A Few Notes From The Author: Ooh, I've picked up a few new readers:)
Kchan88 - Thanks for the review; it's nice to see more of a critique (specifically pointing out what you liked). Thanks! In my original plan, Raoul was to have a small role and Christine would not have showed up at all. However, I've changed that. Adding them led to a quite a change in my planned plot - I hope my readers will be happy to know the story has grown! lol Thanks for the suggestion!
Madame Opera Ghost - Thanks for reviewing! It's nice to see people from the board are reading my story. That board means a lot to me, as do their opinions.
Glitter Queen - Thanks for being a faithful fan! Thanks also for your help with the title of this chapter - I love it. Edit: I'm sorry I changed the title later, but, upon review, I realized it didn't quite fit what I wanted to convey. Sorry!
Chapter Five: Home Bittersweet Home
After Meg left, Erik felt very weary and depressed. He sat in lonely silence and sobbed more tears, tears he didn't imagine could even exist. He had cried so many, how could there possibly be more?
"I shouldn't have come back here," He muttered to himself,sighing. "There are just too many memories." But, where else could I go? He thought. He had left the lair after Christine had momentarily returned to give him her ring. The secret exit that Meg Giry discovered - the broken mirror hidden by the fragile, velvety red curtain - was his escape route. He smashed the glass with a swift blow from a candelabra and abandoned the lair before the mob could find him.
The mirror led to a hallway that eventually led to the world above ground. That hallway, though it was more like a tunnel, was even drearier and darker than the others that made up the lower levels of the Opera Populaire. It had stone walls that were near black and a dirt floor. The staircase was steep and, though it was made of stone, it was old and was not very sturdy. The tunnel was chilly and had an eerie feeling about it.
Erik made his way up to the world of light, one he only ventured into when it was absolutely necessary. The secret exit opened up in a forest a fair distance away from the opera house. It was a dense forest with old, twisted trees. Many considered it creepy and even haunted, but Erik was afraid of nothing. Except, that is, being caught. He felt fairly safe in that forest, though. Most people stayed away from it.
Erik made his way through the forest and stopped at its edge, the point where his safe zone ended and the rest of the world began. He stared out at the world around him. Where will I go? he thought. What will I do? He had been to many cities with the traveling fair that displayed him in its freak show as the "Devil's Child". But, that was many years ago. Since he was fairly young, he had lived at the Opera Populaire. It's the only home I've ever known. How can I possibly start over somewhere else? He knew, wherever he went, he would have to hide carefully. He was a wanted man in Paris.
Erik stood at the forest's edge, just peering out from the shadows, for hours. Eventually, he retread into the deep center of the forest and spent the night there, alone and without any supplies or comforts. He didn't sleep well. The ground was hard and his mind was preoccupied. When he woke up, he was starving, cold, and more exhausted than when he'd gone to sleep. But, he had figured out what he had to do. He walked through the forest until he found the hidden entrance to the tunnel that led to the lair. He checked to see if anyone was watching, just to be sure. Once he was certain that he was by himself, he opened the entrance and slid into the dim hallway. Slowly, he headed back to the lair.
Once he reached the mirror, Erik cautiously listened for any sounds. He didn't hear so much as a rat. He then slid the curtain aside ever so slightly and peeked into the lair. It appeared to be empty. Erik gently pushed the curtain far enough out of the way to allow him to enter his lair. He slipped in quietly, without making a sound. He again looked around, making sure that it was safe. After making sure that he was alone, Erik smiled softly at the world around him. He then headed slowly across the lair to the steps that led to his bedroom. He ascended the stone steps and laid down in the ornate bed, falling asleep almost instantly.