A/N: I can assure y'all that Raoul will not be making any appearances... except on TV (the news, when they are discussing Christine's kidnapping), if that's all right! Flashbacks are in italics! Thank you for all the kind reviews, and AngelMusic, I sent you the third chapter (Smiles).
Oh, and chapter one was most definitely not the end of my dream! I had one heck of a long dream, lol. I'll tell you when it's no longer what I dreamt! Enjoy!
Chapter Two
I lifted my head from the pillow, as my eyes opened to reveal my somewhat familiar surroundings. Swallowing, I slipped out of the bed and made my way towards the vanity. I took a seat at the bench, staring at my reflection. My cheeks were streaked with dry tears, and my nose was slightly red. Last night, I had undoubtedly cried myself to sleep, as it was becoming a routine. I had been here for four days now, and I hadn't left my room. Erik would bring me food, and for the first two days, I would never answer his questions or greetings – I only replied with a cold or blank stare. Now, I found myself telling him "good morning" or "good night". But every night, I would still cry myself to sleep; but it felt as if I could cry no more tears – it was as if my eyes had simply ran out of them.
I slowly opened the pink-colored drawer, retrieving a brush. Sniffling, I pulled my hair up, permitting a few strands to freely frame my face. I shuffled into a newfound restroom and leaned over the counter. In the mirror, I caught the sight of a marble shower. Peering my head outside the bathroom door, I scanned the bedroom.
Nothing, of course.
I shut the door, locking it. Arching my eyebrows, I was surprised that I had actually been given a lock – considering the fact that I had been locked in my room. Slipping off my clothes, I released my hair from the bondage it had been put in and took a hesitant step into the shower. I turned on the faucet, adjusting the water. This was, by far, the nicest shower I had ever seen! But why had I been given something as nice as this to use? Why was my room so luxurious and huge, filled with everything I could possibly need? I allowed the hot water to freely beat against my face, cleansing my body and making feel a little better.
Heaving a sigh, I finally emerged from the shower and wrapped a towel around my petite body. Squeezing my hair with an additional towel, my eyes rested on the fogged mirror; I suppose I had been in there for quite some time! Wiping away the majority of the fog, I dropped the other towel on top of the counter. I unlocked the door, poking my head out.
Still nothing.
Leaving the comfort of the bathroom, the steam from the shower seemed to follow me as well. I sighed, simply standing there in the towel. My gaze befell my clothes from the previous night.
Suddenly, I heard a sharp rapping on the door. Followed by the knock, Erik slipped in and immediately averted his eyes. My face flushed violently, as I clutched at my towel.
"I'm terribly sorry for coming in like this, Christine, but I only wished to tell you that there is an outfit for you to wear in the closet." He informed me, pointing to the closet, while he continued to distract his gaze. "I was actually going to take you to a store, in order for you to choose your own outfits..." Erik hesitated, before his eyes traveled to meet mine. "So do hurry. I'll be back in a few moments."
Still blushing, I waited until he left the room. I tiptoed to the walk-in closet, opening its ashen doors. A few, striking dresses hung in it, as if waiting for some glorious night in which someone would don them. Accompanying them was one outfit. It was a light pink skirt and a long-sleeved white shirt. Biting my lip, I removed the outfit from its hanger and made my way to an oak dresser. I was relieved and somewhat embarrassed to find underclothes in there. Feeling my cheeks grow warm, I quickly changed. I advanced towards the bathroom, finding a hair dryer. After my hair was finally dry, I heard the door creak open. Returning the hair dryer to its place, I merely stood there. What would I do? Perhaps, I could wait in there for him to come get me. Then, I could hit him over the head with... with the hair dryer! And while he was regaining his consciousness, I could make my great escape!
Grasping the hair dryer again, I slowly opened the door – only to find Erik leaning against the wall... on the other side of the room. He looked up at me, his masked face emotionless; however, I do believe he smirked.
"It looks as if your hair is dry enough, my dear." He said in a matter-a-fact tone.
Whimpering quietly, I dropped it, the dryer plummeting to the counter.
"Let's go." He stated, opening the once-locked doors.
I didn't move.
"Let's go." Erik repeated; this time his voice was a bit harsher.
Swallowing, I put on a pair of shoes and followed him out of the room. As we trotted down the stairs, his nearness assured me that I couldn't even attempt to make an escape. I would most likely be thrown back into my room, and being out here was much better than being locked up in the isolated bedroom...
Wasn't it?
He donned a black jacket, after slipping a jean jacket on me. I silently noticed that the only thing about him that wasn't black was his porcelain mask and his shirt.
"Why do you wear a mask?" I questioned, my eyes locked on his mask. "Why won't you take it off?" My inquisitive nature was beginning to show.
