Chapter 3.
Two eyes watch the two figures that are pressed tightly together in that dim common room. Meg Giry, by any other name.
Her eyes are wide as she watches her friend Christine stroke the monsters head as tenderly as if he were her lover. A million thoughts race through Meg's head.
She must be delusional; The Ghost's drugged her...
He's going to murder her...then he'll murder me...
Piangi...Jospeh Buquet...
Where is Raoul? He said he'd be with her...where's the Guard...?
Meg's mouth is dry, her throat is frozen. She can't scream, can't call out. And her feet won't move. She's glued to the spot.
"Christine..." He whispers the name.
"Yes?" Her voice is soft, and it quivers.
"Is this really..."
"Angel, it's really me." Christine says, her voice still soft.
Erik nods solemnly. "You knew..."
"Yes, I knew. I sent Raoul away, so I could sing, and sing for you."
Erik looks at her, cups her face in his gloved hands. "Come with me."
She widens her eyes. "I...can't. They'll realise I'm missing....they all knew I was coming here...they'll blame you."
"I don't care. Come with me, Christine." His voice is vaguely hopeful.
Christine casts nervous looks around her. "I've been a fool. I made the wrong choice, down there. I wanted Raoul to be safe...but...I also thought I wanted him. I was wrong."
"So come with me now." Erik straightens, standing tall, one hand trembles on her shoulder.
"Yes...I want to." Christine looks up at him. "Take me away."
Meg gasps, a barely audible sound. Christine's face caught in an unreconisable expression. Her hands are gripping the monsters. Meg realises too late that she must move. The monster has seen her.
Christine is the first to react. "Meg!" Her voice is shocked. She steps towards her friend. Meg shudders at the sight of the man in the mask.
"No, Meg." Christine sobs, seeing her friends reaction. "You don't know. You havent seen us. I'm going away. This is the man...this is my choice."
Meg is stunned. "This man is a murderer."
He steps forwards, protectively grasping Christine and pulling her close. Meg can see that Christine offers no resistance, and looks up at the cold- looking mask.
The lips beneath the mask move. "Miss Giry, I'll advise that you have seen, or heard nothing..."
"Or a disaster beyond my imagination will occur?" Meg snaps, and then steps back, terrified at her remark.
He shakes his head. "That Ghost died long ago. Now there is only Erik."
Christine's eyes widen, and her lips part. "Erik." She whispers, repeating the name.
She smiles. And Erik holds out a hand. They step past Meg as if she doesn't exist.
Two eyes watch the two figures that are pressed tightly together in that dim common room. Meg Giry, by any other name.
Her eyes are wide as she watches her friend Christine stroke the monsters head as tenderly as if he were her lover. A million thoughts race through Meg's head.
She must be delusional; The Ghost's drugged her...
He's going to murder her...then he'll murder me...
Piangi...Jospeh Buquet...
Where is Raoul? He said he'd be with her...where's the Guard...?
Meg's mouth is dry, her throat is frozen. She can't scream, can't call out. And her feet won't move. She's glued to the spot.
"Christine..." He whispers the name.
"Yes?" Her voice is soft, and it quivers.
"Is this really..."
"Angel, it's really me." Christine says, her voice still soft.
Erik nods solemnly. "You knew..."
"Yes, I knew. I sent Raoul away, so I could sing, and sing for you."
Erik looks at her, cups her face in his gloved hands. "Come with me."
She widens her eyes. "I...can't. They'll realise I'm missing....they all knew I was coming here...they'll blame you."
"I don't care. Come with me, Christine." His voice is vaguely hopeful.
Christine casts nervous looks around her. "I've been a fool. I made the wrong choice, down there. I wanted Raoul to be safe...but...I also thought I wanted him. I was wrong."
"So come with me now." Erik straightens, standing tall, one hand trembles on her shoulder.
"Yes...I want to." Christine looks up at him. "Take me away."
Meg gasps, a barely audible sound. Christine's face caught in an unreconisable expression. Her hands are gripping the monsters. Meg realises too late that she must move. The monster has seen her.
Christine is the first to react. "Meg!" Her voice is shocked. She steps towards her friend. Meg shudders at the sight of the man in the mask.
"No, Meg." Christine sobs, seeing her friends reaction. "You don't know. You havent seen us. I'm going away. This is the man...this is my choice."
Meg is stunned. "This man is a murderer."
He steps forwards, protectively grasping Christine and pulling her close. Meg can see that Christine offers no resistance, and looks up at the cold- looking mask.
The lips beneath the mask move. "Miss Giry, I'll advise that you have seen, or heard nothing..."
"Or a disaster beyond my imagination will occur?" Meg snaps, and then steps back, terrified at her remark.
He shakes his head. "That Ghost died long ago. Now there is only Erik."
Christine's eyes widen, and her lips part. "Erik." She whispers, repeating the name.
She smiles. And Erik holds out a hand. They step past Meg as if she doesn't exist.