Chapter Eleven
The Final Threshold
Heather was so nervous. Today was Friday. The day of the Don Juan performance. Her nerves were frazzled, and it seemed as if she wasn't even going to be able to get out of bed. Before long, Alyssa came in with a cup of tea for her.
Sitting up, Heather breathed in the smell before taking a sip. "Thanks," she said, calming down a little. She set the cup down on the night table and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Standing up she walked over to rack of clothing and began to flip through the selections. Once finishing, she went through it again.
Finally Alyssa stopped her and pulled out a dress for her. It was simple black with a red shawl. Gratefully Heather took it and went behind the changing curtain.
They had six nerve-racking hours to wait before they would be needed for the opera. Heather wasn't sure she'd be able to wait that long. Clay wouldn't be around; he had to do business with the police again today, to ensure they'd be there tonight. Scot was practicing, as was Paige. Alyssa had been given permission to practice a little later on, and Heather was being allowed to practice in her room.
But, she wasn't ready to practice yet. Without drawing attention to themselves, Alyssa and Heather slipped away to visit their newfound friends. As they were about to slide open the hidden door, they heard heavy footsteps making their way up the steps. Drawing back, Heather pulled Alyssa behind another row of mirrors, making sure they were not visible. Heather peeked through a crack.
The mirror door was pushed open hard, almost enough to shatter the mirror. Joe appeared in the open doorway, rage apparent on his face. He still wore the Phantom's clothing, but the mask was gone, showing the rest of his handsome face. He slammed the door shut behind him as he stalked off to the other secret door that led to the lair. Once they were sure he was really gone they quickly made their way down the steps, breathing a sigh of relief that he had not found them. He was obviously too angry to sense them.
As they stepped off the bottom step they looked around. Where was everyone? Then they heard a small sound from the room off of the side. They crept over and glanced in. they couldn't believe what they saw.
Raoul lay on the floor; a small pool of blood was slowly beginning to form under his head. Meg and Christine were kneeling beside him. Carlotta sat on the farthest side of the room, trying to stay away. Erik stood behind Christine, a hand on her shoulder.
"Go get Paige! Hurry!" Heather said to Alyssa, practically shoving her out of the room. Alyssa gave a curt nod and ran back up the steps. Heather knew she could run faster that anybody.
"What happened?" asked Heather in concern, kneeling down to check Raoul's pulse. It was weak.
"Your Phantom, Joe, came down. When he realized that you had found us, he got angry. He shot some sort of lightening ball or something at the wall." Meg explained. She pointed to a big chip in the wall. "It blew up and a rock hit Raoul in the head."
"Energy ball." Heather muttered to herself.
Upstairs, Alyssa ran as fast as she could to find Paige. People stared at her in surprise, as she would run past them. Finally she found Paige practicing on stage. "La Carlotta?" she said timidly.
"What?" snapped Paige, winking at Alyssa.
"Monsieur Firimin and Monsieur Andre would like to see you. It's very important." Alyssa replied, thinking quickly.
Paige batted her eyelashes and smiled at the male population on the stage. "Excuse me gentlemen," she said as she followed Alyssa away. Once they were out of hearing or seeing range, Paige questioned Alyssa.
"What is it?" she wanted to know.
"Trouble, as usual. You have to hurry." Alyssa answered. They hurried back to the hidden room.
When Paige entered the room and saw Raoul, she stopped in the doorway. Heather came up beside her. "Paige, you have to help him. He's almost gone."
"Man! My dream almost came true!" Paige told Heather in a whisper. Heather smacked Paige. Hearing snickering, the two girls turned to see Erik trying to hide his grin behind his hand. Paige snickered, too. Heather silenced both of them with a glare.
"I don't like him either. And frankly, I think the idiotic fop should die, too. But, you have to help him Paige." Heather told her sternly. "It's our job to protect those who cannot protect themselves. You know that. We both do. You have to help him."
Paige crossed her arms and stood her ground. "No way. Absolutely not! He doesn't deserve it. Especially not after what he put Erik and Christine through," she argued.
At this, Christine looked up. "Please? He may have put us through a lot, but he still deserves a second chance at life and love. Just as Erik and I have been given. Please? For me?" she pleaded.
Paige sighed and gave in. "Man!" she whined. Reluctantly she trudged over and sat down beside the other girls. Within minutes she was done. Before anyone could say anything to her, Paige grumpily left the room and stomped up the stairs to go back to practice.
