Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! The support that I'm getting on this story is truly amazing. You guys are great!
This chapter was originally written to be longer, but I shortened it because the ending was either going to seem rushed or get ridiculously long. So...sorry for the cliffy. I didn't really intend it, but these things do happen. :) Secondly, this story has quite a long ways to go, so don't get concerned that we're nearing the ending after this chapter. Thanks for all your support!
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The only sound in the room was the steady ticking of the serpent clock. Christine could feel her heart thunder as she waited for his answer. Although she prayed he would take mercy upon her, she also braced herself for raging anger or a cold denial of her request.
"Why?"
The calmness of the question was almost more frightening than if he had started yelling at her. Still, Christine dared to reply.
"Mrs. Valerius is very sick. I don't know everything, but I don't think she has much longer." She suppressed the sob in the back of her throat. "I want to see her one last time. Please."
"It is far."
His clipped answers heightened her anxiety, but at least he had not directly refused her yet.
"Yes," she replied gently. "It is far. But Erik...I have to see her again. She's always been there for me. I promise I'll come back. I'll do whatever you want me to do. Just let me go for a little while. Let me see her."
Glancing up, Christine saw that his eyes had become the intense shade of yellow again. He looked away from her as if in thought. His bony hands were folded into fists. Ten long seconds ticked by on the clock.
Finally, he turned back to her. "I have unfinished business in that state," he said slowly, as if still thinking his decision through. "I intended to wait to return, but perhaps now is as good as ever." He paused. "I will accompany you, Christine. You will make the visit to your guardian while I complete several tasks. Does that please you?"
She quickly nodded. "That's fine, Erik. Thank you! It means a lot to me."
Although her highest hope was that he would allow her to travel alone, she did not dare to make that request. He would immediately suspect her of trying to escape and refuse to let her go at all.
Was she trying to run away from him at that moment? The thought had crossed her mind. Her primary concern, though, was getting to Mrs. Valerius' bedside. The fact that she was even being allowed to see her guardian made her want to collapse in relief.
Erik nodded. "Yes. Perhaps this could even be beneficial. Once people see you unharmed, there will no longer be concerns about your disappearance. No one will bother us should you decide to sing for the public." He stared her directly in the eye. "But you will make no move to get away? You will do as I tell you?"
"I swear I won't run," she replied. "I promise."
"If you do, you will never leave these walls again. There will be no second chances."
"I know."
Erik studied her for a moment. "We will leave in several hours, then."
Her smile was a mixture of relief and gratitude. "Okay. Thank you."
As Christine retrieved her winter coat and gazed around the bedroom for anything else that might be needed, she was forced to stop and wonder what the day would bring. Of course, she was grateful to be going. But...if a chance of escape came, would she dare take it? What if Erik caught her before she succeeded? He would never let her go. But what if she did manage to get away?
She sighed and stared down at the glimmering ring. The day would bring choices. That much was for certain.
Shaking her head to clear away her worries, she sat down and put on a pair of tennis shoes. After adjusting the collar of her pine green turtle neck, she ran a brush through her hair and checked the mirror one last time. The routine was rather calming. For the moment, Christine decided that she would only concern herself with getting to Mrs. Valerius. She didn't want Erik to sense her anxiety and become suspicious.
Despite Christine's attempts to remain calm, a tension hung in the air for the rest of the morning. When she emerged from her room, Erik suggested that she eat something before they left. Her stomach was tied into a painful knot, but she nibbled on an apple to satisfy him. The yellow eyes did not leave her. She managed to remain composed.
"The ride will be here in five minutes," he finally stated.
She smiled and nodded as if everything were completely normal. After throwing the core of the apple away, she put on a heavy jacket and made her way to the locked door. Erik made no move forward, folding his arms against his chest and watching her obvious eagerness to leave. At any moment, it looked like he was going to suddenly change his mind. Christine turned, her blue eyes pleading. "Please," she said softly. "Please, Erik."
A moment of heightened tension passed.
"Let's go."
Christine sighed in relief and stepped out of the way so that he could unlock and open the door. Immediately, a gust of cold air hit her. Even from below ground, she could tell that the sky was completely overcast, making it appear more like evening than late morning. Erik walked in front of her, keeping a long, quick stride up the concrete steps. In one hand, he carried several papers with scribbled writing, and she could not help but wonder what his business in Vermont was. Maybe she didn't want to know. Arriving at the top, she saw that few people were outside. The wind blew paper bags and bottles down the empty streets. Several dogs barked from behind a broken wooden fence.
