She still loved me.
"Come what may."
"Come what may." I was holding Satine in my arms now, our faces touching. "I will love you until my dying-" Just before our last note, Toulouse came running out onto the stage yelling, "Christian, he's got a gun!
"He's trying to kill you!" The audience laughed, thinking it was all in the script. Then pandemonium broke out on the stage, everyone dancing and yelling in different directions. Finally some order came together and we broke out into a song.
"No matter what you say. The show is ending our way. Come on and stand your ground for freedom, beauty, truth and love. You can't fool the children of the revolution."
[I'll fly away]
[My gift is my song]
"Children of the revolution."
[I'll fly away]
[My gift is my song]
I beamed as the song reached its climax. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the Duke leaving in a fit of rage.
"I will love you, until my dying day."
The Duke started racing down the isle at us, gun raised, but was stopped when Zidler punched him in the face. The song ended then, the curtain closing in front of us.
It was such an exhilarating feeling, to be standing next to the one I loved, I can't even describe it. But as quickly as the moment had come, it ended.