Later that day, around four pm, Alyssa and Heather decided to practice. Meg helped Alyssa perfect her moves, though they were few. Then she began to show her other more complicated moves that she could practice at home.
Erik and Christine offered to help Heather with her singing. At first, she was really nervous. Sometimes Erik would stop her and tell her or show her how to do something different. Heather couldn't believe it. The Fantome de l'opera was showing her how to sing his opera! It was so cool!
"You have brought me, to that moment where words run dry," she started softly.
"No, no, no. Here, let me sing the beginning." Erik interrupted her. "You gave come here, in pursuit of your deepest urge…." He continued till it was Heather's turn. This time she wasn't so nervous.
Boldly she started, "You have brought me, to that moment where words run dry. To that moment where speech disappears into silence…silence…" Erik nodded in encouragement to her and she continued, becoming a little louder. Christine nodded and smiled at her, egging her on.
When it got to the touchy-feely part, Christine joined in, and her and Erik danced. Then he sang the part from "All I Ask of You." "Christine, that's all I ask of…" Heather caught her breath, this was it, this was the test. "You!" he finished. Heather sighed in relief. Christine had let him finish. Relief was also on Erik's face.
Christine smiled and slowly reached up; gently she pulled the mask off. No one said a word. They watched in silence as Christine smiled again and stood up on her toes. She placed a kiss on his marred cheek before kissing him on the lips. Heather, Alyssa, and Meg grinned at each other. Heather was glad Raoul wasn't in the room.
Suddenly Clay interrupted them. "Hey guys," he greeted everybody. Then he turned his attention to Heather and Alyssa, "Paige told me to come and get you. You have two hours till show time."
"Eek!" squeaked Heather in nervousness.
Christine put her hand on Heather's shoulder. "Calm down. Just remember everything Erik and I have taught you and you'll be fine," she soothed.
Erik nodded in agreement. "We'll be waiting to hear how it went. We want full reports," he joked, "Now relax."
Heather took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, I think I got it." Christine smiled and hugged her. Meg did the same. Erik patted her on the shoulder. Then they did the same to Alyssa.
As Clay and the girls started up the steps, the others called out, "Good luck!"
"Thanks!" they answered before reaching the top and sliding the door shut. Clay and Heather linked arms. "Come on," she whispered, "We have to go to the chapel." She waved to Alyssa, "See ya in a few."
Heather and Clay entered the chapel ten minutes later. Heather sat down on the ledge by the stained glass window. "I don't want to do this. But I know I have to if we're going to get home." She sighed, "Why were we the "Chosen Ones"? Why couldn't it have been some other kids stuck with this responsibility? It's this responsibility that got us here in the first place!" Clay could tell she was frustrated. "I'm ready to scream!"
Yep, he thought, she's frustrated. He sat down beside her and took her hands in his. "It'll be okay, you'll see. You were chosen for a reason, because you are strong and willing to protect these people. You're a strong fighter. You all are." He paused for a minute to think. "In the end you'll look back and realize that, too. All of you will."
Heather nodded, "I guess you're right. I just always looked at it as a curse. Thank you for making me feel better." She smiled at Clay.
Clay half hugged her, "No problem. Now come on, we're going to be late." They walked out of the chapel holding hands, not noticing Joe step out from behind a pillar.
A half hour later, Alyssa, Paige, and Heather were all in Heather's dressing room. They had originally wanted to meet in Paige/Carlotta's room, but then realized that was where the two-way mirror was and quickly changed their minds.
Alyssa changed into Meg's red and black dress. Then she let Paige touch up her hair for her. While Heather was singing, she would come back and change into a white peasant style shirt with billowing sleeves, black breeches, and knee-high black boots.
Heather pulled out her costume, glad there were no floor length mirrors in the room. Suddenly she gasped. It was her dress! The one she had designed after seeing the movie. She had thought it would be a good alternative for Don Juan. "Guys!" she exclaimed. Immediately Alyssa appeared from behind the changing screen and Paige looked up from her adjustments she was making on her costume.
"What?" they asked in concern.
"Look! This is the dress I designed!" Heather explained.
Alyssa looked at the dress closely. "Yes, it is!"
"Cool!" Paige answered. "You look good in it, too. Clay won't know what hit him!" she joked.
