Chapter 46
Ohhh I feel mean! I feel so mean! I feel so mean and cruel!
Poppy walked onto the stage where Erik was having a field day with Carlotta. He was trying to teach her not to belt to notes out. That she could still be loud and have melody.
"No! You are closing your throat! It's surprising that you have not strained your voice all those years of singing. Now try again." He played a few bars. Carlotta sang. Almost at once Erik causes the piano's notes to crash. Both Poppy and Carlotta winced as he began to not quite yell at her. "Madame! You are still straining! Open your throat, relax your vocal cords. You are putting to much stress on them."
"Monsieur. It is very hard for me. I have always sung like this. I cannot change overnight." Carlotta wined.
Before Erik could say anything else, Poppy made her way over to them. She placed a hand on Erik's shoulder. "She is right for once, Erik. You can't un- teach years of bad singing with only a few instructions."
Carlotta beamed but then looked confused, "Thank you…I think."
Poppy just smirked.
Erik covered her hand with his. "You are right, Cuquelicot. Madame, try again. But sing with out tightening your throat." Again, Erik played the few bars. Everyone looks up as Carlotta hits a perfect high note. She stops and looks at Erik amazed. He just gave her a smug look. "Now that you know not to force the notes from your throat, you well be able to sing better. Since you knew the basics, you don't need me anymore. Reyer will work with you more. Piangi has his accent under control. He can now sing more clearly. Now if you excuse me, I have other businesses to attend to."
Erik got up from the bench and walked up to Poppy. "Come, you need a break. I have something to show you." Poppy took his hand and led him up to the boxes. She was thankful that she brought her cane. She knew her way around most of the opera house, but some places she didn't know so well. Like the boxes. So, she tapped her way up to Box five. "Well Erik, I'm sure that even though you're the manger, you wouldn't want to sit in the mangers box."
They came to the box. "Look there." Poppy pointed to the sign over the door. The box number was still there, but it now had a silver plaque, that said "le fantom's box"
Erik just shook his head. "What brought this on?"
Poppy smiled, "I just made your box official. They told me that this is the best seat in the house. Why give it up? You just don't have to sneak in there now."
"You sure?" With that, he grabbed her and pulled her inside. Wrapping her in a tight hug, he just held her. She hugged him back, listening to their hearts beating as one. She began to hum. She then started singing softy.
"If I had to live my life with out you near me… the days would all be empty… the nights would seem so long… with you I see forever oh so clearly, I might have been in love before… but It never felt this strong…our dreams are young and we both know they'll take us were we want to go…hold me now…touch me now… I don't want to live with out you…nothing's gonna change my love for you… you ought by now how much I love you…one thing you can be sure of I'll never ask for more then your love…. Nothing's gonna change my love for you…you ought by now how much I love you…the world may change my whole life though….But nothing's gonna change my love for you…if the road ahead is not so easy…our love will lead the way for us… like a guilding star…I'll be there for you if you should need me… you don't have to change a thing…I love you just the way you are… so come with me and share the view… I'll help you see forever to… hold me now… touch me now… I don't want to live with out you… nothing's gonna change my love for you…you ought by now how much I love you… one thing you can be sure of I'll never ask for more then your love…. Nothing's gonna change my love for you… you ought by now how much I love you… the world may change my whole life though….But nothing's gonna change my love for you…"
Before Erik could say anything, Poppy reached up and gave him a kiss, running her sensitive fingers along his face. They traveled along his strong jaw, his cheek bones, though his soft hair. She brought her fingers back down to his mask. Poppy ran her fingertips across it, tracing the lines in it. She sighed placed her hand fully on the cold mask and leaned in again and kissed him.
"I wish you could see how handsome you are."
Her hand was still on his mask, so she knew that he shook his head. "No, I'm not. I know very well what I look like."
Poppy dropped her hand. "I'm not going to argue with you today. But I'll tell you this… a blind person can see better then one with sight. Sit here…close your eyes…. and look deep inside yourself." With that, Poppy flashed him a smile, and turned to make her way out of the box.
Erik set down, thinking what she had just told him. When she had started tracing his face, he had closed his eyes. Even when her gentle fingers traveled to his mask, he had been relaxed. He trusted her. She knew how he would react if she had tried to pull it off. He stayed in the box for the next few hours. When he came back out, he found that the Mm. Giry was uneasy. "What's wrong?" Erik asked.
"I'm worried about Poppy. She said she had to fetch a few things that she had forgotten down in the lair. That was a few hours ago. She has not returned. I'm worried about her."
Fear coursed though Erik. "There are only two tunnels she'll take. You take the north one; I'll search the southern one. Go! Now!"
They spilt up. Erik took the one that was by the Rat's dorm rooms. He was halfway though the tunnel when he came upon her. She was lying on her back. Her red hair pooled around her head like blood. As he walked closer, he noticed the stones were wet with water. That was wrong. The tunnel was always dry. He looked down and though the torch's light saw that the water was actually blood. A cold chill went up his spine. Knelling down beside Poppy, he saw that her eyes were closed. He touched her cheek, it was cold, but he could see that she was breathing, but only faintly. Erik could also see that her head was laying in a pool of blood. Trying not to panic, Erik gently picked her up, and then hurried the rest of the way to the lair.
When Mme. Giry got to the lair from searching the other tunnel, she saw Erik rushing about the lair.
"Erik! What's wrong!"
"I found her. She must have fell in the tunnel…." He paused, "Antoinette, she hit her head. Hard."
She went into Poppy's room. She was laying in bed, cloth wrapped around her head. Erik came though the door holding a bowl, gauze, ointment, scissors, and a needle and thread. He handed her the items. Taking the cloth off, Mme. Giry saw a large gash on the side of her head. For the next hour Erik carefully cleaned and stitched the wound. When they were done, Mme. Giry saw that Poppy was looking bad. She must have lost a lot of blood. Her skin was too white, and when she laid a hand on her forehead, it was cold. Mme. Giry looked over at Erik. He has not said a thing. His hair was in disarray, and he looked tried. Antoinette hoped that Poppy pulled though, for her and Erik.
I know. I know. That was mean. I hope to have the next chapter out tomorrow, but I am very sick right now. And it is not wise to walk two miles to the library, in the snow, when you are hacking your lungs up. But, I'll try.
