((AN: Guys, thanks so much for still going on with my story! Thank you all so much for these wonderful reviews and thanks for not letting my hopes down with chapter 3. I actually thought it sucked and that I should rewrite it. Still, thank you so much guys :) And here it is, chapter 4…))
CHPATER 4: Dead or alive?
The air was cold, colder then it might have usually been. It was silent, like most of the times. No screams were heard nor any hushed whispers from any of the insane minds of the institution. Nothing was heard, but silence. Two or three drops fell from the night sky which was filled with clouds, crashing into each other and hiding the stars behind them. Christine was rubbing her arms, feeling the cold air get to her skin, maybe even under it. Her bare feet didn't cope well with the damp stone ground of the large balcony.
''Who is there...?'' she whispered, looking around. In a moment like this, she thought of how she truly might be mad, insane!
''Who is there!'' she almost shouted, but quickly fell silent realizing someone might find her there and strap her back on to her bed.
''Christine...?'' Christine's eyes went wide. That was voice, she knew it well! She would never forget it.
''Raoul..!'' she turned around and there she saw him, dressed in his formal wear and a black cloak to warm his from the cold air.
''Raoul!'' she yelled happily and ran over to him. She hugged him tightly, kissing him on his cheeks and laughing happily.
''I knew you were alive! I knew it!'' Raoul hugged her back tightly with equal strength as hers.
''Oh, my darling Christine...'' he let out a painful moan as she hugged tighter around his chest. She backed a away a bit, looking at him worriedly.
''What's...What's wrong?''
''The wounds...They still hurt.'' She looked at his chest and then realized.
''Three wounds...iny our chest. My God! Raoul, did I inflict them? Please tell me I didn't inflict them!''
''No..It wasn't you...It was Erik, your angel, your Phantom.'' He spoke his name in such a cold tone it rather suprised Christine.
''He was never mine, Raoul. I love you and only you!'' Raoul sighed.
''Yes...I know, I'm sorry my love, I shouldn't have been so harsh.''
''Raoul, you must tell this people that I am not crazy! That your are alive and that I didn't kill you!''
''I will tell them. Do not worry I will and then you will be free. You will be with me forever Chrstine.''
Chrstine, I love you...
Christine heard Erik's distant cry, his distorted face uncovered before her in that darkness. She wondered now, of all moments, why had she let him go. She couldn't say that she felt nothing for Erik. She couldn't...
She quickly came back to reality.
''Please, Raoul, I can't stay here any longer, you must tell them now! I will go and get doctor Limaur.''
''Christine, no.''
''Please, Raoul, for my sake.I can't stand to be here any longer.'' She kissed him on the lips and saw him give a short nod. Christine quickly ran off and tried to reach the office of doctor Limaur as soon as possible. She could see the light in his office turned on. She stopped and smiled. He was here. Now Raoul could tell him that she wasn't guilty, that she could be set free. She banged on the door and shouted:
''Doctor Limaur, he's here! He's not dead! Doctor Limaur please!'' doctor Limaur quickly got up from his desk, confused and opened the door. Seeing Christine, his eyes grew wide:
''Miss Daae! What are you doing out of bed!''
''He's here! He's here, doctor Limaur!''
''Who?'' he quickly closed the door of his office and looked at her.
''Raoul. He's alive. He's not dead!''
''What?''
''On the balcony, quickly, come!'' she took his hand which suprised him and ran to the balcony. But her heart sank when she felt the stone damp ground again and saw no one infront of her.
''He...He was here...'' Limaur sighed.
''Miss Daae, we should put you back in to bed.''
''But he was here, I swear!'' she shouted turning to him, her eyes filling up with tears.
''Miss Daae...'' she hit his chest with her clenched fists as she spoke over and over again:
''He was here! He was here! Why did he leave me!''
''Miss Daae!'' Limaur shouted and garbbed her by her arms. Seeing her face, he sighed and whispered:
''Miss Daae...I wish...I wish I could help you...But I don't know how...''
''Go to the Opera Populaire. Ask Meg Giry to go with you and to show you where my wardrobe use to be. There is a mirror there and behind it a secret passegway to Erik's undetground.''
''Miss Daae...''
''Please! You ask me how you can help me. Do this for me. If you do not find the underground...I will go by your treatment and accept that I am mad and that I am a killer.''
''Miss Daae, no one says you are mad.''
''..Doctor, just say you will do this for me.'' Limaur sighed and then said:
''Alright...I promise.'' Christine smiled slightly and suddenly, her eyes went back into her head and she fell unconciouss.
You are the only one who can make my song take flight...IT's over now the music of the night! The underground echoed with the Phantom's voice. Chrstine stared, holding close to a wall. She felt tears coming down her cheeks. Erik...Why did she leave him? Again the question came to her head. She wanted to reach out, but suddenly, she heard her own voice, the voice of her shadow:
Erik...?
Erik turned to her and said confused:
Christine? She approached him and knelt down next to him. She kissed him passionately. As the kiss ended, she placed her hand on his deformed face and carressed his cheek. Christine was confused. That hadn't happened. She had left with Raoul, she left Erik.
Why?
Why?
Why! Now she thought. Why hand't it been like this! Why would she leave him? She loved him! Yes, she did! Her Angel of music, her Phantom...
You've come to me...Erik whispered, still in disbelief.
I would never leave you, Erik. As she went to kiss him again, a strange shadow grabbed her by her wirst and pulled her back.
Chrstine! Let her go! Erik screamed angrily as he reached for his Punjab lasso to throw it at the shadow, but a single gunshot was heard. Christine's eyes went wide.
''ERIK!'' she screamed and quickly ran over to him. Her shadow was crying, screaming Erik's name, trying to free herself from the shadow's grip. Chrstine knew she couldn't help her. She looked to Erik who lay on the ground as a tear fell down her cheek.
''Erik...I'm sorry, my love...I'm sorry...It's my fault...'' he was looking up at her, reaching out to touch her cheek. She saw the blood tear come down his face, the deformed side, the side of his face he hid and loathed. As he touched her cheek, Chrstine completely broke down. The truth was, she didn't leave Erik and because of it...She had killed Raoul and insured Erik's death. She screamed like an animal and the scream echoed troughout the underground as Christine suddenly awoke in her bed.