Heather giggled, "You think so?"
"Yeah!" Alyssa agreed, laughing as well.
Heather frowned, "Wow, I didn't realize I made the slit so far up the leg." She said after putting on the costume. She pointed to the slit that finally stopped just an inch or so over half way up her thigh.
Alyssa raised an eyebrow, "You're right. Unless he did a little adjusting of his own. You know, so he could get a free show or something." She grinned.
"Yeah, true. But remember the nightgown? In the movie, that thing is a free show!" Then she grinned, too, "Eewww!"
"Oh well, come on, we have to get out there." Alyssa said as she ushered the other two girls out of the room.
Heather smiled nervously at the policemen that passed her in the hallway. They nodded in acknowledgement back. She could hear the guests through the curtain. They talked rather loudly as they waited for the opera to begin.
Suddenly the curtain lifted to reveal the empty stage. The crowd immediately fell silent as they waited for it to begin. Paige led some other dancers/singers onto the stage and they began to sing. When Paige made the vulgar movement with her hips and the crowd gasped in shock, Heather smiled, knowing exactly what they were probably thinking. What is this world coming to! Heather laughed to herself, If only they knew. She thought, thinking about home.
The music changed as Alyssa ran onto the stage. She caught the moneybag as it flew through the air to her. Then she spun and kicked her leg out. Just then, Don Juan and Passerino appeared from behind the fake fire. Just wait until Joe and I drop through it, thought Heather, and with the chandelier, they won't know what's going on. It's such a shame Erik had to ruin such a lovely theatre.
Someone nudged Heather letting her know it was her turn. Paige and Alyssa watched from the other side of the stage as Heather walked on. They both gave her reassuring nods and smiles.
Opening her mouth, she started softly, but then she remembered what Erik had told her and got louder. "No thoughts within the head but thoughts of joy. No dreams within the heart but dreams of love!" Then she sat down on the floor and began to pick at the thorns on the rose she held in her hand.
Joe entered silently, his cape up to cover the bottom half of his face. Heather watched him out of the corner of her eye as he ordered Passerino to leave. She laughed to herself, he reminded her of Dracula with his cape like that. He advanced towards her.
"You have come here, in pursuit of your deepest urge. In pursuit of that wish that until now has been silent…silent…" he hushed her with a finger to his lips. Heather glanced up to Box 5 to make sure Clay was still there. He nodded to her encouragingly. Scot danced in the background with the other male dancers.
"I have brought you, that our passions may fuse, and merge. In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me. Now you are here with me, no second thoughts. You've decided…decided…" he sang. He let the last note hang in the air before continuing.
"Past, the Point of no Return! No backward glances! Our games of make-believe are at an end. Past, all thoughts of if, or when, no use resisting! Abandon thoughts, and let the dream begin. What raging fires shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us?
Past, the Point of no Return! The Final Threshold! What final woman's secrets will we learn? Beyond the Point of no Return!" he finished.
Then it was Heather's turn to sing her reply. The male dancers exited the stage as female dancers took their place. Paige was one of them, having used the excuse she would be on stage more.
"You have brought me, to that moment where words run dry. To that moment where speech disappears into silence…silence…" She too let the note hang in the air. When it faded she began again.
They walked in circles around each other, coldly regarding the other. "I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why. In my mind I've already imagined, our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent! Now I am here with you, no second thoughts. I've decided…decided…"
Slowly they began up the scaffolding steps. "Past, the Point of no Return! No going back now! What our minds shall play has now at last begun! Past, all thoughts of right, or wrong! One final question! How long should we to wait before we're one? When will the blood begin to roast? The sleeping bud burst into bloom?" Heather and Joe stepped up onto the landing, "When will the flames, at last, consume us!"
The male dancers reentered and paired up with the women. Paige and Scot danced together. They started singing again, "Past, the Point of no Return! The Final Threshold! The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn! We've past the Point of no Return!" they finished. When their last note faded out, Joe began to sing to a different song.
"Say you'll love me every waking moment. Lead me, save me, from my solitude. Say you want me with you now and always. Anywhere you go, let me go, too. Heather, that's all I ask of…"
Joe never got to finish. Before he could sing the last word, Heather smacked him across the face, cutting him off. The crowd below them gasped. Joe yanked Heather towards him angrily. All of the sudden, the bottom of the scaffolding gave out from below them and they plunged through the air and went through the fake fire.
