One Month Later
I slowly put on my best white shirt and tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to tie my white bow tie. My long fingers got in the way causing me to throw the tie onto the bed in anger. I sat down on the bed and ran my hands through my hair. I looked up when I heard the door open.
"Erik?" The Daroga's voice came softly to my ears.
"What do you want Nadir?" I snapped, but only halfheartedly.
"What are you doing?" he asked. I sighed heavily.
"I'm.going to a wedding," I said softly.
"What?"
"I'm going to Christine's wedding," I replied. I stood up and tried the tie again.
The Daroga noticed me struggling and came over to me. "Want some help?" I grunted in answer and he quickly tied it.
"Thanks," I muttered and put on my blazer. I buttoned it and threw my cloak around my shoulders.
"When will you be back Erik?" the Daroga asked.
"Late tonight or early tomorrow morning probably. I want to stay as long as I can," I answered.
"Very well. Is there anything you want me to do while you are away?"
"No thank you Nadir. Just do what you usually do.whatever that is," I said.
"Alright Erik, have a safe trip," he told me.
"Daroga, I'm touched that you would care that much about my safety," I said sarcastically.
He rolled his eyes. "See you later Erik," he drawled and walked out of the room. I felt my tie to make sure it was straight, put on my hat, and walked out of my lair.
I came out onto the busy Parisian streets and was almost run over by a cab. I hadn't been out in public during the day in so long that I had nearly forgotten what it was like. People strolled casually along the streets, chatting animatedly to each other and ducking into cafés. I kept my head down so that my mask wouldn't show as much and hailed a cab as quickly as I could. I climbed in and sat down.
"Where to Monsieur?" the driver asked.
"Etampes," I replied.
"Oui Monsieur," he said and we were off. Once we were closer to the city, I told him to go to the chapel. He pulled up in front of it, and I got out and handed him some money. I looked up at the church and sighed. I hadn't been in one in so long. I had hoped I never would again, but today I made an exception for Christine; for my Angel.
I walked up the stone stairs and opened the large wooden doors. When I walked in, there were already many people in the seats as the wedding was due to start in about ten minutes. A young man at the door offered to take my cloak and hat. I accepted his offer and handed over my things. The man said nothing about my mask and didn't even seem to notice it; a reaction that was unheard of but quite welcome. I had taken about two more steps in when an even younger girl than the man who had taken my things approached me.
"Sign the guestbook Monsieur?" She held up a leather-bound book and I took it from her. She handed me a pen and I quickly signed my name. I handed it back to her and she smiled and walked off. I walked down the aisle hoping for a seat near the back but finding none. I slowly and somewhat nervously made my way closer and closer to the front of the church. The whole building had a feel to it that I was, most unusually for me, very respectful of. I finally found an empty pew and sat down. I stared down at the floor. I felt unworthy. I felt that I shouldn't be in such a place. I bet no one else here feels like this, I thought. Suddenly, the organ began to play. I looked up and saw that everyone was waiting expectantly. As I watched, Raoul came down the aisle. I felt a quick but strong flash of anger. I took a deep breath and I calmed down. I won't ruin this day for Christine, I vowed. Once everyone was assembled at the front of the church, the organ started up the wedding march. Everyone stood up and I followed suit. I looked over the heads of the other guests and saw, standing beautifully at the back of the church, my Angel; Christine.
She started down the aisle. She looked so happy. I felt my throat tightening and my heart speeding up. She was coming nearer to my row. I stared at her intently, taking in everything about her; the way her hair looked, the gentle curves of her face, and the glow in her eyes. She looked over at me and I bowed slightly. Her smiled faded, but she blinked, breaking our eye contact, and her smile returned. She reached the front of the church and everyone sat down. The priest began the ceremony and very soon I was crying openly.
"If anyone here feels that these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace," the priest said. I very seriously considered speaking up. In fact, at that moment, Christine looked out at me, directly at me. She had an expression on her face somewhere between love and pain. Her eyes drew me to her. I slowly stood up, never once letting my eyes leave hers. Raoul looked out at me when the guests all started whispering at my rising.
"You!" he spat.
I glared at him coldly and then looked back at Christine. "Christine, I know I told you to do what you thought was best for you, but I have to be honest. I love you. I love you more than anything and if you say you love me too I promise I will do whatever it takes to make you the happiest woman alive," I stated. The guests were all talking quietly to one another and Christine was looking at me with an expression of complete rapture on her face.
"I love you Erik," she whispered. I smiled and she ran down the steps to me. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her deeply.
"Christine what are you doing?!" Raoul yelled from the stage. "You can't possibly be serious! You love that monster?" A still silence rang throughout the whole sanctuary.
"Raoul don't," Christine begged. "Please don't. You'll only make things worse."
"Things can't get worse Christine! You must be blind! Look at him!" he shouted. I clenched my hands into fists to keep from unleashing the rage I could feel building up.
"Shut your mouth Chagny," I growled. "You make me sick. Come Christine." I held out my hand to her and she took it. We walked together out of the church, that holy place where I had once again been that cause of a disturbance. I hailed a cab and we climbed in together to journey back home.
