Chapter 12
Erik To The Rescue

Corrine was wiping the last of her tears away when the door flew open.
"Is everything packed?" Her mother said as she entered the door.
"Yes," Corrine said trying not to look at her mother.
Her mother looked around the room trying to find the boy.
"Where is it?"
"I don't know what you mean mother," Corrine said playing dumb.
"Your brother. Where is he?"
"He was just here a few minutes ago."
Corrine's mother searched under the beds and in the wardrobe.
"That's enough Corrine. Where did you hide him?"
"I didn't hide him anywhere. Perhaps he grew wings and flew away," Corrine said trying not to laugh.
Her mother was so furious, she walked over and slapped Corrine.
"I'm only going to ask one last time, WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER?"

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Opera house...

Alec ran blindly down the corridors. He could barely see where he was going due to the tears that filled his eyes. He wanted to go back to Cori, but he had to find Erik. Erik had shown him how to get to his home, and had drilled into his mind where the traps were along the way. Alec found himself running down a spiral staircase.

"Alec, when you get to the spiral staircase, always remember to walk close to the wall, and hold on, or you might fall," Erik's voice came to his mind.

"Twenty one, twenty two," Alec counted the steps to himself hoping to break the eerie silence.
"JUMP," he yelled as he jumped over the step that was a trap door.
His yell and the sound of his feet hitting the next step echoed around him.

It was no time at all until he found himself by the underground lake.

"ERIK, ERIK," he shouted over and over until his throat was almost sore.
"Erik, I NEED YOU."
There still was no sign of Erik. Alec sat down on the bank and cried as if his heart was broken. He tensed up, when he felt someone come up behind him and pick him up.

"ERIK!" Alec said happily as he turned around, threw his arms around Erik's neck, and held on for dear life.
"What is this about Alec? What has happened?" Erik said noticing that his shoulder was getting wet from Alec's tears.
Alec squirmed to get down. Erik put him down, and Alec frantically pulled out a note and handed it to him. "Corrine said that you'll help us," Alec said as he wiped the tears away with his sleeve.
Erik hastily tore the envelop off and read:

Erik,
My mother is planning to send Alec to England today. If you are half the friend you claim to be, please, I beg you, keep him safe until I can figure out what to do. I am going to leave his things behind the mirror, as I'm sure it will be too heavy for Alec to carry. Tell him I love him, and I will figure something out soon.

Corrine

"Corrine, you've entrusted me with your most prized possession. I promise I will do what I can to help," Erik thought to himself.

After reading the note several more times, he looked at the tear streaked boy.
"You are safe here Alec, and that is a promise," Erik said as he picked up the boy, and held him for a few minutes before placing him in the boat.