Disclaimer: I don't own the Phantom of the Opera.
You all ready to kill me now? I don't blame you, but before you do, read the next few chapters. Then if you still want to kill me… well I ask for you to be brief.
Poppy walked down the tunnel. She needed to get some documents that she and Erik had been working on late last night. As she walked down the tunnel, she hummed softly. Suddenly she heard a squeak and felt a rat run across her feet. She let out a gasp and jumped back. She was not scared of them, he had just surprised her. Jumping back her heel got caught in a small hole. She let out a small echoing yell, as she fell back. Poppy felt a blinding flash of pain and heard a crack as her head hit the stone ground.
When she opened her eyes, she saw a grayish fog all around her. She staggered a little, for the first time in ten years she could see. Granted it was not much, but she saw something other then black.
"Hello? Someone?" her voice echoed all around her. Suddenly in front of her, the fog started to swirl into two tunnels. To her left she saw in the middle of it her laying in her bed in Erik's lair. For the first time, she saw him. She was right. He was handsome. The white mask enhancing his dark looks. He was sitting by her side, holding her hand. She could very faintly hear him talk.
"I know I have always denied You. Never had I prayed to You. But now I'm praying. Please God…please…help Poppy. If it were I, I wouldn't be worth saving. But it is she here. She has gone though so much, she is worth saving. I love her. Please…help her."
Tears came to her eyes. He loved her. Poppy glanced in the other tunnel. She saw her self in a modern day hospital bed. Her head was bandaged, tubes hooked into her. There were flowers around, but no family. It didn't surprise her, but it still saddened her. Poppy then felt in her bones that she was being given a choice: go home, to her own time, or go back to Erik.
Home. She missed it at times, but she loved Erik. If she went home, she would leave Erik with a broken heart. If she went to Erik, no one at home would truly miss her. Poppy looked back at the tunnel with Erik. She saw that time had passed. Erik was looking bad. Sick. As was she in the bed. She was slowly dying, and it seemed Erik was as well. She then saw Mme. Giry come in and speak to him. Erik stood and walked away, tired. Poppy watched as Mme. Giry brushed her hair. Again, Poppy faintly heard some one talk to her. She realized it was Mme. Giry.
"Come back Poppy. Come back. If you could only see how much Erik needs you. Every day that you lie here, Erik slowly dies. Please come back cherie."
Again, Poppy glanced in the other tunnel. This time she saw her Mother and Father, in the room. Poppy saw her Father glace at his watch, then heard him speak faintly,
"We have been here long enough. We are due at the Country Club."
She saw her Mother nod, and then they both hurried out the room without a backward glance. Tears came to her eyes. Poppy made her choice then. Turning back to the tunnel to Erik, she began to walk forward.
