AN - This is the last chapter of the first book, I'm going to admit, that after this, I'm going to take a break from the story for the length of a week, it shouldn't be longer. Remember, the next chapter wont actually be a chapter, but a way to talk to me, please review and the next page is the 'opening page' to book two and repsonses to any questions people have. No need to fret though, when I post this book two page I'll post a new chapter for those who just want to read my story.
and in a brazen move, I'll post the responses to reviews at the bottom of the page.
Chapter Twenty: The Birth of a new life
What raging fire
shall flood the soul?
When will the flames,
at last, consume
us . . .?
Once he opened the door, he heard a loud crash from upstairs. The extreme heat danced along his face, causing him to wait a few seconds before plunging inside.
"Christine!" Erik screamed loudly as he entered the front door and saw that the staircase was already completely ablaze. Everything was, the drawing room, the hall to the kitchen, even Raoul's office that was to the right of him. He was sure it would be no different when he climbed the stairs to see the second floor.
"Christine!" he screamed again as he braced himself for the painful climb. The only response he got was Danielle's scared piercing cries. He shielded his face against the burning heat, coughing as the thick smoke filled his lungs. What hair he had was singeing at the ends as he raced up the stairs.
He went as fast as he could, making sure to check every stair before he put his weight on it, it was taking too long for his liking! Distantly he tried to remember the layout of the mansion, everytime he had ever been in it, he had entered from Christine's room. When he reached the top of the stairs he looked down the hall towards Danielle's then back to Christine's.
It was there he found her, pinned under a large beam right outside the doorframe. The beam was still burning on the end farthest away from her, but it still was a gruesome sight. Erik felt his heart stop and ran towards her crushed form.
"Christine?" he spoke loud enough for her to hear, but as gentle as he could be. When he reached her, she seemed unconscious. Her left leg was twisted in a brutal angle, but no blood was spilt on the hardwood floor. He shook her shoulders that were covered in soot. She began to cough and gasp for air, blood trickled down the side of her mouth. Erik gasped and cradled her face, smearing the trail of blood into her skin with the black powder on his hands. She blinked unfocusedly a few times, frantically searching the area.
"Erik... Erik I can't see you." She whispered, her voice dripping with agony. "I… can't feel anything really," she said. He cried out in fury and rose from her side. His tears trickled half way down his face before evaporating in the heat as he clawed with his hands at the large block of wood until his fingers bled.
"Erik it's no use, leave me be..." She softly told him.
"No, NO!" He said, refusing to believe he could not save her. He always saved her; it was his job on this earth. "You're in shock Christine, once I get this off of you and we make it to the cabin I can mend your broken bones." He dropped to his knees, angrily he tried to push, pull, lift, just do anything to the massive chunk of wood, but it did not budge. Christine was trapped. He thought fast on what he could do. If he could find some other large piece of wood, he could use it as a lever to lift the piece crushing her frail form.
"Erik," she coughed again, another small river of blood flowing from her precious mouth.
"No Christine I wont leave you, I wont leave you to burn to death, if I can't save you, I won't leave your side!" he told her, brushing curls back from her face. Her eyes were still clouded, those perfect blue orbs hazed and blood shot.
"Erik please, leave me, I am dying, I wouldn't even make it if you did save me." She said calmly, looking where his voice was resonating. Sweat was clinging to her brow, smearing the black soot into pale gray. Even now, in this position, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen or heard. Pain racked his entire being, time was of the essence, and they were running out of it.
"Don't talk like that!" He yelled at her and continued pushed her curls back out of her face almost roughly. "Don't talk like that, you're not going to die." He said trying to smile to prove that everything was fine.
"You need to leave me here and save Dani." Christine spoke softly.
Dani, he had forgotten that he needed to save her too, but this was too much, he couldn't leave Christine to die here like this.
"Christine..." Erik sobbed stroking the hair out of her face more and cupping her cheek.
She smiled up at him and touched his cheek. "Your so good Erik, so kind..."
"What are you talking about Christine? I am none of those things, I am evil..."
"No..." she shook her head.
"Yes I am..." he said trying to convince her.
"No you are not... you are wonderful and caring, Erik you are the most beautiful and unique person I know and you have so much to offer this world Erik, still so much to offer." She spoke sweetly to him. Her teeth were stained pink as she smiled up to him.
"If I am so unique, it is only because you make me." He said holding her free hand.
"That is a lie and you know it..." She told him.
"No it's not! Surely you must know everything I do is for you..."
"Oh Erik, I know... I know... but I am not the reason why you are you. You and Raoul both put so much faith in me. You both do not understand that whatever you are it is because it is who you are, not because I make you so. I am just a unoriginal girl, who happened to stumble upon someone who could make anyone a star and a boy who could save anyone's day."
"Do not talk to me of that boy…" Erik growled, where is he, as his wife lay dying in my arms?
"Oh Erik… you were always hard on Raoul. Don't be unkind, you know that I loved you both. Do you really need to hear me say it? Do you really want me to tell you whom I loved more? It's all relative now… in the end, it was you who was with me." She rasped to him, beginning to loose her calm control.
