Chapter fifteen
Kiss From a Rose
For a few moments they couldn't comprehend that there was a massive amount of water entering the ship. Erik and Christine just looked at each other; Erik began to cry. Why had he done this? He thought to himself. The water splashed around his ankles and he composed himself. He went over to the torture chamber and opened the door. He handed Raoul a gun and he rummaged around for three life jackets. A stunned Raoul looked at the gun and didn't know what to do with it.
"Erik what are you doing?" Christine managed to ask as he handed her a life jacket.
"Put it on."
She did. He handed one to Nadir and Raoul who in turn put theirs on.
"The ship's sinking."
Raoul looked at him in disbelief.
"That's impossible!"
"LOOK AT THE FLOOR MAN! IT'S UP TO YOUR ANKLES AND RISING!"
Raoul felt the coldness of the ocean water lapping around his ankles.
"You three get out of here!" Erik yelled.
Raoul immediately grabbed Christine's arm and began looking for an exit. Erik went over to a portrait of an angel and pulled it off the wall. It was a secret passageway.
"Take this; it will bring you up to the main deck."
Raoul began to move towards the passageway but Christine stood there looking at Erik.
"Go Christine! Go!" Erik roared. He didn't want her to get hurt. Not on this ship, not anywhere. Raoul led Christine through the passageway and Nadir shortly followed. When they had gone Erik collapsed on his couch and began to cry. Why did I lie to Christine in the first place? Erik asked himself as the water began to rise higher and higher. He helped to build this ship and by golly he was going down with the ship. He couldn't live another day with the stupidly of his own mind. Or so he thought.
Christine kept glancing behind her and Raoul led her through the passageway. She hoped to God that Erik would be behind them and wouldn't remain in his lair at the bottom of the ship. They arrived on the deck and there was massive panic. The ship's staff saw Christine and Raoul and instantly directed them to a lifeboat.
"What about him?" Christine asked pointing to Nadir.
"I'll be fine." Nadir answered as the lifeboat lowered into the ocean that would eventually be rescued.
Raoul held Christine close.
"Everything's going to be ok." He promised.
She sobbed into his shoulder. "What about Erik?"
"You yourself called him a monster remember?"
"But he doesn't deserve to die like this."
Raoul reassured her. Though he was glad that monster was still in the ship and would probably die in its sinking. Who's to say he wasn't already dead? The water was rising rapidly in his lair as the three of them escaped.
"Everything's going to be fine." Raoul said hugging her.
Christine continued to sob into his shoulder and Raoul stroked her hair and tried to comfort her.
"Maybe he escaped as well? Maybe he had found a lifeboat and jumped in it at the last second." Raoul said.
"I hope so."
The ship began its final plunge into the cold ocean. Jack and Rose were hanging onto the railing of the ship as it made its way into the ocean. A mile away sat Raoul and Christine. They were huddled together and watched the ship enter the ocean. Afterwards there was silence. No one could believe that the greatest ship ever built sank. But Christine wasn't thinking of that. She was thinking of her fallen angel still in the bowels of the ship. She would never see him again. Even though she loved Raoul she would always hold a special place in her heart for her angel.
