Chapter Twenty-Three
Maria's Final Choice
"NO!" Maria screamed as she fell to her knees next to Erik. "Erik, please, no."
She turned and looked at Raoul. He was standing tall in the box with a smug look. Maria glare, knowing he had done this. She then turned back to Erik.
Erik looked at her. His shoulder felt like it was on fire. He gritted his teeth and got to his feet. He pulled Maria to him.
"I need you to trust me," he said, pulling out a dagger.
Maria nodded. She watched as Erik cut a nearby rope, sending the fantastic chandelier into the audience.
"Erik, what have you…"
She never got to finish her question. Erik had pulled her close and hit the trap door latch. They were now falling into what seemed like nothingness.
Raoul watched in horror as Maria fell. He was going to finish this. He rushed from his box and went to find the one person who could help him.
Neither Raoul nor Maria saw the huge chandelier fall into the gas system. The explosion was small, but the fire quickly devoured the opera house. The patrons, managers, and actors quickly scrambled for an escape. The flames destroyed everything in seconds.
The women were trying to get everyone backstage to safety as the men started forming a mob to go after Erik. It was over. Not matter what happened, the Phantom was not going to see the light of day. In all the commotion no one found the still stupefied Piangi.
Erik pulled Maria to her feet and started walking swiftly. Maria could barely keep up. Her mind was racing all over the place with wild thoughts. She couldn't understand what had just happened on stage. Then she looked at Erik. He was trying to hold a torch with his wounded arm and pull her.
"Erik, stop," she pleaded.
"No," Erik snapped through tightly clenched teeth.
"Erik," Maria pulled herself free. "STOP! You're bleeding."
Erik slowed, but he did not stop. Once they got to the lair they would be safe. He staggered as they reached the boat. He helped Maria in quickly. She watched him the whole time. They docked, and Erik went to pick her up.
"You are hurt," she said standing. "Let me help you."
Erik got out and almost fell. The wound was starting to get to him. He staggered up to the bedroom. His chest was soaked in blood, and his shirt was no longer white. He tried to make it to the bed. Suddenly he slipped. Maria quickly caught him and helped him to the bed. It was at that moment Erik saw blood on her.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No," she said, "Let me look at you."
Erik pulled off the jacket. It hurt the whole time. He then pulled off the vest. His once white shirt was drenched in blood and sweat. Maria moved and could see that the bulled had gone through. An inch lower and she would have lost everything.
"I can sew you up," she said.
Erik looked at her like she had gone crazy. He knew there was no other way. He sighed.
"I have some black thread over there," he said, pointing.
Maria got to her feet. She got the thread and a needle, which she had left. She then found a bowl and filled it with water from the lake. When she back Erik had pulled off his shirt. She knelt down and ripped her skirt to make a rag. She cleaned the wound carefully. Erik felt pain shot through his arm, shoulder, and chest every time Maria touched him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Erik looked down at her. She was threading her needle. However her hands were shaking almost uncontrollably. He couldn't help but smile despite his pain. He reached down and took her hands in his.
"I trust you," he whispered.
"You shouldn't," Maria warned. "The only thing I've ever sewed up is a dress."
Erik kissed her hand. "You can do this."
Maria nodded. She took a deep breath, trying to get control. She finally stopped shaking. She then started stitching. The job was very simple, and she finished quickly. She found one of Erik's old shirts and made a makeshift bandage.
"Thank you," Erik whispered.
Maria sat down and looked at him. He was a little pale and looked extremely worn. She gently touched his cheek and reached for the black mask. Erik quickly grabbed her hand.
"Don't," he begged.
"It's all right," Maria said. "I want to see the man I love."
Erik removed his hand reluctantly. Slowly Maria pulled the mask away. Erik turned away, and she made him look at her. She smiled and touched his scars. Then she moved forward, placing a delicate kiss on them. Erik felt a tear roll down his face.
"You should change," he said.
Maria nodded, remembering that her party dress was still in the lair. She got up and walked into the other room. Erik got up and pulled on another open shirt. He then walked out as Maria did. She looked amazing as always. She had let her hair down and washed the blood off her perfect face.
Maria walked over and hugged him. He seemed surprised at first. However he understood why she was like this. She probably thought he had died. He pushed her face up to his and kissed her.
"Get your monstrous hands off her," Raoul said walking up.
Maria looked up and discovered that the young viscount had found another way into the lair and gotten to the bank. There was no doubt in her mind that the information had come from Madame Giry. She suddenly exploded. She rushed at him, grabbing a nearby candlestick.
"You bastard!" she screamed as she swung the candleholder.
She never expected that her aim would be so true. The candlestick smashed into Raoul's face, tearing his perfect flesh. Maria stepped back in horror at seeing the blood running down his cheeks. She tried to speak.
"I came here to save you from him," Raoul pointed to Erik and then froze.
Raoul stared at Erik's face. He had never seen anything so ugly in his life. He couldn't believe that he had just seen Maria let that man kiss her.
"He's a monster," Raoul whispered.
Maria took her place next to Erik. "The only monster here is you."
She turned to Erik and kissed him. It was the kiss that made the choice. Erik knew that Maria loved him and would stay wherever he was. He kissed back as he never had. Suddenly they could hear voices. Erik looked up with tears in his eyes.
"What?" Maria asked.
"Go, take him, forget me, forget all of this," Erik said.
"What? Erik, no, I'm not leaving you."
"Go Maria, go away and leave me alone. Forget all you've seen. Go now, don't let them find you. Take the boat, swear to me never to tell the secrets you know of the Angel in Hell."
Maria could not understand what she was hearing. It made no sense. She had done everything to prove she loved Erik. Now he was shoving her away.
"Go now!" Erik yelled. "Go now and leave me."
Erik staggered off into the bedroom. Maria stood there confused. She looked at the boat. She could return, but she would never live. Raoul suddenly took her arm.
"Let's go," he ordered.
"No," Maria said.
"Maria, you heard him. He let you go."
"I was never a prisoner, and he's my strange angel. He saved me more than once. I don't love Raoul, I never could. I love him." She sighed. "I always have. From the first moment he sang to me, to the very first time I saw his face. I have loved him."
Raoul looked at her as if she'd slapped him. He slowly walked to the boat.
"If you stay here, you will die," he said, wiping the blood off his cheek.
"I would rather stay and die with the man I love, than live my whole life with you."
Raoul climbed into the boat. It was over. He had lost. Maria was the Phantom's, but she had given him a sting that he would never forget. He looked back at her one last time as he sailed away. He knew the Phantom had another way out. Maybe he could stall the mob for her.
