Chapter Seven

Maria's Past

Meg was practicing her dance steps when she noticed the shadows move above her. She stopped and watched as a specter ran by. She could see that it was the Phantom, and it looked like he was holding someone. She quickly left her steps and went after him.

Erik slowed down when he noticed the young girl following him. He couldn't risk being caught. He looked down at Maria. She was deathly pale and had begun to shudder violently.

"Hang on," he whispered.

He ignored the girl and kept going. He had to find help and soon. He looked around and saw Madame Giry talking to her hysterical daughter.

"Mother," Meg moaned. "He was carrying someone. What if he took Maria?"

Madame Giry shook her head. "He won't take her. Go back to dancing."

Meg wanted to scream at her mother. She knew what she had seen. "Where is Maria?"

"The costume room."

Meg didn't wait to be told to leave Maria be. She rushed from her mother's side and ran down to hallway, hoping her friend was where she was supposed to be.

Madame Giry watched her daughter go. She quickly went to her quarters and was shocked when she saw her door standing open. She walked in cautiously and stopped, catching her breath.

"What are you doing in here?" She demanded.

The tall, cloaked figure turned to her. Madame Giry stepped back at seeing the white mask on his face and the limp body in his arms.

"Help her," the Phantom said.

"Put her on the bed," Madame Giry ordered gruffly.

Erik obeyed and gently laid Maria on the bed. Madame Giry rushed over, carrying a bottle of wine. She lifted Maria's head and began pouring the red drink down her throat.

"What's wrong with her?" Erik asked.

Madame Giry turned to him. Erik could see the anger in her eyes. He took a step back.

"Get out!" Madame Giry snapped. "My daughter will be back soon, and if she finds you here, it's over."

"I won't leave her."

"I said get out, and I meant it."

Erik looked down at Maria. The wine had stopped her shaking and brought a little of her color back, but she was still lost in blackness. He nodded and quickly disappeared.

Madame Giry turned back to Maria. She could see her breathing was coming in short sighs. She pulled open Maria's blouse and untied her corset. Then Maria's breathing became less labored. She left her to get a wet rag and came back. Minutes passed, but Maria didn't awake.

Meg suddenly rushed in. She was holding a crumpled piece of paper. She walked over to the bed and looked at her mother.

"She went to the set room," Meg said, holding up the letter.

"I could tell," Madame Giry replied, her eyes finding the white dust on Maria's skirt.

"Is she going to live?"

Madame Giry shrugged. She had never seen Maria this bad. She had had fits, she had been ill, but never like this. She poured another glass of wine and gave it to Maria.

"Will that help her?" Meg asked, sitting down next to her mother.

"The wine will coat her lungs and open her air way."

Meg looked at her friend and noticed the dried blood at her lips. She turned to her mother, who nodded that she knew about it. Meg looked down at the floor.

There was a soft knock at the door. Meg stood and answered it. She gasped when she opened the door. Raoul De Changy was standing there with an apprehensive look.

"Where is she?" Raoul asked.

Meg stepped aside to show Raoul what he was looking for. He pushed her aside and went it.

"Maria?" Raoul rushed to the bedside. "Maria, what happened to her?"

"We don't know," Madame Giry said.

"She went to the set room," Meg said. She pulled out the crumpled letter. "I found this there."

Raoul took the piece of paper and opened it. He read the small words and then threw the paper down.

"Who wrote this?" He yelled.

Meg and Madame Giry jumped back at the sudden outburst. Meg looked at her mother, wondering what to say.

"We don't know," Madame Giry said.

"Will she be all right?"

"I don't know," Madame Giry admitted, looking at Maria.

"I'm going for the doctor," Raoul said.

Before anyone could protest Raoul was running down the passage. Madame Giry wanted to chase him, but she couldn't. She walked back over the bed and sat down. She sighed.

"I'm going to go make us some tea," Meg said.

"That would be wonderful," her mother replied.

Meg walked out and pulled the door shut behind her. Madame Giry sat there for a long moment, thinking. Slowly the door creaked opened. She spun around and found Erik standing there.

"I told you to leave," Madame Giry fumed.

"I just want to see her," Erik retorted.

"You have done enough! First you entice her with that stupid letter, and then you nearly kill her by leaving her in that set room."

"I didn't write that letter!" Erik yelled callously. "I would never do that to her!"

"Get out or I will yell for help."

Erik glared at the woman. He wanted to slap her aside and take Maria away. He looked over at her sleeping form. He stood still, listening. He could hear someone coming. He snarled and quickly left the room.

Raoul came back in followed by a shorter and much older man who was the doctor. He quickly rushed him over to Maria.

The doctor quickly examined her. He listened to her faint heartbeat and raspy breathing. He took her pulse and then turned to Raoul.

"She has a rare form of consumption," he said, cleaning his glasses.

"Consumption?" Raoul asked bewildered.

"Yes," the doctor paused. "She developed it as a child."

"How did she catch it?"

"Her father had it please correct me, Madame, if I miss anything."

Madame Giry nodded as the doctor began his tale.

"Her father had consumption and she was around him all the time. By some strange miracle she never caught it or became immune to it. Then when her father got too ill for her to help they were brought to the hospital." The doctor paused, trying to remember the whole story.

"Even then Maria was stubborn. I wanted her to stay in the children's hall, but she would never leave her father."

"Where was he kept?" Raoul asked.

"With the others who had consumption," the doctor returned to his story. "Maria stayed in that room and helped her father and others. That is how she got sick. The form her father had, she wouldn't catch, but what she caught from the others is what made her sick. For three years she was sick, and then one day she got better."

"Just like that?" Raoul doubted.

"Yes. There are very rare cases where the patient will just get well."

"But you just said…"

"That she still had it. It never left her body. The infection lays dormant until it is bothered."

"Bothered by what?"

"Dust, too much wine, and singing."
"Singing?"

Madame Giry held up her hand to signal a stop in the narrative. She then turned to Raoul. "Maria used to sing. She loved it; however, when the sickness went away, she found that she had lost her singing voice.

"Will she ever sing again?"

The doctor and Madame Giry shook their heads. Raoul looked down at the floor.

"A small price to pay," the doctor said. "Just keep the wine in her and a dose of smelling salts."

Raoul looked at Madame Giry and then at the doctor. He nodded and walked out. Raoul sighed and sat down.

"Why didn't she tell anyone?"

Madame Giry let out a haggard breath and sat down next to the young man. She picked up her bottle of smelling salts and stared at it.

"Maria feared losing her job. Monsieur Lefevre knew about her illness, and so did I. We all thought that would be the best thing.

"And Meg?"

"She knows too now, but no one else."

Raoul stood up. He ran his hand through his hair. He started to pace and looked at Maria each time he passed. He stopped, turning to the older woman.

"Look after her for me," Raoul said, walking out.

Madame Giry nodded. Raoul quickly went out. She watched him go, and then turned to Maria. "Come back, my child," she whispered. "He needs you."