Erik chuckled and replied mockingly,

"Excuse me,"

He patted his napkin on his lips and crumpled it into a ball, setting it down on his plate.

I glanced over at Nadir. He didn't look so happy. Instead, his eyes were closed and his fists were clentched. He was trying to control his temper, I could tell. I wouldn't be very happy either if I were in his shoes.

"Erik," I said. "That was very rude. Where are your manners today?"

"I guess I forgot them, didn't I?"

And then he chuckled. He picked up his plate, still laughing, and set it on the counter. He took my plate and Nadir's, whose eyes were still closed. After setting the plates on the counter to be washed, he sat back in his seat and spoke to Nadir.

"Well, well, my friend. How about a card game? Or chess, perhaps?"

Nadir finally opened his eyes and sighed.

"I didn't come to play chess or cards, Erik." He mumbled.

"Then why did you come? Nobody wants to visit poor, unhappy Erik!"

"I came to talk with you like old friends do. But it seems we have bigger problems."

"Problems? What problems could there be?"

Nadir glanced over to me and asked kindly,

"Madmoiselle, if you would please leave the room for a moment or two?"

I nodded calmly and stood from my seat when Erik said,

"Now why must Christine leave?"

Nadir responded without hesitation,

"I need to talk to you in private, if you don't mind."

I walked out of the room hastily. But as I was walking out of the kitchen, it was suspiciously quiet. I expected yelling and shouting, but what I heard was complete silence. Frowning, I turned back around.

In the kitchen, Nadir was talking in a low whisper to Erik. Erik didn't look to happy, but he listened to Nadir intently. Cautiously, I tiptoed back over to the kitchen listened from behind the wall.

"Erik, you need to stop using those boards!" Nadir said harshly.

"And may I ask why, daroga? They're perfectly harmless!" He spat.

"You can't just go around pulling innocent girls from Ouija Boards and keeping them prisoners here!"

"I am not keeping her prisoner!"

"Then what do you plan to do with her?"

"I plan to make her my wife, mind you. We will live in happiness, and no longer in these foul cellars! We shall buy a nice quiet flat in town, or maybe in London. We shall have many children together and - "

But Nadir interrupted sharply,

"And how Erik, may I ask, are you going to make her your wife? You can't force the poor child - "

"I'm not going to force her, you great booby!" Erik spat. "She will love me for myself, and she will be willing to be my wife!"

Silence for a moment. Then Nadir spoke:

"Erik, are you harming her?"

A fist slammed down on the table. And then Erik roared,

"Why would I harm her? I love her, damnit!"

"I meant emotionally. She could miss her family so much, for goodness sake! Have you ever thought of that? Why not let her visit her family? Her friends? You're keeping her locked up in this - this - "

"Yes, daroga?" Erik shot coldly.

"This cell!" He spat. "You're keeping her in the catacombs of the Opera house. No sunlight, only darkness! You think she's not afraid?"

"I could kill you right now, Nadir Khan." He muttered. "But I chose not to. Listen to me, if I show you the room where I keep the Ouija board and explain everything to you, will you leave us alone?"

"Yes. But you must explain everything to me. Understand? I want all of my questions answered."

A deep sigh, and then:

"Fine. Follow me."

I heard chairs screeching across the floor, and then footsteps coming out of the kitchen. Knowing that they would find be spying on them, I darted to a chair by the wall as fast as I could and folded my hands together, as if I was doing something.

Luckily when Erik and Nadir came out, they didn't notice me. Erik was walking huskily to the hallway where his room was, and Nadir was following him, trying to keep up with his quick pace.

After they were both in the hallway, I got out of my seat and looked where they were headed.

Erik was fiddling around in his pocket, and he eventually came out with an old bronze key. Nadir was staring at the door intently, and Erik looked behind him before he opened the door.

That was the secret room that I was not permitted to go into. I have been in Erik's room, and I knew very well what was in this room. Erik said to Nadir that it was his room where he kept the Ouija Board. Where he pulled me into!

Once he opened the door, Erik led Nadir inside as they plunged into darkness.

x x x x x

I waited in the library. I started reading more of Jane Eyre, but stopped when I heard a strange noise. It sounded like laughter. More like laughter from a witch you hear on The Wizard of Oz. I shut my book quietly and set it back on the shelf.

There it went again. The evil laughter. It seemed to be coming from underneath me. I dropped to the floor and pressed my ear against it, waiting to see if the laugh sounded closer.

It did sound closer. So much closer! I got up from my knees and searched the floors, seeing if I could find a trap door. I looked carefully, watching out for cracks or chucks missing. I knew I wouldn't find a handle, that would be too obvious.

But then my eyes darted to the expensive persian carpet. I had never noticed it before, but there was a small lump almost under the velvet couch. I dropped to my knees again and lifted the carpet up. I couldn't lift it all up, because the couch was on top of it.

Knowing I had to get the couch out of the way, I pushed it back so that I could lift the carpet up without damaging it.

I heard the laugh again. Now it sounded even closer then before.

Carefully, I lifted up the carpet, and there it was. A trap door with a small handle on top of it. I smiled to myself, thinking that I had accomplished something big. And maybe I had. But the only thing I was worried about was where it led.

I touched the handle, but immediatley snatched my hand back. The handle was burning hot! I looked around the room frantically, hoping to find something that I could open the trap door with without burning my hand.

To my luck, I saw some gloves on Erik's desk. I walked over to them, but stopped before I touched them.

These were Erik's gloves. I had no right to touch them.

Yet you snooped around in his room, the voice in my head told me.

"Yes, but I was curious." I replied. I felt dumb talking to myself.

You're curious now, aren't you?

"Yes."

Take them. He won't mind. Since you touched them, he'll probably make love to it like he did with the hankerchief.