They landed in a heap on the floor, but Joe quickly yanked Heather to her feet. He half dragged her, half carried her through the tunnels. She struggled to stop him by digging in her heels, but his only reply was a growl and another painful yank on her arm.
Above them, the chandelier swayed. The chain holding it up started to pull out of the ceiling. People screamed and scrambled to get out of their seats. Bits of plaster and ceiling rained down. In their box, Firimin and Andre watched on with wicked happiness.
Scot grabbed Paige's hand and they fled the scene, but somewhere they go separated. Paige frantically searched for Scot while Alyssa got ready to go after Joe with a couple searchers. Madame Giry led Clay through some tunnels. Halfway down the steps she stopped. "This is it, I will go no further." Clay nodded and thanked her. She turned around and ran back up the stairs.
Clay continued down the stone steps by himself. He was almost to the bottom when a hidden trap door opened up beneath his feet, triggered by the sudden weight. Before he could grab hold of anything, he plummeted into the darkness below. And landed with a splash.
Clad he had paid attention to this part of the movie; he quickly dived to the wheel. Just as the grate was beginning to lower. Going up for a quick breath, he dived back down. Slowly the grate began to lift. Clay climbed through the opening in the wall. Somehow he managed to crawl through space.
Back in the Phantom's lair, Joe pushed Heather towards the mirror. "Get ready!" he snapped at her. Heather pulled back the curtain that revealed the image of her in the wedding dress. With a smile, the image walked forward a step, out of the mirror, and into Heather. For a second she felt dizzy, but then it was gone and Heather saw her reflection in the mirror. She was no longer I her Don Juan costume. The wedding dress was beautiful.
It was made of real white silk, and was in two layers, not including the undergarments. It had lace all over the top, and the veil went to the floor as it hung from a wreath of fresh red and white roses. Heather's breath caught in her throat.
Slowly she turned to face Joe. She reached up and slid the Phantom's mask off. He grabbed her hand as she began to lower it to set the mask on the organ. "Why do you love me?" she asked him.
"Because, you're so beautiful. You're strong, a fighter, powerful, passionate, you're everything I could ever want," he told her as he brought her hand up to his cheek. He placed a kiss on her palm.
Heather pulled her hand away. "Don't touch me!" she exclaimed. "You don't truly love me. You're lustful, nothing more. You could just leave now and put all of this behind you. Find someone who really loves you for who you are," she warned him. "Or…" she trailed off, thinking quickly. Then and idea came to her.
"Will you gorge yourself at last in your lust for flesh!" she sang forcefully. Joe's eyes widened.
"This evil which condemns our love, has also denied me the joys of your flesh!" he answered, changing the words o fit their purposes.
"Scot!" Paige screamed above the yelling and screaming of others in the theatre. Stumbling, she almost fell as she tripped over something. Looking down, Paige saw a man lying stiffly on the floor, eyes opened, but starting sightlessly at the ceiling. Paige screamed and leaped away. Then she screamed again when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She spun around to see Scot. She fell into his arms and he led her away. He knew where to go.
Heather glared at Joe as he finished. "That's sick!" she spat at him. "You pervert!"
Joe slapped her, hard, across the face. Her hands flew to her face where a large red handprint was forming. Angrily Heather lashed out with her own hand, ready to punch him. But, her punch was wild and ill aimed. Joe caught her fist in his hand. He wagged his finger at her and smiled, "Now Heather, no violence when we have guests." He gestured at Clay leaning against the gate catching his breath.
"Clay!" cried Heather. He looked up.
"Heather!"
She tried to get past Joe and run to get the gate open for him, but Joe's arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back. "Have you no compassion?" Clay said, quoting Raoul from the movie.
Joe's eyes flashed, "She showed no compassion to me!" he growled, pointing to Heather.
Alyssa struggled against the tide of people trying to get out of the theatre. She had to go after Heather and Joe. She could hear windows exploding outward as the fire became too intense. It was too hot! Finally the steady stream of people dwindled to a trickle. Gathering up some more men, and a few women, they began their search. Entering a tunnel towards the main entrance of the opera house, they grabbed a few torches from the walls.
Paige and Scot dodged burning props and falling timbers as Scot led them through the flames to the mirror room. If the flames haven't gotten that far, yet. Scot thought to himself. We'll be able to get in and go underground. We'll be safe there until the fire is put out.
