Red Rose
Chapter XVII: Forgiveness
((A/N: Part of this chapter has an excerpt that came out of "Phantom" by Susan Kay. I just want to give that credit to her.))
I've been in here for god knows how long. Time seems to pass painfully slow when you're forbidden to go anywhere else rather than your room. Do I have a choice? I've been locked up! If I could just occupy myself, maybe then, time would speed up and be a bit kinder to me.
I'd forgotten how mad Erik can get. It frightens me. Only a while before did I hear the smashing of glass; I only hope he hasn't hurt himself. My head is leaned up against the door, waiting to hear the movement outside my chamber. The movement that could possibly walk over and unlock the chains that prevent me from being free. But I hear nothing. Nothing but silence
My head has turned to the floor as I have noticed the most gigantic spider I have ever laid eyes on. It's huge, ugly and it's fangs make me quiver…
Christine frowned, halfway through her writing. Her bottom lip trembled, as she pulled her left hand desperately from off the floor.
Flashback (revised and out of "Phantom")
"What is it?"
Erik demanded in alarm, closing the door softly behind him.
Unable to speak,
Christine simply pointed to the creepy crawler and he laughed as he
went over to her bed.
"I'm afraid we
get a lot of these down here. He is a big fellow, isn't he? I suppose
his mate is in here somewhere too."
"Oh, God!"
She said with feeling, glancing nervously across the floor. "Do
you really think so?"
"They're
usually found in twos," Erik said absently, bending to catch the
hideous thing gently in his hands. "When I've put this one out
I'll come back and look, if you wish."
Christine stared at
him in horror. Her mouth would've dropped to the floor if it
could.
"You're only
going to put it out? Won't it just come back?"
"That's not
very likely, my dear. "
"But it might,
" She persisted stubbornly. "Erik, I would die of fright if
one crept over me while I was asleep. I've always been terrified of
spiders. I'd feel so much happier if you just . . . well, just got
rid of it permanently."
He stiffened, and when he turned to
look at Christine there was something in his eyes which made her
shiver.
"You want me to
kill it?" he said expressionlessly.
"If—if you
don't mind," Christine stammered, suddenly unnerved by the
pulsing venom of his gaze.
"Oh, I don't mind at all," he
said with an anger that was now unmistakable.
"I rather think the spider might have one or two objections to make—but then; after all, it's only a spider, isn't it? Just a mindless, soulless, ugly thing that has no right to live and frighten people!"
Without
another word he clenched his fist tightly, dropped the crushed insect
on the carpet, and walked out of the room.
"Erik!"
Christine cried after him, in alarm. "What about the other
one?"
"Kill it yourself, if you can find it!" he said coldly, and shut the door on her with a savage bang.
End Flashback (and excerpt)
Christine shook her head, trying to rid herself of such an angry memory. She then placed her hand back on the floor, which gave her the necessary support she used to lean on, and began to scribble down and explore her deepest thoughts.
Just a mindless, soulless, ugly thing that has no right to live and frighten people…
Just a mindless, soulless, ugly thing that has no right to live and frighten people…
Whether or not Erik believes it, that statement did stick with me. I knew who he was referring to. Himself. It makes me sad to think in such a horrible frame of mind, but I am still terrified of spiders. When I was little, I'd scream it I just caught a glance of one. Father would always be so comforting and dispose of it right away, but now I just feel guilty. The spider, like Erik said, is only an innocent creature minding it's own business. It lives and carries on with it's everyday life. Perhaps it is ugly, but that's not something it can help. And…and what if you're allergic to spiders? What if you swell up every time one bit you? Would that still give you the permission to kill it? Would you still feel horrible? All I know is, I can never look at a spider the same way again.
The pen dropped and Christine closed the book. She looked at the spider, sitting next to her like a close friend. But the truth was, the spider was probably more afraid of her, than she was if it. It crawled an inch closer to her, reluctant and yet full of curiosity for her reaction. The singer wanted to squirm away, but thought the better of it and remained where she was. Eventually, it got to the point where the spider was resting in her palm, and although she wished more than anything to fling it off, she remained calm. Christine wanted to prove to herself that being ugly didn't have to do with anything. It was the type of person—or spider—you were that mattered.