"I know who you loved more, and you must know that in my heart it has been only you my child, only you... you are my angel of music..." he said kissing her forehead, smearing her skin more. More chunks of wood fell down the hall from them, the flames licking the edge of Christine's door. The fire was spreading faster, soon it would be upon them, only minutes later down to Danielle's bedroom.
"You must go Erik, you must save my baby. She will need you to be her angel now." Christine said looking up at her Angel.
"I can't Christine, I can't be anyone's angel but yours."
"No you must Erik, promise me, promise me you will be her angel. Promise that you will take care of her for me, and let her know about me. Promise me Erik, do not deny me this..." She said.
Erik hesitated, how could he take care of a child? He was old enough to have grandchildren by now. Surely she meant for him to save her then return her to her father. But he knew, he knew and Christine knew that if Erik were ever to return her to Raoul, that the boy would have him killed in his fury. He would assume it was Erik who murdered the most precious being on this earth. It just proved yet again how much she did love him, how much she needed him to survive.
"I know you love her, I know you already are her guardian, I saw you one night, I thought it was a dream, so I dismissed it. But you were singing to her Erik, you were singing to her like you used to sing to me. Promise me Erik, promise me you will continue to love and take care of her when I am gone."
Erik looked around him, she was right, and if he didn't leave soon and take Danielle with him they wouldn't make it. Nevertheless he couldn't leave Christine, not like this, not now, not after everything.
"I... I promise.." he managed to choke out.
Christine smiled peacefully in response. She no longer seemed like an innocent child he realized. It was if she were older than him trying to comfort and convince him everything was too be all right.
He only wish it were.
"You will make a wonderful father Erik, I know it, I know it in my heart." She said smiling.
He was caught by surprise, father? angel? he remembered a conversation like this so many years ago it seemed. how did it finish? friend or phantom? How could he interrupt her now?
"I always loved you Erik, I always will... Thank you for loving me Erik. It was the most beautiful gift I have ever received other than Danielle, she was Raoul's gift to me. Your love was your gift from you. If you didn't love me, I never would have been anything, you made me someone, someone to believe in. Therefore I am honoured and proud to be the one loved by you. Remember that, remember what I have said... remember... everything..." she whispered.
She squeezed his hand gently, her eyes finally clearing. Finally they focused on his face and hers lit up in happiness.
"I can finally see you, my angel... I can see your beautiful face." She said, touching his face.
It was too much for his ears to hear. He could have died a thousand deaths but he never suspected this. He never suspected he would outlive his life source. His conscience, will and angel of music. As he leaned in to kiss her their tears mingled in a dance they never got to share. The kiss was a soft salty way of finally saying good-bye, and when Erik's eyes lifted from her face her beautiful sea blue eyes that once before held so much life were vacant. He felt her blood on his lips, and he had to look away. Was this the feeling one gets when being stabbed through the heart? what was lodged in his throat, a piece of it broken? It beated rapidly and he wanted it to stop, to have the ache ceased, for nothing could compare to the misery and pain he was in now.
He didn't have to make the choice to leave her now, she had made it for him.
Before he could realize it, another blow shook his entire body. He had not been wearing his mask, the side of the face that she had touched had been his disfigured gargoylish hell. He hadn't even fought with her over its gruesomeness before she died, and know he knew she had perished seeing him naked again since the time underneath the opera.
Numbly he lifted himself up and treaded to Danielle's room. The flames danced around the edges of the room, getting closer to the bassinet and hovering in a protective circle around her, but never touched the infant.
Looking at his burnt and bloody hands he shook his fears of dropping her and carefully lifted her out of her cradle. Her whimpers began to soften as her purple face began to turn to its original shade. She knew his presence, his voice.
"Hush petite, hush Dani..." He said holding her close, the warmth of her little body filling his heart with a new purpose.
Carefully he wrapped her and held her even closer as he descended the collapsing stairs.
He walked straight out the front door to find Michelle comforting Charlotte. Michelle saw him exit, and tried to block Charlotte's view. Quickly he darted the other way, into the night so that they could not find him. If he were to carry out Christine's promise, he needed to make sure that no one knew he was alive... or Danielle.
Into the night he was embraced once more, the brisk air-cooling his face and burnt hands. He didn't look back as he walked through the forest.
He would never look back again.
Lindseys Trachea, AngeDeMusique, Rikku Ree- I'm sorry if I let you down my loves, but it was the way it had to be in my own little world.
soccernat11- Isn't it the saddest thing in the world when you finally make a decision, and your time is up? not...
as literally as Christine of course...
LotRseer3350- thank you for your compliments, every girl loves to hear good things gushes
To all my readers - I must say, I understand that it's cruel to write out Christine, but I've always believed that a tragic
ending is more sweet then a happy one. That is, also, if your tragic ending has purpose. Mine does, as you will find in book two, Erik
needed to raise Danielle, it was good for his soul, and later on in book three when things get REALLY messy. Oh, you will completely have
forgotten about Christine.