Christine shivered and looked at the eerie surroundings, before quickly catching up with Erik and walking to the car. He looked at her again before climbing into the vehicle, perhaps searching one last time for a trace of dishonesty on her face. She kept her eyes low and climbed into the backseat. Her heart only calmed when the car pulled forward. Immediately, her window began to fog up, and the sights outside were no longer visible. She wondered if it had somehow been done on purpose, so that she would never quite know of her exact location or the way out of the city.
Christine turned and saw that Erik was sitting upright. Wringing her hands in her lap, she tried to think of a way to ease the tense atmosphere. He could still change his mind at any time. "Is...is there any way to listen to music?" she asked.
Erik turned sharply. "Yes. A good idea." He called an order up to the concealed front. The sound of violins drifted out from the speakers, filling the car with a soft, harmonious melody. His shoulders seemed to relax slightly. She leaned her head back onto the seat.
With the windows clouded, there was nowhere to look. She felt Erik's eyes fall upon her, but she turned away from him, afraid that he would somehow be able to read her thoughts. As the warm air and the pleasant music surrounded her, Christine's eyelids became heavy. She fought sleep for a while, knowing that it was important to keep alert at this time. Finally, though, she was forced to give into slumber. There was nothing she could do now anyway.
Christine awoke several hours later when a bump in the road jolted the car. Her head felt as though it were in a cloud, and it took several moments for her to remember where she was going. The windows were still fogged, and the car seemed even warmer than before. A piano now sounded throughout the back seat, playing quickly and in staccato style.
"We are nearly there," stated Erik, watching her awaken.
Christine brushed her hair out of her face, feeling extremely disheveled and vulnerable. "Oh," she replied, her mouth dry from the heat. "I slept a long time, then. How...how long have we been driving?"
"Several hours."
She slowly nodded. "And how much longer?"
Erik tilted his head. "Soon, Christine. We will be there soon."
The piano reached an unexpected forte, causing her to shrink back. For a moment, she allowed herself to wonder if this all was some horrible trick. What if he were taking her somewhere else...somewhere farther away? Gripping the edge of the seat, Christine forced herself to calm down. All she could do was wait.
"What is wrong?" Erik questioned, perhaps noticing her mouth contorting in distress. "You look almost ill."
"I'm fine, Erik. Just a little tired. And worried about Mrs. Valerius."
He nodded. "You will see her."
She relaxed her muscles and stared straight ahead, allowing the steady motion of the car to make her drowsy again. After a while, the vehicle began to make frequent turns. Finally, it slowed down significantly, before suddenly stopping. She desperately tried to look out the window.
"We are here," he said, gazing at her. "The hospital. As you requested."
Her door unlocked with a sharp click. She reached out a shaking hand and started to open it. Feeling Erik's cold hand tighten around her other wrist, Christine jumped and whirled back around to face him.
"I will return in three hours." His voice was very calm. "That will give you enough time to determine the state of your guardian and, if need be, say your final goodbyes. Do you understand?"
She nodded. "Yes. All right."
"You are safe with the ring, Christine. Never remove it from your finger." Erik paused. "If you are not out here in three hours, I will come and find you. No matter where you are."
The last statement was a clear threat. She nodded again. "I'll be here, Erik. I promise."
He released her wrist, but the icy sensation lingered on her arm. With one last glance at his masked face, Christine opened the car door, shivering from the sudden change in temperature. The sky was still a dull shade of gray. "Goodbye." She closed the door and finally separated herself from the pair of glowing eyes. Taking a breath and turning around, she saw that she was facing the entrance to the hospital.
In a daze, she opened the glass door and walked into the front lobby of the tall, brick building. The black car idled behind her for several seconds before driving away at a slow pace. Christine blinked in the bright lights and looked around at the decorated entryway. Wreaths and bells hung on several of the walls. People holding Christmas gifts for sick loved ones passed her on both sides. Soft Christmas music played over the speakers.
She was free.
No one noticed her standing there. She slowly walked forward, gazing aimlessly around the lobby. What now?
Did she run up to the front desk and frantically explain that she had been kidnaped?