Suddenly he was startled out of his thoughts by a scream. He turned around in time to see a falling beam fall in between him and Paige, catching her dress on fire. Pushing the wood out of his way, Scot furiously began to beat at the flames. He ignored the pain in his hands. Once the small fire was out, he grabbed Paige's hands in his and they took off at a run. He didn't realize that the pain in his hands lessened and finally faded as Paige healed them.
Underground, in their prison, Christine, Erik, and the others waited silently for news from Heather and her friends. They didn't know what was going on, but Christine, Erik, and Meg knew that tonight was the chandelier crash. It brought back painful memories for Erik and Christine, but it was behind them now, in the past. It didn't matter anymore. They had promised not to tell the other two prisoners. They themselves weren't really supposed to know. It had to do with the whole, you might mess up the past and it'll change the future, thing.
Christine jumped when something above ground crashed. She scooted closer to Erik and he put his arm around her waist. He didn't care if it wasn't appropriate because they weren't married yet. He had never been appropriate in his life. He'd kill anyone who'd try to tell him otherwise. Meg scooted closer on the other side of Christine. Christine took her hand in hers to comfort her.
Joe wadded into the water towards the gate. He put his hand on the lever that would open it, but made no attempt to do so.
"Joe, please, let him in!" Heather begged him.
Joe pulled up and the gate slowly but surely began to lift. Clay rushed in. Unfortunately, he forgot about the lasso. Before he knew it, he was choking for air and was tied to the closed gate. They were jumbled knots, or he could've probably undone them.
Joe turned to Heather, a smile of some sort on his face. "Refuse me and you send your lover to his death! This is the choice! This is the Point of no Return!"
Heather could feel the tears running down her cheeks. "Why make her lie to you to save me!" she heard Clay sing back. He was willing to die to save her from Joe.
"Angel of Music, you deceived me! I gave you my heart blindly!" she sang out. Joe turned at the sound of her voice. Heather paused, should she sing more? She made a split decision and continued, "Angel, I'm on my knees begging, show him some mercy or kill me!"
Clay's eyes widened at the last part, but she simply shook her head slightly. Joe's eyes flashed. Heather had known it would get to him. He couldn't stand it when she and dying were mentioned in the same sentence.
"You try my patience! Make your choice!" he growled.
From where she was, Heather could see the tears welling up in his eyes. Her anger disappeared right then. Could he really help that he had been born a warlock? She knew he deserved love. "God give me strength to show you, you are not alone!" she whispered to herself.
Slowly Heather waded into the water and went out to meet him. Stopping a couple steps in front of him, she reached up and pulled his head down to hers. And kissed him full on the mouth. Surprised, his arms hung at his sides, useless. Clay could only watch in shock. When she finally pulled back, Joe yanked himself away from her hold and turned away in shame. The tears ran down his face.
"Get out! Leave me!" he yelled. Heather and Clay jumped. Without wasting any time, Heather ran to Clay. She threw her arms around him in a quick embrace before rushing to untie him.
"Tell no one of the man in Hell!" he yelled again, "Leave now!"
Hurriedly, she untied Clay. She fumbled with the knots, trying to get them off in her panic. "Heather," Clay said calmly. She ignored him. He grabbed her hand that was closest to one of hi. "Heather, calm down. Take your time. You're not going to get anywhere if you panic. Okay?"
Heather nodded and took a deep breath before resuming her work on the knots. She untied each one, one at a time. "That's it, take your time." Clay soothed her. "Slowly."
Once she had them undone, Clay grabbed her in a tight hug. Eventually though, he had to pry her away to open the gate. While he untied the boat from its moorings, Heather went into Erik's room where Joe sat on the bed, tears still streaming down his face as she listened to the monkey music box. "Heather, I love you," he whispered. Without a word, Heather handed him the ring and closed it in his fist. Looking back as she left, she saw him stare at his closed hand.
Heather climbed into the boat behind Clay and put her arm around his waist, tightly holding on while he rowed them out of the lair. Just before they were out of earshot, Heather heard Joe sing, "It's over now, the Music of the Night!" She buried her head in Clay's shoulder and tried to block out his voice ringing in her ears.