"You will never see beyond the mask, my dear." He had answered exceptionally firmly, after staring at me for several minutes.
I didn't speak of it again.
After leading me into a black mustang, he took a seat in the driver's seat. Rapidly locking the doors, before I could even think of running, Erik started the engine. It was unbearably silent. His eyes would wander over towards me, as I blankly stared out the window, trying to repress fresh tears. I watched as we passed numerous trees and barren patches of land; it was obvious that we weren't anywhere near civilization. I stifled a sob, as I realized that I might not even be in Arizona anymore. After about two hours of the intimidating silence, Erik finally spoke.
"Christine," He serenely began, causing me to instinctively turn towards him. His voice was incredibly smooth and even. It was the most beautiful voice I had ever heard... When he said my name, it seemed to roll off of his tongue perfectly. I shivered, returning to staring out the window. "I am taking you out only to buy some clothes for you. Nothing more. And I must warn you, my dear, to not attempt anything." He paused, turning the car left. "Do not try to get help, do not scream, and do not run. You will, without a doubt, regret it."
I furrowed my brow, turning back to look at him again. "Why?" I questioned, licking my dry lips. "What would you do? Would you kill me?"
He turned to meet my gaze, his hazel eyes cold. "Of course, not. I would kill whoever is nearest to me, and then I would take you back here. That act would remain on your conscience for quite some time." He lowered his volume, the ice in his voice causing me to tremble. "Do I make myself clear, Christine?"
I nodded vigorously, my eyes expanding. I couldn't tell if he would honestly go through with it or not, but I certainly didn't wish to find out. "Yes." I whispered in reply.
I didn't like the way he said my name that time. It wasn't soft; it wasn't tender... It was menacing and bitter. As we finally pulled into the mall, he emerged from the car, gently closing the door. Wringing my hands, my eyes darted around the parking lot. Several people bustled about, pushing carts and laughing cheerfully. The sound of the door opening interrupted my thoughts; I stared up to see Erik, waiting for me to get out of the car. I swallowed, taking a timid step out of the car. We entered the mall, while people brushed by me, smiling and waving.
Erik's eyes rarely left me.
As we sauntered into one store, I felt him take a hold of my hand. Biting down on my lip, I jerked it away and wrapped my arms around me. Suddenly, I felt his hand barely touching my back. I shuddered. I knew what he was doing.
He was assuring me that he was still there – that he was watching every move I made.
"Hi!" A joyful voice greeted us. "How are you today?"
My eyes darted up to see a young woman, probably around my age, moving towards me. Her light brown hair fell a moderate amount past her shoulders, as she smiled through her freckled face. Her coffee-colored eyes seemed warm and comforting. The tag on her uniform flashed the name "Lucy". She made me miss my best friend terribly.
"Good." I lied, flashing a phony smile that wasn't very reassuring.
"How may I help you?"
"I would just like to buy some clothes." I sputtered out.
"Oh, of course!" Lucy laughed, leading me towards a rack.
"Thanks." I flashed another smile before she left me. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Erik take a seat in a chair. His eyes were still on me.
After choosing a good amount of clothes from various stores – after all, he had made it clear that this was the only time we would be out in society – we began to leave the mall, after Erik had paid. While he paid for the last bit of clothes at a counter, my gaze settled on a small television that the clerk had turned on earlier but was not paying attention to at all. My eyes widened, as I fought back tears. It was the news, and right now, they were covering a story about a kidnapping...
My kidnapping.
My eyes glued to the television, as I listened intently. Meg appeared on the screen, her nose red. Her jade eyes no longer sparkled with playfulness, but they were watery and despondent. Her raven black hair had been pulled up into a ponytail. On the bottom of the screen, the words "Meg Giry – Christine Daae's best friend" became visible.
"We've started a search party and everything." Meg informed the reporter, sniffling. "We haven't found her yet, but I don't plan on giving up. She's my best friend, and I do believe she's out there – just waiting to be found!"
The reporter turned to my mother and father, holding the microphone to their tear-streaked faces.
"When did you first notice that she was gone?" The reporter inquired.
"Well, I went to wake her up. It was her birthday, and we were going to surprise her with a cake. The minute I walked in, I knew something was wrong." My mom sobbed, leaning against my father.
"She wasn't in her bed, and she wasn't anywhere to be found in the house." My dad continued, putting a comforting arm around my mother.
The reporter then turned to a handsome boy with russet hair and chocolate brown eyes. At the bottom of the screen, the words "Raoul de Chagny – Christine Daae's boyfriend" flickered.
"I've been helping Meg with the search party." He told the camera. "And I'm most definitely not giving up." He hesitated, as his voice faltered. He was holding back tears. "Everyone misses her. All of her friends are doing everything they can, and the cast of the musical that Christine was performing in has immediately stopped in order to also join the search party."
