A/N: This is another short chapter, again to build the suspense! I can never resist a good cliffhanger!
The flames of the hundreds of candles that lit the room flickered as Erik and I passed by, His cape rippling in His frantic pace as He towed me about the lair. Eerily sinister shadows danced upon the walls, like a countless number of souls that seemed to haunt this subterranean Hell. Would I be joining them soon?
Erik constricted His grip tighter around my forearm and gave a sharp tug when I began to slow down, still in awe of the peculiarity of His home. I complied, and my tiny legs sped up in order to accompany His rapid pace.
If I had really tried, honestly assembled all my strength for one last attempt, one last try to escape, I knew I would have been successful. I could have started fighting, kicking, biting, screaming, clawing my way out of His hold. And then I could have ran, I would have run until my legs burned with exhaustion, until my heart exploded in my chest. I would have eventually found my way out of this labyrinth and returned to the world above, returned to the day, the sun, the light.
No such actions were taken.
I continued to follow Erik, as a submissive dog would follow its master, blindly, unknowingly pursuing Him, wanting so badly to please. I wanted Him so badly to forgive me for my betrayal. Though I had the best intentions, removing the mask was not the wisest decision to make at the time. Erik refused to let Christine, His love and life, see His malformed face. Why on Earth would He let me willingly look upon it? He barely knew me, and now I finally realized, that I barely knew Him. No matter how I had tried to convince myself over the last few weeks that He was not a danger, I had to face reality now. It's cold, hard hand had been slapped across my face, ending the childish fantasy and shoving me back into cruel reality. I had to accept that He was not, nor ever would be, the perfect specter that lived in my dreams, lulling me into a false world of hope and delight. He had faults, severe flaws, He was imperfect in every sense of the word, but even I could not deny the beauty in that.
He was to remain a shadow, forever shrouded by the shades of mystery.
Any and all compassionate feelings Erik may have retained for me, were now gone. Vanishing into thin air the moment my curious hands pried away the mask. I cursed myself for letting my relentless inquisitiveness stand in the way of common sense. It was not Erik's fault. I understood the pain, the immense and overwhelming pain, that was hidden behind that mask. I was wrong, completely cruel to have torn it away without warning. His mask was the last string attaching Him to normalcy, with it in place, His exterior was acceptable. It did not send people fleeing in the other direction, screaming and howling with fear and disgust. With the shears in my hand, I had cut that last connection away. Exposing Erik to the world, revealing His true self to me.
The mask came into full view again as He turned around to face me. His lips contorted in a menacing grin, the golden flecks of His eyes reflecting my apparent look of anxiety, my eyes wide with trepidation. He stopped in front of a closed door, the looming mahogany melting into the darkness of the cavernous walls. His dark leather gloves gripped the polished brass handle and began to twist it open. Before the door was to open, He paused, pursing His lips into mock consideration.
"Alessandra?"
I cocked my head to the side, unsure of how to respond.
"You wished to know more about me?" He added with a menacing sneer, His lips curling upwards revealing a mass of the fleshy pink gums that surrounded His teeth, "I would say that your curiosity, mademoiselle, has finally got the better of you."
I gulped down a breath of stale air, forcing it down into my lungs. Every hair on my body stood on end, triggering my internal alarm system. What was He leading on to?Silence was my only explanation.
He continued, "You wanted to see le fantôme de l'opéra! Now you must suffer the consequences, you will pay your debt!" His deceiving smirk broke, His face now lit up with a feral passion.
I shook my head, disbelievingly, and started to back away. Erik quickly snatched my arm, His other hand pushing the door open.
I was instantly plunged into an illusion. An outlandish, gruesome chimera that seemed to emerge from the most revolting corners of my imagination. Of all the things Erik could have been hiding behind this portal, this was by far the worst.