The lock clicked open but Christine didn't seem to hear it. Erik walked into the room, and froze in mid step as he realized Christine was playing with the spider.
"Apparently, I've locked you up in this room for too long, my dear." Erik looked absolutely flabbergasted as he watched Christine's delicate little fingers almost play tag with the insect. First it would shoot one foot away from her, then it would be one inch next to her, and she was laughing.
"Oh Erik, don't be silly!" She replied, gently poking the spider again, arousing it. It lept onto her hand and refused to let go for quite some time. Then it scurried away into some dark corner of the room which was not visible to Christine's eyes. She smiled and looked back up at Erik. Her smile quickly vanished, both because she was anxious to know if Erik was still furious with her and also because Christine noted the horribly bandaged hands that Erik hand just threw on himself. Obviously, he thought this wouldn't worry her.
"Erik! You didn't! You didn't smash another mirror! I hoped that was only my mind playing tricks on me!" Ms Daae wobbled onto her feet and ran as best as she could to the doorway. "You've gotten yourself seriously hurt!" She yelped, concerned. Christine brought the covered hand to her cheek and stroked it.
"Christine, I-" Erik tried to say, blushing furiously for once and sick with himself that he was acting girly and somewhat foppish.
"You have to let me take care of you! How am I supposed to do that if you lock me away in a room all day? I know you were angry Erik, I understand that now. You didn't want me to get hurt! But even if you did hurt me, I know you wouldn't mean it!" She carefully placed his throbbing hands around her tiny waist. "Yes, it still bothers me that Meg is going to dinner with Raoul, but who knows if it will work out. And even if it were to, it wouldn't matter because I have you!" Christine sobbed freely into his shirt, which made Erik smile softly down at her.
"And you figured this out all in an hour or two?" He cooed, making her weak in the knees.
"An hour or two? It seemed like forever!" She complained like a child.
"Christine," He laughed merrily, "I've been doing some thinking as well, and I understand your feelings about such a situation between a best friend and a husband-"
"X-Husband" Christine politely corrected him.
"Well, either way, I finally understand how you feel. It took me awhile, but when I put Nadir and myself in the same situation-"
"Who's Nadir?"
Erik chuckled again. "A friend, my dear. I'm sure you will meet him."
Christine nodded; unaware that Erik even had friends. That seemed a little harsh; to think that Erik didn't have any friends, but what would he do with one? Sit around a big square table while drinking tea and talking about the latest trend in killing devices? She hardly thought so. Erik was still stuck on the Punjab lasso… (There's guns now)
"All I am saying, Christine, is that I understand where you are coming from. Sometimes I wonder if I really am a genius."
"Of course you are Erik. After all, you chose me to fall in love with. That only proves that you are unbelievably smart." Christine gave him a playful wink, very much unlike her.
"Well-I-uhh-"
"Come on! I must tend to your wounds! They could easily get infected." Her smile widened as she pulled him out of the doorway and towards her bed to rest. "You lie here and I'll show you the proper way to take care of yourself! Now, I'll be back in a minute. I have the strange urge to make you some tea…"
"Christine…"
……………………
Christine: Oh look, Erik was at a loss for words! ((Snuggles into him))
Penny: I'd kill the spider…
Christine: PENNY!
Penny: What? I'm only telling the truth! And plus, what weirdo plays with a spider?
Christine: ….. ((Blush))
Erik: ((defending me)) That only shows she cares… Unlike you, mademoiselle!
Penny: I feel hated…
Erik: No one likes a debtor! It's better if my orders are obeyed! Review and I will make sure that I give each of you a mini Erik plushie!
Phangirls: ERIK PLUSHIES!
One phanboy: YES! My dream has come true! ERIK! I 'heart' you!
Erik, Christine and Penny: O.o;;