For all she knew, Erik could still be somehow watching her at that very moment, ready to pounce should she try anything. If he caught her trying to escape, she might never have a chance to see Mrs. Valerius again. No. She would visit her guardian first.
Following a hospital map on the wall, she took the elevator to the oncology department on the ninth floor, struggling to keep the number of the room inside her cluttered head. A thousand things were going through her mind at that moment, and she attempted to focus on the task ahead of her. An older man in a suit and tie climbed onto the elevator at floor five. He nodded in greeting before looking over some papers in his hand. She awkwardly nodded back.
The elevator chimed at floor nine, and she stepped off and into a hallway. Plain white walls and ceilings surrounded her. Christine leaned against the plaster wall to steady herself, beginning to feel a little dizzy.
"Are you all right, ma'am?" a passing nurse asked.
Christine blinked and looked up. "Yes. I...Could you tell me where room nine twenty-seven is?"
The nurse nodded. "Go straight and then turn left. It should be a couple of doors down on your right."
"Thank you." Christine mindlessly took off in that direction, keeping her eyes focused ahead of her. She didn't want to see the sickness in the open rooms. Already, she could hear the noises of clinking hospital machines. The soft, somber murmurs of patients and visitors came from all around her.
Within a minute, she found the door. Taking a deep breath, she turned the cold, silver knob and opened it.
She almost choked when she looked inside. Mrs. Valerius lay with her eyes closed on the starched hospital sheets. Plastic tubes ran out from her hands and face, and several humming machines sat by the bedside. Dark circles hung under her eyes, and the wrinkles seemed to have deepened. Christine sickly placed her hand to her mouth in shock, before walking toward the old woman. She swallowed and took Mrs. Valerius' hand into her own.
Her guardian's eyes opened halfway. "Christine?" she murmured.
She smiled, tears falling down her cheeks. "Yeah. It's me. How are you doing?"
"I'm doing fine, dear." Her voice was barely above a whisper. She paused for a long time, as if having trouble thinking. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you for a while."
"Singing a lot," she replied, averting her eyes. "Just busy."
Mrs. Valerius attempted a weak smile. "Singing? With your new teacher? That's wonderful. You should tell your father. He will be proud."
"Yeah. I hope so."
"Is something wrong, Christine?"
"No. Nothing," she said in a choked whisper. "I wanted to see you on Christmas."
"Oh." Mrs. Valerius' eyes became distant. "It is Christmas, isn't it? Merry Christmas." She paused. "I seem to lose track of time here."
"Yeah. I've lost track of time, too, lately."
"Yes," she replied tiredly. "We will make up for all this time when I am well. So much time..."
Christine nodded, unable to speak anymore.
Her guardian slowly drifted off to sleep again, and Christine took a seat in a cushioned chair next to the bed. She cupped her chin in her hands and stared at the floor for a while as her mind drifted from one thing to another. The drone of the machines was the only noise in the room. At some point, the door squeaked open, and a younger nurse walked in.
"Oh!" the woman exclaimed. "I didn't know she received visitors. I'm going to run a couple of tests. Then I'll be out of your way."
Christine glanced up with a dull look in her eyes. "That's fine. I...could you tell me anything about her condition? I don't know when I'll be able to come back. "
The woman nodded sympathetically. "It's a difficult time to say right now. She'll have good days and bad days. At the moment, she's on extremely strong pain killers. You would have to speak with a doctor for more detailed information."
"But..." She took another breath. "It won't get better? Nothing can be done?"
"You would have to speak to a doctor," she repeated. Christine could tell be the look on her face, though, that the time was near. She had seen that same look right before her father died. Today would be the day for goodbyes.
"All right."
The nurse wrote down several numbers before leaving her in silence. Christine sighed. She looked helplessly at her sleeping friend for a moment, not able to bring herself to leave yet. With every second that ticked by, she knew that her chances of escaping became slimmer. She didn't know if she cared. Returning to an empty apartment almost sounded worse. And she had promised Erik... But did that matter? She felt completely lost.
After many minutes of staring into space, she reluctantly rose from the chair to stretch. Her decision still loomed before her. Did she run? Did she call the police? Did she keep her promise and return? Her thoughts were interrupted by the slow opening of the door. Expecting to see another nurse walk in, Christine glanced up with disinterest. She nearly fell backward. Her hands clutched the bars of the hospital bed as her eyes widened in shock.
"Raoul!"