Hey everybody! Long time no see...(blame it on my boss) Anyway, here's the latest chapter. Hope you all enjoy!
Disclaimer: I have a minimun-wage, part-time job...how much to you think I own!
a/n-Speacial thanks to Barb for editing this chapter! (I hope you guys approve of the improvments!) And to my reviews!
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With a firm kick to the chest, he fell back against the cold, stone floor. Slowly but surely he opened his eyes to the darkened room and the reality of the barbaric and cruel insults that were being thrown in his direction. Despite their demand, he refused to sit upright and instead remained on the floor staring at the ceiling with its leaking surfaces until several ruthless hands grabbed at his bloody collar and forced him to his knees. He was not there for long however before a whip found its way to the skin upon his back and tore at the last scrapt of shirt left on his frame. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth against the pain of the action, the response only fueling the victimizers further.
They continued to savagely beat their captive and brutalize him until he was incapable of remaining conscious for more than a few seconds at a time.
And when at last they had bored themselves with the sport they, locked their captive (to who they called a monster) and left the dungeons and traveled upstairs where the front desk was well lit and fresh liquor awaited them as a reward for at last capturing the Phantom of the Opera.
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"Come along now girls, I know each and everyone of you is capable of a deeper stork stretch than that!" Screeched one of the older members of the Ballet De Coups.
"What in God's name does she know?" Whispered one girl to a friend beside her.
"I know, really! She cannot be more than a few years ahead of us lesson wise and she thinks she can boss us around like-"
"Excuse me ladies but do you have something to say that you would like to share with the rest of us?"
Both girls looked at their substitute with guilt upon their faces. Then looked back at one another sheepishly.
"No Madam," They stated at the same instant.
"Then if you don't mind, the rest of us would like to continue!"
The girls bowed apologetically and continued with their lesson each amazed that they would have greatly preferred Madam Giry to the arrogant young woman who barked at them.
However, a few moments later their silent prayers were answered when a frenzied disruption saved them from further ridicule. At first the young girls merely stopped their exercises and stared in the direction of the hysterical young woman who seemed to appear from nowhere. By the time the stranger finished struggling to make her way from the front lobby to the theatre itself, most of the ballet girls were gasping and whispering wild rumors to one another as they began to recognize the young woman as none other than Christine Daae.
She rushed to the stage, overlooking the many stares and uncomfortable glances she received from the stagehands and focused directly upon the stage itself.
"Is Madam Giry or her daughter her?" She asked breathlessly.
"Well- Um...No Madam, I am afraid Mme. Giry took ill this morning and her young daughter is looking after her," Replied the overwhelmed ballet instructor.
The news seemed to devastate the young woman and she bit her lip clearly to withhold a stiffle as she ruffled a gloved hand through her wild curls.
"Mademoiselle Daae?" Continued the substitute instructor. "I realize your affairs are none of my business but I do believe the police force, the managers...and well- quite frankly everyone else in this city is looking for you. It may be best to check in with them at once. I understand the police have some questions about the Viscount-"
The woman had no time to finish her sentence before Christine turned abruptly and ran from the theatre, holding her skirts about her as she went. The women watched as she flew from them and no soul dared to stop her.
"Well!" Said the instructor after a moment of silence.
"That was without a doubt the rudest exit I have ever witnessed!"
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Several minutes later a quiet and seemingly empty hallway was disturbed by the forceful and frantic hammering on the dormitory door of Marguerite Giry. After a few moments of violent pounding, Christine Daae excused herself and her ladylike manners and let herself into the small room that belonged to her friend.
After intruding as quietly as possible, she let out a grieved sob and called out for her friend desperately.
"Meg! Meg, are you here?" She cried.
As she had before, she received silence and the sound was more discouraging than ever before. She sighed so deeply into her chest that her body shuttered. An overwhelming feeling of disaster of clouding her thoughts.
But she had to remain calm now! She had to hold back her emotions and think!
...Erik's life depended on it.
Christine lit a small lamp and sat upon her friend's small bed, noting that the mattress appeared to be rather uncomfortable and much too firm actually to sleep on. Christine smile was sadly ironic all the evenings she had spent in Erik's home; sleeping on the feather-like bed he called her own. She had almost forgotten how incredibility uncomfortable the dwellings were for most of her fellow chorus and ballet members.
She smoothed the wrinkled quilt on the bed with her left hand and rose sadly. Silently she stood and cried in the room, a thousand thoughts running through her mind, mocking her and greedily taking her energy.
"Christine? Christine is that you?" Asked a familiar voice from the shadows of the doorway.
Christine looked over thankfully at her friend as she entered the room, a worried look place upon Meg's gentle features at the distressed sight of her friend. Christine's eyes widened at the sight of Meg, and she hugged her tightly.
"Oh Meg, something awful has happened!" She sobbed. "Erik-Erik he-he...!"
"I know Christine...I know." Meg whispered calmly. "I just stepped out for a moment to run an errand for mother and it seems like the only thing anyone is capable of talking about!"
Sadly, Meg released her friend and led her to a chair so Christine could compose herself.
"I don't know what to do, Meg! Is he already in the custody-"
"I am afraid so, Christine. Apparently a couple of guardsmen arrested him a few hours ago and they have him inprisoned ever since." Meg frowned as Christine continued to cry. She sighed and stroked Christine hair in a poor attempt at comfort.
"I don't understand Christine, why would he do something like this? He must know that they will want to hang him for his crimes-!"
