I couldn't leave you guys with a short chapter so I'll just update this one so you guys can get filled up on Phatnom of the Auditorium. ;o) Enjoy! Chapter Twenty-Five:
The Chandelier Crash and What Follows…
Raoul looked on in shock, his eyes not leaving Christine for a second. She had looked at him throughout the beginning of Don Juan but then afterwards, when James began to sing to her, she seemed distracted.
It was as if he didn't exist.
Raoul looked at them, their chemistry was exceptional, it was as if they really were a real couple. That they did want each other.
But there was something familiar about him that he couldn't quite place. Then he knew what it was. He had been so blind, why couldn't he see it from the beginning?
It was the Phantom himself, there in the flesh, with his love in his arms. And Raoul couldn't bear it. How he wished at that moment that Christine hadn't had gone through with it.
He knew that somehow, he had lost her forever.
He could feel his blood boil as he watched him touch her. He seethed in anger, but knew he couldn't do anything to stop them.
It was, after all, his idea to do this. He just didn't think that he would actually be in the play with her, and do what he did.
He glared at them as they walked up onto the catwalk, and their arms entwined, Raoul wanted to jump down from the box and strangle the Phantom.
Then he watched as he placed his hands on her cheeks, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.
Raoul stood, his heartbeat escalated and he took a step back, as the Phantom was unmasked. He watched the horror of it all as he cut the rope, grabbed Christine and disappeared into the stage.
"Christine!" He had yelled out.
He knew that the Phantom had planned it all. He knew what would happen, that he was going to take Christine from the beginning, he had planned it all.
Suddenly, he saw what the Phantom had planned almost fall on them.
Raoul looked up, and stared as the crystal chandelier swayed above him. People began to look up too and saw what was going on.
The chandelier was going to drop on them.
As soon as the people realized that, they began to gasp and stand from their chairs. Then it was evident that it was going to drop.
Raoul stepped back and watched as chaos began to take over. The people in the audience screamed and gasped watching as the large crystal chandelier dropped on their heads.
There were kids from the school there, children, parents seeing their children perform the provocative opera that was Don Juan Triumphant.
Raoul held on to the box and jumped off, using a rope he had never seen before. He jumped down from there, noticing that the drop would not break his legs or his neck.
He had to save Christine.
Then the chandelier fell with a horrible crash. The glass broke, flames erupted and all Raoul could hear were people screaming. The fire spread throughout the chairs and curtains. He knew the flames would envelope the auditorium soon.
He had to save Christine.
He leaped onstage and ran backstage, looking for the only person that he knew where Christine might be. She had told him everything she knew about the Phantom, his history, his life. She had to know where he had taken Christine.
Then he saw her, with a group of students around her, and complete pandemonium all around her.
"Madame Giry!"
He ran to her calling her out.
Madame Giry spotted him and began to push the drama students out a door to the outside. "Go on," she told them. Meg Giry was among them.
"Madame Giry," he said catching up to her. "Where did he take her? Where did he take Christine?"
Madame Giry looked at him confused for a minute, as if debating whether to tell him anything.
Raoul took her by the shoulders and shook her. "Madame Giry, tell me! I must save her!"
They were broken apart by Carlotta's screams. They both looked to her and found she had tears spilling down her cheeks, her dress was torn and she would not stop wailing.
She ran to Madame Giry and fell on the floor in front of her. She looked up with her flushed, wet face, "Madame Giry, it's James. H-he's dead! He killed him! There was a noose around his neck!" She cried to the floor, pounding her fist on the hardwood floor. "James, my love."
Madame Giry looked at Raoul with a pain stricken face. "You have to wait for the authorities."
Raoul shook his head. "There's no time. Tell me, please, Madame."
The frail woman nodded. "Come with me, I'll take you to him."
Raoul nodded too and began to follow her. He then felt a small hand on his arm. "I can help," Meg told him. She had never seemed the type. But he appreciated the thought.
Giry shook her head. "No, Meg. Stay here with Carlotta, get the others out. Call the fire department, the police."
Just as they were about to leave Carlotta stopped him by saying his name.
Raoul looked at her and he saw an anger there, fire within her blue eyes. "Raoul, kill that bastard."
Raoul didn't know what to say. He hadn't thought about that at all. When he thought about it, he didn't know what he was going to do. He just wanted to save Christine.
"Monsieur," Madame Giry said tugging on his arm. "Come this way."
Raoul ran after her, avoiding the people running around them.
She led him through a part that Raoul had never seen before and through a door just as mysterious. The door led to a winding brick stairs. It was dark and mystifying and foreboding but Raoul couldn't think much of it because Madame Giry kept running down the stairs.
The at one point, she stopped and catching her breath she said, "Raoul, listen to me. This place is full of mazes, puzzles, and traps. Erik has set them up for anyone who stumbled upon this place. He will not harm Christine, for that I am sure, but you Raoul-" She stopped as if she wouldn't go on. "I can't say the same thing about you, Raoul. Be careful of the traps." Sighing, she said, "Are you sure you won't wait for the police?"
Raoul shook his head. "Christine can't wait. She needs me."
Madame Giry nodded. "Yes, whatever you wish."
Raoul took off his jacket and started his descent.
He cursed the stairs for being so long. But his determination kept him fueled and the promise of saving Christine was all he needed.
He continued and didn't even see the trap laid out before him.
It all started by stepping on the wrong stone on the brick steps. It sent a wave of attacks on him. Wooden spikes appeared from the walls and a large arrow aimed at his head went was shot out.
Raoul ducked and missing a step, began to roll down the stairs until at last, he stopped on a landing. The landing, too had spikes, and Raoul cursed out loud because it cut through his flesh.
Sighing, he stood, a hand covering his wound.
Madame Giry was right.
He continued nevertheless, with his unyielding will, this time, minding where he stepped. Finally he stepped off the stairs and came to a small stream.
Taking a deep breath, he jumped in and fund that it only reached below his hips. Breathing a sigh of relief, he continued, battered and bruised. Until at last, he heard Christine's voice.
I was going to write more traps but then Raoul would have been too Indiana Jones for my taste...Imagines PatrickWilson in Indiana Jones outfit titters okay, I'll stop now...
Soon, Chapter Twenty-Six: The Choice
