OK everyone you (actually only some of you) have waited very patiently for this chapter and I really appericate it. Thanks for the reviews and please continue to give me feedback!
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With the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears, Meg Giry entered the Police Station as hastily and as quietly as possible. This was a building she never had the need to be in before, but the well-constructed front lobby was relatively inviting and the warm atmosphere soothed her despite her nerve-racking objective. Around her, stood many leafy plants and solid, mahogany desks and chairs. Therefore, it surprised her when such a flabby and unkempt man approached her a mere moment after she had opened the large oak doors and let herself in.
He licked his lips at the sight of Meg and proceeded to speak an ill manner. "Can I help you, Mademoiselle?" Meg struggled achieve a believable response but after swallowing the reminder of her pride, she recovered rather quickly and smiled gracefully as she approached the man.
"Perhaps," she replied with a flutter of her eyelashes. "I was just walking home but all this 'Phantom' business has got me in such a worry that I must have gotten lost somewhere along the way. As I am sure you know, all the streets around here are so dark…"
"Say no more, miss. I'll get one of my boys to escort you home." He began to turn away, as if going to retrieve a guard but Meg stopped him with a flutter of her hand and a sudden cry.
"No!"
Instantly, the man turned around and eyed the girl suspiciously for her abrupt objection, but Meg simply smiled and twirled a strand of hair with her fingertips in a playful manor and explained:
"It's not that, monsieur. I'm quite certain I can find my way from here, but-um…well I realize this may sound rather silly but I'm a dancer at the Opera Populiare and some of the girls and I just aren't certain that the Phantom has really been captured for good." She pouted ub mock sadness as she finished her lamely explanation, hoping that the man was foolish enough to accept the blatant lie.
"Well, miss- uh what did you say your name was?" he asked.
Meg hadn't exactly been prepared for that question, mentally scolding herself for it. What was she going to say? She had to give the man a name, any name at all!
"Oh! Just call me… Jammes," Meg replied with a wicked grin.
"Right, Jammes. Well, rest assured little lady that we got the bugger in our custody and it's gonna be like that for a while…or until 'morrow at least." He beamed with pride as he finished the statement, stretching his arms and leaning against one of the desks with a heavy sigh.
"Tomorrow? Why until just tomorrow?" Meg asked with nervous curiosity.
"Well," the man began with a chuckled menacingly, rubbing his chin. "I suppose I shouldn't be telling' nobody this…but- well the hearing is really just for the public's eye. We're ordered to hang the bastard at sundown."
"Oh? You don't say?" Meg's eyes began to betray her slightly as they widened in fear. The guard noticed this and approached her with minimal concern.
"You all right?" he asked.
"Yes, of course. Just relieved to hear justice will be served so swiftly and accurately." The sarcasm was evident in her voice, but again the guard didn't seem to notice.
Meg's new-found companion grinned lasciviously as he close to her. It was all she could do not to flinch from the man's horrible breath and his distasteful smell, but somehow she maintained her composure and smiled politely in response to his advances.
"So you're a dancer, huh?" he asked with mischief in his face and an eyebrow raised
Meg read his mind perfectly and only nodded anxiously, her eyes never leaving his, one hand beckoning behind her back to someone just outside the door awaiting the signal. The lustful man didn't even notice as Christine slipped through the door and past the front lobby through a nearby cooridor before exiting the vicinity altogether. Luckily she passed by unnnoticed to several other guards in nearby rooms.
"Well, perhaps you wouldn't mind giving us a bit of a demonstration then?"
After Meg silently cursed Christine in her mind she nodded seductively. "I might be convinced…"
The man nodded knowing, remembering the stories he had heard about such ballet brats who looked for men with power. This beautiful young thing could certainly provide some amusement for his men…one way or another
"Hey lads get over here!" he called over his shoulder. "We got ourselves a bit of entertainment here!"
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Christine clung to the dark stairwell as though she were afraid she would fall from the earth if she were to release her grip from the stone wall. As quickly as she could without falling or tripping on herself she descended the stairs that led to what she, Meg and Madame Giry has presumed to be the dungeons upon an eariler investigation.She swallowed the lump her throat that constricted her breathing and at last reached an opening in the dark pathway only to be greeted by footsteps passing her in the corridor. Instantly, she froze and closed her eyes as she took in a sharp breath. Much to her fourtion however, the owner of the footsteps ran pasted her without even slowing down and she instantly sighed with relief. She stopped as she walked through the doorway to use the senses about her. From above her many male voices and the sound of feet scuffling against the floor was unmistakable, but even more so was the particular sound of humming that was coming from the area some distance away from her. She hastily used her fingers to scan the walls for any potential source of light. She nearly cried with relief when she at last felt what appeared to be a lantern and without hesitation, she lifted it from its hook and lit it with a match from her bag.
Once she had finished the changellenge of obtaining light her sense of smell took over and she instantly felt like wrenching at the scent of ammonia, fear laden sweat, and rotting feeces but somehow she regained her composure as thought of Erik took over once more. Covering her nose and swaying the lantern back and forth to frighten away the rodents she continued forward in the damp dungons, her shoes scrapping aganist the cobblestone passagways.
Christine found the noises from above becoming louder and she knew she did not have much longer before she would be interrupted and she and Meg would be caught. So she quickly blinked to adjust her eyes to the newfound light and began trailing along after the humming that had also grown louder.