Ironically enough, Christine began to laugh at that comment. A bitter and hateful sound that ruptured the silence of the room and startled Meg into pulling her hand away from her frightful friend.
"He's such a fool sometimes, Meg," She said suddenly, looking up from her laugher and tears. Her morbid expression forced Meg to look at her in silent worry. "I wish I could make him see how important he is to me."
With that said she paused in her sobbing to stare blankly at the wall across from her. The sudden absence of animation in Christine eyes frightened Meg and made her wonder if her friend was truly healthy or not.
"Christine? Christine, what-"
"We have to get him out, Meg," She whispered, her eyes never leaving the wall.
"What?" Meg exclaimed loudly. "Christine what are you talking about?" She asked more calmly.
Christine looked towards her friend, a clear and radiant look in her eyes. "I cannot let him die, Meg." She whispered, quite clearly overwhelmed by the realization. "I have to find a way to save him."
"Christine what you speak of is beyond illegal! Why, it's a crime that by itself would earn death by hanging-"
"Meg!" Christine said calmly but sternly. "I will do this with or without your help. Whether you wish to play a part in this or not is your decision. Frankly I do not blame you if you would just rather wash your hands of this forever...and I hate you ask this of you, given the circumstances...but you are my friend, Meg and I need your help."
Meg stiffened her upper lip and lifted her chin, suddenly feeling very brave and more than willing to assist her friend in any way necessary. "Of course I will help you, Christine," She replied. "But what do you propose we do?"
Her question was interrupted by the sound of laugher and screeching coming from the halls. The noises were soon followed by several pairs of foot steps and the swift reprimand of Madam Giry.
"You girls should be ashamed of yourselves! Parading around at a dreadful time like this! Get back to your rooms immediately and I don't want to see any of you again until tomorrow's rehearsals!"
Christine and Meg looked at each other briefly before hurring to meet the infuriated ballet instructor at the door.
"Mother! It is so good that you are back!" Meg exclaimed while helping her mother remove her shawl.
"I know dear, I know," She said calmly, rolling her eyes.
"I have heard of everything that has happened," She then proceeded to take a seat on Meg's bed. "The streets are filled with talk of nothing else," She explained as she removed her footwear.
"Madam, you must know-" Christine began. But Madame Giry merely silenced her with a wave of her hand and rose to embrace her adopted daughter.
"Do not worry, Christine. I too could not let him go along with this more than you could...we will get him back," She whispered into her ear. As they pulled away, Christine could not help but smile.
"What is it, my dear?" asked the older woman, clearly confused by this action.
"On top of everything else you do madam, it appears that you are a mind reader as well."
Madam Giry returned the smile then turned to face her daughter, who cleared her throat loudly from the corner. Christine turned to face Meg as well, who appeared to be scuffing her feet anxiously against the hard floor.
"Forgive me for being skeptical, Mother, but breaking him out of the jail? Isn't that overly extreme? Besides, he will be given a trial like any other criminal. Perhaps if we got him an efficient lawyer then-"
"Don't be naive Meg," Mme.Giry replied harshly. "The people of Paris are out for blood and they will not stop until they've had their fill of it. You know better...vengence is the only thing that will ever outlast human stupidity in this world and the people will not be satisfied until they have had plenty of it!"
The room was silent then: each woman deep in her own thoughts of what had just been said. At last Madame Giry spoke up and Christine was now extremely grateful for her take-charge attitude.
"Meg, first we need information: where Erik is being held, when his supposed 'trial' date will be and so forth. If anyone can find these things out, I know it is you. Leave now and try to return before dark."
Meg excused herself and quickly grabbed a cloak before leaving the room and heading on her journey. Once left alone with Christine, Madame Giry explained herself further.
"Christine, you must come with me. Everyone believes you have been kidnapped...I have much to discuss," She said sternly. And with that she grabbed Christine's hand and led her from the small room and down the dark halls, past the questioning stares of the ballets girls and the vulgar comments from the stagehands until they reached Madame Giry's own private Chambers.
"Why did we come here Madame?" Christine asked as she was being rushed in from the doorway.
"This room is far more private than Meg's. Besides, we would not want any nosey students of mine to overhear our conversation, would we?"
"I suppose you have a point."
"Christine," Madame Giry said taking a seat up her vanity while gesturing for Christine to sit beside her. "The police will wish to ask you some questions."
"I know this."
"Well, should anyone ask (and we most certainly know they will,) I believe it would be better if we followed Erik's directions and you continue to claim you were kidnapped by Erik, that you had no idea he was going to set the Viscount's home ablaze-"
"Wait," Christine whispered. "How did you know-"
"Erik wrote to me as well, Christine. Just after I returned from purchasing a house- I received a letter from a rather anxious messenger boy."
"So you knew about this! You knew of his intentions-"
"I most certainly did not, Christine! I heard nothing of the sort until I came into town. It was a letter simply stating what is to be done with his finances and requesting that I should help you if need be, and so forth."
"I am sorry, Madam," Christine sobbed as collapsed her head into her hands. "I am just so afraid..."
"I know, dear." She replied her tone softening slightly. "But Erik is one of the bravest people I know. Rest assured that he will be all right..."
"What we need is a plan," Madam Giry said after a time. "I have the outline of an idea but it requires some risky measures...Christine, I need to know that you are willing to take extreme actions to help Erik from this-this purely selfish situation he is gotten himself into!"
"Anything, Madame." Christine grabbed the older woman's shoulder slightly to ensure her point. "I will do whatever I must to save him..."