Chapter 3
Phantom's POV
She sleeps restlessly, tossing and turning in the bed I've laid her in. Her breathing is shallow. She cries out for her father. I arrange a blanket around her again; she struggles and twists out of it, kicking it to the end of the bed. I lean down and brush my lips over her cheek then sink heavily into a chair by her bed.
How would she adjust to her new life? Could she learn to be happy here? Would she long for her old life? I know I could make her happy if she'd give me the chance. She must learn to trust me, not as a father, but as her master. She was still young enough not to question me, but her years as a child are few. She would be ten years in just a few months. And after that, a few short years, and she would be a young woman. What then? Would she still accept me? Or would she grow to hate me?
A small moan escapes her lips then, and her eyes flutter open. I stay seated waiting for her to realize where she is. She sits up abruptly when she sees me. Her eyes immediately fill with tears, "Master? Why am I here?" She slips off of the bed and walks over to me. She puts her hand on my knee, "Where is Father? I want to see Father." I don't meet her eyes, "Your Father is gone, Christine." She backs away from me, "No, no he's not. You lie! You brought me here, you took me away from him." I stand up, angry, "No, Christine, I did not take you away from him, he left you." Tears are streaming down her face, "No, he said he wouldn't leave me. He said! He's waiting for me!" She turns around and makes for the door.
I easily catch her and turn her to face me. She struggles, small fists beat into my chest, "No, let me see him!" I hold her firmly, and force her to look at me, "Stop this, Christine. He is dead, Christine, there's nothing I can do. You'll stay with me now." She shakes her head, "No, he needs me! He needs me!" She tries to push me away, "Let me go." I try to calm her, "Shhh, now. It's going to be ok. Let me hold you, Christine." She struggles even more, "I don't want you. I want Papa!"
I tighten my grip on her, "Do not deny me, child." She cries, "You're hurting me, stop! Stop." I easily pick her up, laying her over my shoulder. She beats my back with her fists, "Put me down! Put me down. I don't want you. I don't want you." I hurry out of the room and down the hall. She is hysterical now; I have to calm her down.
I burst into my study. I open a desk drawer, and take out a small vial of powder. I sit down, keeping one arm tight around her. "Stop," she pleads, "You're hurting me. You're hurting me." I ignore her. With my other hand I pull out a handkerchief. I open the lid to the bottle with my teeth and tap some onto the handkerchief. I quickly hold the cloth over her face. Her tense body tries to pull away from me. Then the powder overtakes her. I feel her start to relax. I pull away the handkerchief and sigh. As her breathing steadies, I loosen my hold on her. I stroke her hair, "That's it, calm down. Calm down, now. That's better."
She didn't breathe enough of the solution to put her to sleep. She is quiet, though, her tears have subsided. I ask her, "If I let you go, now, are you going to run?" She shakes her head no. I relax my grip on her completely. She remains in my lap. "Good girl." I whisper, "That's a good girl." She says then, her voice shaky, "I, I didn't mean to anger you." I kiss her hair, "Shhh, I'm not angry anymore. It's all over now."
She asks slowly, "Are you… are you my angel?" I say, "Yes, my child, I am your angel. I am your master. You belong to me. Do you understand what that means, Christine?" She says hesitantly, "Yes… wait, no. What do you mean?" I tilt her chin up, so that she looks at me, "It means you must do as I say, always. It means that you will be mine forever." Her soft brown eyes bore into me. She was so innocent. Finally she says, "Ok, I will do you what you say, Master."
I gently set her on the ground, "Come along. I will show you your room. I don't think you had a chance to look at it." As we walk back I explain, "There are some rules that you must follow. While I will take care of you, I cannot amuse you every hour. You will continue your studies and your lessons, but in your spare time I will provide books and things to keep you occupied. If you should require anything, all you have to do is ask. When I tell you to do something, do it. Keep your room clean. Have all of your school done before you do other things. Do you understand all of this?" She nods silently.
I go on, "This is a big house. It is very easy to get lost. I should prefer it that you stay in your room until you learn your way around your part of the house. Any questions?" She shakes her head. I open the door to her room. "Your things will be moved in shortly. As for your tutors, I will teach you myself. We'll do your schooling in the morning. Then I have things to do. We can work on piano in the evenings. " She leaves my side and walks around the room. Fingering things and studying them. "Do you wish for me to stay with you?" She looks at me then, "No, I want to be alone now, thank you." I nod, "As you wish. I will be back later."
Christine's POV
I sat on my bed. I felt tired. I think back to the handkerchief. What had he done to me? I remember how angry he was, how tightly he held me. Oh, Father where are you? Why did you leave me with him? He angered so easily. I must remember not to make him mad. Even though he had left the room it still felt as though he was here. I could almost feel his eyes on me.
I wanted to leave the room, but I was afraid of getting lost. I closed my eyes. I did not like this. "Papa," I whisper, "Do not leave me here." I stood up. I could not stay here. I searched the room and found a basket of sewing supplies. I took out a spindle of thread and put the basket back. Keep your room clean, he had said.
