Chapter 22

As the opera progressed, nothing happened. The opera was one about adultery with humor. Poppy didn't think it was very funny, of course she wasn't thinking about the opera. Her mind was on Erik. He hasn't shown up yet, and she wondered whither or not he would come. She sighed and turned away. She began walking around. Poppy walked until she was under the flies. She stopped to listen, wincing as Carlotta hit a sharp note. Erik had better hurry up, before she goes deaf as well. Poppy didn't hear anything, so she moved on, not noticing two eyes following her.

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Erik had thought out his plan carefully, but now he was wondering whether to carry on with it. He had read Poppy's note. It only saying that "we need to talk" written messily. Almost like his own. He sighed, and placed the note back in his pocket. Too late now. He had already swiped Carlotta's throat spray. He went to his box, only to find that it was taken. And not by anyone, but by Raoul de Chagny. Erik gritted his teeth in rage. If it had been anyone else, he simply would've spooked them. But this was different. Well, he will carry though with his plan.

Erik carefully made his way to a catwalk high above the stage. The catwalk ran along the top of the proscenium arch. He stood there for a moment, then threw his voice so that it came from everywhere, not just from were he was.

"Did I not instruct that Box Five was to be kept empty?"

A slight smirk crossed his lips, as there was the general reaction of bewilderment. Everyone stopped and looked around.

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Back in the wings, Poppy heard Erik's voice, but she was too busy trying to run from the one following her. He apparently knew that she was blind, and was using that to his advantage. He played her like cat and mouse. Poppy had become panicked and got turned around, so she knew not where to go. He kept herding her to where he wanted her. Finally she came across a staircase. She began climbing up it. Poppy then heard a sinister chuckle. She then knew how it was. Joseph Buquet. And Poppy now knew why he laughed. She was now in his element. And she blind. Stupid! Stupid, girl! She thought to herself. She shot forward, as she heard Erik's laughter rise and Buquet come up behind her. Poppy tucked herself in a corner, out of sight of Buquet. She tries to catch her breath. She let out a small sob, but quickly swallows it back. She began to listen as to what was going on. Poppy heard Andre stammer.

"Er maestro…. the the the ballet-bring it forward please."

She then heard the stage being cleared. Music begins. Poppy let out a small sigh and craws out from her hiding place. She hated running, but he had her at a disadvantage. She couldn't see were she was going. She slowly walked along the ramp. She knew that if she fell, she could end up breaking her neck. She was up that high. Poppy felt someone grab her hair. She lets out a gasp, as she was pulled backward into a smelly chest. "Let go of me!" She snarled in English.

Buquet replied, but Poppy didn't understand it. She twisted, and punched him in the face. Buquet let out a cry of pain and called her one word she did recognize. She then kicked him and took of, running.

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Erik was watching the ballet, feeling smug when he noticed that Meg Giry kept looking up, thus falling out of step. Something was going on up in the flies. Erik disappeared. When he arrived up in the flies, he saw Poppy running, and stumbling along the ramps, Buquet right behind her. Rage coursed though Erik. Poppy stumbles over a rope and fell on to the ramp. Erik began to swing from rope to rope to were Poppy was. He froze at Poppy's next move. She was on her back, Buquet ripping at her clothes. She reached and grabbed the rope that she tripped over. Poppy pushed Buquet's head up and wrapped the rope around his neck. She then brought her legs up, placing her feet into his stomach and pushed him up. He stumbled and tripped. Buquet plummeted over the side. The rope caught him by the neck, snapping it. The crack echoed though the room, over the music.

Poppy stood up, holding her dress in the front. Erik dropped onto the ramp with her. "Poppy."

She tuned to face him. Her white eyes flat and cold, ruby red hair hung lose, looking like an avenging angel, or demon. Without blinking, she pointed downward. "Your angel is running up to the roof," she spat the word 'angel'," Catch her before Raoul comes along." With that she turned and walked off, headless of the screaming below.

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