I slowly put on my best white shirt and tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to tie my white bow tie. My long fingers got in the way causing me to throw the tie onto the bed in anger. I sat down on the bed and ran my hands through my hair. I looked up when I heard the door open.
"Erik?" The Daroga's voice came softly to my ears.
"What do you want Nadir?" I snapped, but only halfheartedly.
"What are you doing?" he asked. I sighed heavily.
"I'm.going to a wedding," I said softly.
"What?"
"I'm going to Christine's wedding," I replied. I stood up and tried the tie again.
The Daroga noticed me struggling and came over to me. "Want some help?" I grunted in answer and he quickly tied it.
"Thanks," I muttered and put on my blazer. I buttoned it and threw my cloak around my shoulders.
"When will you be back Erik?" the Daroga asked.
"Late tonight or early tomorrow morning probably. I want to stay as long as I can," I answered.
"Very well. Is there anything you want me to do while you are away?"
"No thank you Nadir. Just do what you usually do.whatever that is," I said.
"Alright Erik, have a safe trip," he told me.
"Daroga, I'm touched that you would care that much about my safety," I said sarcastically.
He rolled his eyes. "See you later Erik," he drawled and walked out of the room. I felt my tie to make sure it was straight, put on my hat, and walked out of my lair.
I came out onto the busy Parisian streets and was almost run over by a cab. I hadn't been out in public during the day in so long that I had nearly forgotten what it was like. People strolled casually along the streets, chatting animatedly to each other and ducking into cafés. I kept my head down so that my mask wouldn't show as much and hailed a cab as quickly as I could. I climbed in and sat down.
"Where to Monsieur?" the driver asked.
"Etampes," I replied.
"Oui Monsieur," he said and we were off. Once we were closer to the city, I told him to go to the chapel. He pulled up in front of it, and I got out and handed him some money. I looked up at the church and sighed. I hadn't been in one in so long. I had hoped I never would again, but today I made an exception for Christine; for my Angel.
I walked up the stone stairs and opened the large wooden doors. When I walked in, there were already many people in the seats as the wedding was due to start in about ten minutes. A young man at the door offered to take my cloak and hat. I accepted his offer and handed over my things. The man said nothing about my mask and didn't even seem to notice it; a reaction that was unheard of but quite welcome. I had taken about two more steps in when an even younger girl than the man who had taken my things approached me.
"Sign the guestbook Monsieur?" She held up a leather-bound book and I took it from her. She handed me a pen and I quickly signed my name. I handed it back to her and she smiled and walked off. I walked down the aisle hoping for a seat near the back but finding none. I slowly and somewhat nervously made my way closer and closer to the front of the church. The whole building had a feel to it that I was, most unusually for me, very respectful of. I finally found an empty pew and sat down. I stared down at the floor. I felt unworthy. I felt that I shouldn't be in such a place. I bet no one else here feels like this, I thought. Suddenly, the organ began to play. I looked up and saw that everyone was waiting expectantly. As I watched, Raoul came down the aisle. I felt a quick but strong flash of anger. I took a deep breath and I calmed down. I won't ruin this day for Christine, I vowed. Once everyone was assembled at the front of the church, the organ started up the wedding march. Everyone stood up and I followed suit. I looked over the heads of the other guests and saw, standing beautifully at the back of the church, my Angel; Christine.
She started down the aisle. She looked so happy. I felt my throat tightening and my heart speeding up. She was coming nearer to my row. I stared at her intently, taking in everything about her; the way her hair looked, the gentle curves of her face, and the glow in her eyes. She looked over at me and I bowed slightly. Her smiled faded, but she blinked, breaking our eye contact, and her smile returned. She reached the front of the church and everyone sat down. The priest began the ceremony and very soon I was crying openly.
"If anyone here feels that these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace," the priest said. I very seriously considered speaking up. In fact, at that moment, Christine looked out at me, directly at me. She had an expression on her face somewhere between love and pain. Her eyes drew me to her. I slowly stood up, never once letting my eyes leave hers. Raoul looked out at me when the guests all started whispering at my rising.
"You!" he spat.
I glared at him coldly and then looked back at Christine. "Christine, I know I told you to do what you thought was best for you, but I have to be honest. I love you. I love you more than anything and if you say you love me too I promise I will do whatever it takes to make you the happiest woman alive," I stated. The guests were all talking quietly to one another and Christine was looking at me with an expression of complete rapture on her face.
"I love you Erik," she whispered. I smiled and she ran down the steps to me. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her deeply.
"Christine what are you doing?!" Raoul yelled from the stage. "You can't possibly be serious! You love that monster?" A still silence rang throughout the whole sanctuary.
"Raoul don't," Christine begged. "Please don't. You'll only make things worse."
"Things can't get worse Christine! You must be blind! Look at him!" he shouted. I clenched my hands into fists to keep from unleashing the rage I could feel building up.
"Shut your mouth Chagny," I growled. "You make me sick. Come Christine." I held out my hand to her and she took it. We walked together out of the church, that holy place where I had once again been that cause of a disturbance. I hailed a cab and we climbed in together to journey back home.