"Shut up!" I mumbled. "He never made love to them, he only kissed them!"

The voice chuckled. Squeezing my eyes shut, I took the black gloves and put them on me. I knew I would regret taking them, but I had to find out what was down there!

Once I kneeled down near the trap door, I heard the crackling laughter again. Shivering, I touched the handle. I couldn't feel the heat, so I lifted it up with all my might.

The door was heavy and hard to open, I had to admit. I tried two times before I could finally get it open. And once I had, I looked down.

It was completely dark, and I couldn't see a thing. I looked near the edge and found a ladder that led down there. I took one last breath before plunging myself into the darkness.

x x x

The ladder was long, and I was getting tired of crawling down the old thing. Occasionally I would hear a squeak of the ladder as if it was ready to break. I tried to ignore it and when I reached the ground, I happily stepped off the ladder.

This time, when I heard the laugh, I jumped and screamed. It sounded so close now, oh so close! All the fear inside of me was growing more and more, and I kept asking myself why I wanted to come down here.

Because you were curious, the voice in my head said mockingly.

Ignoring it, I started to walk down the dark corridor. I had some light, for the trap door was still open, but soon it would fade, depending on how far I went.

I seemed to have walked for only five minutes when I heard a deep howl. I jumped and fell back against the wall. Then I heard the laugh, coming closer and closer. Trying to be brave, I stood up and started to walk again, but slowly.

Just then, I felt something furry brush past me and knock me down. It wasn't anything small like a rat, but it felt like a human covered in hair. Covered in hair, as in all over it's body.

I stayed on the floor like a coward until I could tell that the furry thing was gone. But it never went away! Every time I tried to get up, it would knock me down again. I felt like I was going to cry, but gathering up all of my courage, I didn't.

I was ready to run away from that thing, whatever it was. So I stood from the ground, and started to run back in the direction I came.

But it seemed that the furry human animal was quicker than I was. It started to growl and howl, making me run even faster.

Unfortunatley, I tripped over a large rock which sent me flying forwards. I could feel the tears streaming down my cheeks. I could feel my dress, which was completely torn now. And I could feel my face, which was covered in water.

I looked down and noticed that I had landed into a puddle. I felt to weak to get up, so I laid there and cried. But I tried to stop when I heard feet approaching me from behind, not too long after.

Yes, I stopped crying immediatley. Whatever the creature was, surely it wanted me dead. I laid my forehead on the ground and did my best to stay silent.

But I let out a large cry when I felt the furry monster on top of me. Now I couldn't stay silent, I needed someone to help me! I kicked and screamed, hoping that Erik and Nadir would hear me. But how could they? I was further down in the corridors, they would never hear me!

I stopped yelling for help, knowing it would be hopeless. But I still struggled, trying my best to get the furry thing off of me. But it was no use. The creature was holding my hands behind my back, and I could feel his breath on my neck. I sobbed and yelled,

"Don't! Please don't! I won't harm you, I promise! Just let me go!"

The creature didn't get off me. Instead, he growled and licked the back of my neck. I shivered as I felt his rough tongue explore my neck, and then I started to cry again, for he flipped me over and now his tongue was going for another target.

I started to kick and scream again. I knew the screaming wouldn't do any good, but the kicking might. I struggled and moved around so much, that the creature lifted his furry head from my breasts and looked into my eyes.

I noticed that his eyes were blazing red. He took his hand away from my wrist and caressed my cheek. His hands were rough also, just like his tongue.

I remembered that he had let go of my hand and taking this chance, I slapped the creature across the face. He howled in pain and clutched onto his cheek. I could feel his weight growing less on me, and he eventually got off of me.

I got up quickly and started to run, but immediatley fell back down because of another rock that was in my way. But once I heard the creature's loud, disturbing howl I immediatley got back up again.

I ran as fast as I could towards the ladder. I had some ways to go, but I knew I would make it. I panted as I ran, hoping I would reach the ladder before the creature got to me. I heard him growling in rage as he chased after me, but that didn't stop me.

Eventually, I started to see light. I knew the ladder was near, and I smiled to myself as I ran. I could still feel the howling behind me, but I started to run faster.

Once I reached the ladder, I climbed up as fast as I could. But once I went up about twenty steps, I felt a rough furry hand grab my ankle. I struggled and kicked my leg, hoping that I would hit the creature's face, but he never let go.

Just then, I heard a loud squeak from the ladder. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard, which made me want to cover my ears. I gripped the next step of the ladder, but when I did, I felt something snap.

The ladder was breaking!

I cried out for Erik and Nadir as loudly as I could. Perhaps they could hear me now that I was closer to the trap door!

But all of a sudden, the rough hand tugged onto my ankle even harder then before, making me lose the grip of the ladder. My hands were getting sweaty, and each tug of the creature's hand on my ankle made me lose grip of the ladder. The ladder was squeaking, and I could tell it was about to break. But I had to hold on, I couldn't let go!

I cried out once more, and maybe that did the trick, for two familiar faces looked down into the catacombs from the trap door.

Erik and Nadir!

Erik dangled a lantern from his hand and looked down into the passage way. Once he saw my face, he yelled:

"Christine! What are you doing down there?"

I had no time to answer him. Instead I screamed,

"Help me!"

But before Erik and Nadir could do anything, the creature howled and took one last tug of my ankles. I screamed. The ladder snapped and broke in two, sending me down into the darkness with the creature.

x x x

Oooh, so how did you like that chapter? I have to say, that was probably one of my favorites. Thanks to all my lovely reviews! And what do you think the creature is? Whoever guesses it first will get to tell me what they want to see happen in later chapters, and I will put it in the story. But they have to be believable ideas, nothing stupid! Lol, anyways, please R&R!