"If you have seen this 18-year old girl," The reporter turned to face the camera, as a picture of me with Meg appeared in the corner of the screen, "Please, tell the local police. There are no leads, as of yet."
Unbeknownst to me, my eyes had begun to well with tears. I felt a hand wrap its fingers gently around my arm, leading me away from the television. I gazed up to find Erik. His eyes had softened, and he was watching me carefully.
"Are you done?" He asked me softly.
My only reply was a nod.
I lay on top of my bed, my eyes wandering around the room, as I hugged the pillow tightly. For the past hour or so, I had been resisting the urge to turn on the news. My gaze looked over the closet; Erik had put the clothes in the closet, and I surprisingly didn't hear the door lock when he left. He had not been cold during the ride home. We had actually carried a simple conversation – well, I didn't talk much, for my thoughts were still lingering on what I had seen on the television earlier. However, I remained quiet in order to hear his voice. It was so tantalizing, so intriguing... I sighed, turning over on my side. I had actually found myself warming up to him during the car ride home.
As I lay there, faint music traveled to my ears. Rising from the bed, I left the bedroom and crept down the staircase. The music was originating from what my kidnapper had designated to be the 'Louise-Phillipe room'. I grasped the knob and slowly turned it, finding Erik sitting before a piano. His slim fingers slid up and down the piano, pressing down on the keys with great elegance. Every so often, his voice would accompany his music, causing my knees to weaken. That voice! It was like Heaven on earth.
But even though his voice was entrancing, I found myself fixated on his mask. Pushing a blonde ringlet behind my hair, I slowly approached him from behind. He was much too absorbed in his music to notice me quietly reaching for his mask. Swiftly, I stole the mask away from him, leaving his face bare. Immediately, my face paled, as I opened my mouth to scream.
I couldn't.
His lips were twisted, and his eyes blazed with a raging fire. His skin appeared as if it had been stretched and painfully mutilated. Surely this was death's face was staring back at me! Was he a demon with an angelic voice?
Tears were instantly streaming down my cheeks, as I blindly clutched the mask. At last, I found my voice, as a piercing shriek fled from my colorless lips. Throwing the mask to the ground, I rapidly turned on my heel and began to run for my life. I panted, dashing towards the stairs. As soon as my foot came into a brief contact with the first step, I felt something jerk me back by my hair. I continued to scream, seizing the railing of the staircase. Erik pried my fingers off of the railing and forced me to the ground, my hair still wrapped around his fingers.
"Damn you!" He yelled, clenching his teeth. "Damn you, you little siren!"
"Please, don't hurt me!" I shut my eyes tightly and pleaded with him, my sobs echoing throughout the empty house. "Please! Let me go – I'll do anything, just don't hurt me!"
He breathed heavily, and I could feel him lean closer to my face. His forehead was a mere inch from mine, as Erik did not even make an effort to release me.
"Do you think that I would hurt you, now that you have seen my face? Hmm?" He snarled, his clench on my hair growing tighter. Erik roared angrily, "Open your eyes!" When I did not even attempt to open them, I felt him press his deformed cheek against my pallid one. "Open your eyes." He hissed into my ear, before withdrawing an inch. "Now!"
"No..." I responded faintly, sobbing.
"Yes." He growled, still holding me down. "Open them, now, Christine!"
Slowly, my eyes fearfully fluttered open. His distorted face hovered above me, as his eyes continued to burn with rage. After a few moments of silence, I averted my eyes elsewhere, while silently weeping. Erik abruptly stood, bringing me up as well.
"Please, let me go..." I begged in a broken whisper.
"No." He answered, his voice on the verge of escalating into unbelievable fury once more.
Still gripping my arm tightly, he took me up the stairs and dragged me into my room. Throwing me on the bed, I scrambled to get away by jumping off the other side, but he grabbed my arm again. Holding me down with his body, he leaned close to my face. Panic welled up inside of me, as numerous fears swept through me.
"No." He repeated his answer from earlier. "I will never let you go." Rising, he stalked to the door and grasped the doorknob. "Never."
Slamming the door, I believed the sound could be heard throughout the world. Sobbing, I raced towards the door, opening it quickly. I was met with his horrendous face, and I made a move to quickly shut the door again; but he stopped me.
"And I was just beginning to trust you, Christine." He said quietly, yet with an ominous tone.
His eyes rested on my face, Erik silently shut and locked my door. I backed away, tripping over the Persian rug. Bringing myself to my feet, I locked myself in the bathroom, feeling that it was the only room that I could hide in. And in there, I sobbed for the remainder of the night; but my sobs were not alone. His could be heard as well.
And those strange sobs were worse than anything that I could possibly go through, for those sobs would echo in my head forever.
A/N: I hope y'all liked it! Please, R&R!