Heather heard the sounds of the breaking glass as Joe took the big candleholder and smashed the mirrors. The noise echoed through the tunnels. When they stopped, she assumed he had left, as the Phantom does in the movie. All of the sudden she felt a ripple in the air. Heather knew that I meant something magical was about to happen. She hoped it meant they were going home. Then something caught her eye.
Turning her head slightly in that direction, he eyes widened when she say Joe standing on the ledge of the tunnel along the wall. That's what the ripple had been! He'd apperated! Then she saw that in his hand he was holding and energy ball. Suddenly it zoomed towards Clay!
Without a moment's hesitation, Heather threw herself in front of it and knocked Clay out of the boat and into the water with a splash. Heather landed a couple feet from him. Before Clay could say anything, Heather staggered to her feet. Only then realizing that it had hit her!
Angrily Heather turned to Joe. Red spread across the front of the beautiful white wedding dress that was now ruined. Slowly it turned to pink as it mixed with water and the lovely white silk. "Joe!" she cried, anger turning her eyes to a flashing emerald green.
Heather took a menacing step forward. "Never, ever, go after my boyfriend!" she growled softly, making the threat sound even worse.
"I told you, you belong to me! No one else!" Joe argued. "He doesn't deserve you. He can't do anything, he's worthless! You need somebody that you don't have to worry about taking care of. Someone who can help you and love you. You need me!"
"No," Heather replied harshly. "What I need is someone I can love back. And that's not you. All you would ever get from me is hatred. Never love. I thought you would be able to see that."
"You can learn to love me!" Joe insisted. He began to form another energy ball aimed directly at Clay.
"No." answered Heather firmly.
"Fine then," he growled and threw the ball. Heather stepped in front of its path. Crossing her arms in front of her, she stood ready. When it hit her, the force of it caused her to skid back several feet, but she stood her ground. Lowering her arms, Clay and Joe saw that her eyes were different. They were bright green, almost glowing.
"That was a mistake, " Heather growled. She lifted her left hand up and leveled it with her shoulder. Then she drew it back, something began to form in her hand. Then her hand shot forward, a fireball hurtled at Joe. Within seconds Joe was gone.
Heather's eyes became normal once again and she fainted. Clay wasn't quite quick enough to catch her and she hit the water with a small splash. He hurried over and picked her up. Putting her in the boat, he began to row back to the lair as fast as he could.
Reaching the Phantom's lair, Clay picked Heather up and made his way to the secret door that would lead to the mirror room. He had to get out before the searchers arrived. Then he remembered something. Setting Heather down for a second, he scrambled to find a scrap of paper and a quill. Finding one, he scribbled down, "mirror room" and stuck it by Joe's mask, knowing Alyssa would find it and follow them. Then he opened the tunnel and disappeared into it with Heather, stopping to make sure it clicked shut behind him.
Once Clay entered the mirror room, he slid open the other secret door in the mirror with his foot and descended the steps to the chamber below.
Meg and Christine looked up. They gasped and rushed over to Clay as he took the last step. Hitting the floor, he stumbled and the girls rushed to help him. They guided him over to a small cot in the corner of the room where he collapsed, Heather still in his arms.
As Meg tended to Clay's wounds, Christine took over Heather's. Taking a wadded handful of her dress, she pressed it to the wound. Meg stood beside Christine as Christine worked. Meg gingerly pulled Clay's shirtsleeve away the blade injury from the cemetery. He winced in pain. When it had begun to bleed again in the lair, it had also started to dry on the cut. When Meg pulled off the shirt, she ripped off the scab, making it bleed again. She tore pieces of cloth from the bed sheets on the cot and used it to cover the injury. Christine was not having any luck with Heather.
Just then Alyssa, Paige, and Scot came running down the steps. "Clay? Heather?" they called in concern. Alyssa had found the note, and when the other searchers weren't looking, had quickly and quietly slipped away. She had met up with Paige and Scot as they too headed for the underground room.
"Over here!" Christine replied, still trying to get the bleeding to stop. They rushed over. Meg moved out of the way as Paige cut in. "I don't know what happened, Clay just stumbled down the steps a few minutes before." Christine explained breathlessly.
"That wound is mortal." Paige observed, she nudged Christine over a little. "I think I can fix it, but it won't heal completely, I'm not that good yet, but it will once we get home and she rests." Paige said, talking mostly to herself, but Christine nodded in understanding