Here's Chapter Number Three! I know, another short one, but I promise that this is setting the stage for some better, longer chapters. Oh, and just to clear up any confusion, Erik has gone blind as a result of being hit in the back of the head by Firmin. I understand I didn't really make that clear in the last two chapters, but it's mentioned in this chapter, so it shouldn't be so confusing. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Reviews are wonderful things. And I'll update tomorrow if YOU review. So review! Anyway, chapter three…

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Erik slowly returned to consciousness. Every fibre in his being ached.

"My hands…" he rasped.

Erik became aware that he was no longer lying on the floor in his home. Rather, he was lying on what he assumed was a soft bed. A warm blanket was pulled over him. His hands were wrapped in bandages, as was his chest. Erik was curious as to where he was, so he opened his eyes.

Everything was so dark. Erik waited a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. But he still couldn't see. Well, he wasn't about to start panicking. He sat up, ignoring the erupting pain in his body. He put his legs over the side of the bed and set his feet on the floor. He felt a soft carpet under his toes.

He took a couple shaky steps across the room, shuffling his feet and holding his hands in front of his body. After a few small steps, Erik's hand touched a wall. He felt around, looking for a way out of the dark room. His search was rewarded when his hand touched what he assumed was a doorknob. Erik twisted it and opened the door.

The darkness was out there, too! What was this place?

"Hello?" he called.

"Erik!" shrieked a familiar voice.

"Madame Giry?" Erik felt her grab his shoulders.

"Come! You shouldn't be out of bed!" She led him back to the room he was in before. Erik decided that she must be well-acquainted with this place (wherever they were) to be able to find her way around in total darkness.

"Madame? Where are we? Why is it so dark?"

"Hush, Erik," she said, helping him lay down on the bed again. "You're in my home."

"Why is it so dark? Why haven't you lit a lamp or a candle or something?"

"Erik…" Madame Giry didn't know what to tell him. He genuinely believed that he was simply sitting in a dark room. He was so unaware of the light that spilled into the room through the window, illuminating the room.

"Erik, what do you remember before you woke up here?"

"Christine left me…" he said sadly. "Then the mob came… they beat me… Oh, Madame! My hands! They've destroyed my hands!" He began to cry bitterly.

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"Firmin… he hit me… back here…" Erik took her hand and led it to the sore spot on the back of his neck, just inches below the base of his skull.

Madame Giry sighed heavily. "Erik… please try to understand what I am about to tell you. When Firmin hit you, it… well, it… it caused some problems. It… it made you… lose your sight."

Erik said absolutely nothing. He sat there for what seemed like hours, his unseeing eyes staring in Madame Giry's direction.

"Blind?" he whispered, finally.

"Yes, Erik," Madame Giry tried to sound as comforting as possible. "I'm so sor–"

"You're lying!" he snarled, causing her to jump back. "It's not true!"

"Erik…"

"Please…" Erik's voice wavered a bit. "Please, tell me it's not true!"

"I'm sorry, Erik," Madame Giry felt tears filling her eyes. "But it's true…"

Erik turned his face away from her. "Broken and blind," he said, ironically. "Next it'll be deaf and dumb… As if my life weren't bad enough! If only God had struck me down in that lonely Hell!"

"Erik… you don't mean that…"

"Leave me."

"Erik…"

"LEAVE ME! JUST GO! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Madame Giry backed out of the room slowly, closing the door behind her. Inside the room, she heard Erik's soft sobbing. How it wrenched at her heart.

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Aww… It's so depressing… OK, I know that was rather short and non-exciting, but it'll get better! I promise! Just review!