"Erik?" she whispered as she ran from cell to cell only to find one after the other another empty. It was difficult to determine where the humming was comming from since the echo seemed to touch every stone of it's structure. She felt as though she was traveling in circles, becoming more and more frantic until at long last the humming ceased to be no more than a sound coming from a mere few feet away from her.
"Erik? Oh Erik speak to me, please!" she cried, dropping to her knees in front of the cell to search for the proper tool Madam Giry had suggested would pick the jail lock. But a moment later she realized the desperate humming had yet to cease. And panically, she reached out in a feeble attempt to get to Erik. She brought the lantern closer and the sight before and forced her to gasp
Erik sat huddled in the corner, his arms wrapped about himself, his hands protectively covering his ears. His shirt was a mere rag, his mask missing, the hair about his head tousledas though it had nearly been ripped out. Bloody gashes covered his flesh and and a couple bones seemed to protrude at odd angles.
"Erik! Oh God, Erik, snap out of it!" she pleaded as she continued to search for the tool the would successfully free him. She could not resist a smile when at long last she found one that appeared to work And she actually laughed when the door clicked and she pushed it open. But as she rushed to Erik, her smiled faded and tears threatened to escape her eyes at the sight of her beloved.
But Christine looked up, startled when the hectic sounds from above stopped abruptly. It was only a matter of moments now.
She knew her voice sounded pitiful, but she lacked the energy to concern herself with that minor detail. "Erik…"
At last his dreadful humming stopped and when he opened his eyes, his expression brightened significantly.
"Christine?" he asked with disbelief.
Christine was so overjoyed at the sound of his husky voice that she smiled and reached her hand forward to stroke his bruised cheek. Her expression faltered however, when Erik flinched away and his eyes widened in fear. An intense pain ran through Christine then she ignored it as she began to hear pounding feet from upstairs once more. Noises from upstairs.
"Erik," she said sternly, as though she were speaking to a disobedient child. "Erik, listen to me; we have to get out of here. Can you walk?"
He seemed confused by the question but after glancing at his legs and wrinkling his brow he nodded weakly and rose with her help.
With a watchful eye she rapidly led him from the cell and to the staircase. By this point Erik was swaying slightly, and by the time they reached the staircase Christine was supporting almost all of his weight, she managed to reach the front lobby, gently leaning Erik against the door and tiptoing to view the situation. Before she left his side Erik gently touched grabbed her wrist.
"You shouldn't be here, Christine."
"Neither should you." She whispered in response.
Without saying anything more redculantly he let her go...
The front lobby was empty. But clearly it had not been that way for long since there were several overturned over tables and chairs and even more documents scattered on the floor. Mugs nearby also leaned aganist their side, suggesting alchool had been present and the wide oak doors looked careless. Christine bit her lip, but knew it was either now or never and helped Erik stand once more. At last the sudden change in surroundings seemed to provoke a change in him, for his eyes widened and he released his grip slightly on Christine so they could hurry their pace. Eventually they reached the front doors, and once outside Erik nearly fell to his knees with joy.
The stars…he never thought he would see them again.
Christine remained behind him, looking around frantically. Meg was supposed to meet them …but where was she? Christine continued to glance around nervously, but no sign of the blonde appeared.
What was she to do now? She and Meg were to meet here and move to the back of the building where Madame Giry would be waiting with a carriage! Perhaps she went on without us, Christine thought anxiously.
With no more hesitation, Christine assisted Erik into a standing position and from there he appeared to be walking on much steadier feet, so she released the grip she had around his waist but glanced at him every couple seconds to make sure he needed no more help. Instantly, Christine noticed he painfully clutched at his side, wincing at every step made with his left foot. She promised herself that as soon as they ventured somewhere safe enough, she would send for medical assistance.
After traveling the alleyway on fast feet, the carriage that Madame Giry had successfully procured stood awaiting them in the empty street. The ballet mistress approached them without hesitation and immediately began helping Erik into the carriage.
"Where is Meg?" she whispered to Christine once Erik was secure.
"What? I hoped she was with you! I have not seem her since we parted at the station!" Christine whispered frantically.
The sudden sound of yelling and laughter echoed in the alleyways neighboring them. Christine and Madame Giry turned to look at one another, then back to the tumult. The laugher and yelling escalated to shrieking and violent screaming and Madame Giry lost all composure. It was all Christine could do to hold her back.
"Oh my Meg, my poor Meg!" she cried, recognizing the source of the screaming.
"Madame wait! Do not go unarmed, do you have any weapons?" Christine asked timidly
"Just-just a dagger and small pistol in the driver's seat." The older woman responded with a shaky voice.
"Very well," Christine said, struggling to keep her grasp on Madame Giry shoulders. "Let us retrieve them and then we will go forth to aid Meg," she pleaded calmly.
The rational speech seemed to calm the Madame, for she tightened the grip on her skirts and ran to the carriage to retrieve the weapons. Upon exiting, she nearly did not notice the frightened look on Christine's face as she tried to hand the young woman a weapon.Christine however, was only capable of pointing to the seat she had left Erik just moments ago
It was now empty.
And Erik was nowhere to be seen.
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(looks at editor with an evil grin) The cliffhanger was her idea, I swear!