I quietly open my door, almost expecting him to be standing there. I peer up and down the hallway. No one. Carefully, I tie the thread to the door handle. Unraveling as I walked I went the way I thought was out. I prayed he did not come across the thread. I would need it to find my way back if I could not find the door. I walked timidly, trying not to make any noise. I opened a door. It was an empty room. I close it again. Door after door revealed an empty room or an unused looking furnished room.
The next door I try is locked. I press my ear to the door. What could be behind it? I heard nothing. As I walked further and further down the hallway I heard music. It's very faint, I have to strain to realize it is violin. I turn down another hall, still unraveling my thread. The music sounds closer. I walk towards it. It was so beautiful. I feel drawn to it.
I'm jerked out of my daze when the spindle runs out of thread. I want to cry. What was I to do now? I look behind me. I could go back to my room. I can still hear the violin, though, and it's so close. I bite my lip and drop the spindle. I would have to go the rest of the way alone. The hallway comes to an end, giving the option to go left or right. I take one last look at the spindle lying on the ground, and turn left, towards the sound of the music.
Deeper and deeper I go, past doors and down hallways. I'm sure now I'll never find my way back, but I can still hear the violin. It's louder now. So loud. I freeze. It's stopped. No, no, please. I hold my breath, praying I'd hear a strain of it. Nothing. I look behind me. How was I going to get back? Oh, how? I sit down and lean against the wall. I should have never left my room. I fold my knees to my chest. It was so lonely without the music. Where was the music? I wipe the tears from my face.
Papa where were you? I bury my face in my arms and cry. It feels like hours I sit there. I dare not move for fear of losing myself in this house completely. Who could ever want to live in a house like this? Softly I begin to sing, for fear I will panic if I do not hear something. It was so quiet. I sing a song my father had taught me. Father. He was gone, dead. My voice cracks and I can't sing anymore. I cry instead. Why did you leave me, Papa? Now, I am lost and alone.
I lean my head back against the wall. I hear a voice say, "Christine." I sit up and look around, "Hello? Is anyone there?" I call. My voice echoes down the hallway, but no one answers. I must have imagined it. All of a sudden a gust of cold wind blows through. It chills me through. One by one every candle lined on the walls goes out. I begin to shake. No, no, not the dark. The breeze is gone, but the cold lingers in the air. I whimper. There must be a window somewhere, but where? It's so dark.
I bite my lip in an attempt to keep from crying. The darkness can't hurt you. Goosebumps rise on my arms. I blink and the tears roll down my cheek. I am angry with myself. All I had done today was cry. I close my eyes to try to block out the darkness, but the cold remains. Shakily I start singing again. The gust blows through again and I stop abruptly and open my eyes.
Papa, Papa, come back. Oh please. But he can't come back. There's no one here to help me. Only Erik and he'll be so angry with me for leaving. I whisper his name, "Master." He was the only one who could save me. "Please, find me." I plead. My voice is weak, and the darkness seems to swallow it. "Please." I whisper.
The flame of a candle appears in front of my face. I am dreaming, I must be. But it can't be a dream. I can feel the warmth on my face. Then as clear as the darkness is around me a voice says, "Why are you here?" It is Erik. He sounds displeased. I open my mouth to say something, but the words are stuck in my throat. I try to see his face, but I can't see past the candlelight. He speaks again, his voice is cruel this time. "What are you afraid of, Christine?" His voice lowers to a whisper, "The dark?"
I find my voice, "Please, Master, take me back." His voice is dangerously soft now, "To where, Christine? Where do you want me to take you?" My voice shakes, "To my room, Master. Please, I just want to go to my room." "But, you were already in your room. Do you remember? I told you not to leave, do you remember?" I swallow, "Yes, but I…" "Yes, go on. You what?" I say softly, "I wanted to look around. And then I heard this music. A violin, Master. It was so beautiful, and I was just trying to find the music. That is all. But I got lost, and then there was wind, and the candles went out. I'm so afraid of the dark…" I trail off. I didn't know what else to say.
"What did I say about the darkness,
Christine?" I whisper, "That it couldn't hurt me.
He prods,
"If…" I say, 'If you're there." He says curiously, "But,
I wasn't there was I, child." I shake my head, "No, you weren't
there, Master." "Tsk tsk tsk." He makes a disappointed sound
with his mouth. Then he blows out the candle. I gasp as darkness once
again settles around me.
"I will not tolerate being disobeyed, Christine." What was he going to do to me? His large hands take my shaking ones. "I see I have punished you enough." I ask, confused, "What do you mean, Master?" A gloved hand brushes my face, "Don't you know? I was there the whole time, Christine. All you had to do was say my name. All you had to do was need me. Come, you've had a very trying day. We will eat, then you must bathe and sleep."
He pulls me up. Through the darkness I follow him back to the light.
