Chapter 21: The Phantom's Rage.
Meg was very hurt to hear some of the things that people were saying about her. Especially when they were coming from people that once were her friends. The big shocker came from Christine, all of the terrible feelings and thoughts about her returning, were actually coming true or so it seemed for Meg. She became nervous and anxious around everyone now. Nothing felt right anymore. Her fears for the destruction of the theatre burned deep down in the recesses of her heart, she didn't understand what her paranoia was about but it was there and growing.
With a very heavy heart Meg shut herself away for the remainder of the day. She couldn't bare to see anyone else. She knew that auditions for the chorus would be starting in a day and she hoped that it would bring some relief to the ill feeling people were having toward her. The fight would be on now for everyone to be better than the last and once all casting was finished they would have to work together for the common goal. She wouldn't have to deal with the jealousy of the other ballerinas but with the competition of the cast members. It would be a long and difficult journey but she didn't have a choice now. She had given the Phantom her word and she now had to go through with the plan.
Christine was also quite hurt and afraid of what Meg had said. So many things can be said when in rage but so much truth also had come out. But Christine was the unfortunate one. She didn't have the freedom of the seniority anymore that Meg now had. She was bound by the day time practice regiment and the evening restrictions on the theatre. Thankfully Meg's room was part of the ballet dormitories and Christine was able to watch for any movement from Meg, after she had escaped to the confines of her solitude. But Christine knew that Meg would have to emerge from her room to meet the Phantom. It was clear to everyone, or at least by rumour, that Meg had been meeting the Phantom. She had to believe what ever she heard now or she would get nothing at all from Meg. Her suspicions were correct. It was only a matter of being patient and waiting to see what happened.
It wasn't until much later, when all the lights in the theatre had gone out, that Meg left the silence of the ballet dormitory. She moved quickly and silently, wrapped in her rose coloured blanket. Christine followed her at a distant. Meg moved fast through the theatre and into the areas that, if Christine was caught, she would be in great trouble and even risk being kicked out of the ballet school, but it was a risk that Christine was willing to take.
Meg found her way easily to the spiral column of stairs and without hesitation moved down them. The darkness was thick but Meg had become accustom to the lack of light and even comfortable in the darkness. She was gaining her footing and becoming familiar with the steps it took to descend into the darkness. She related it all to the dance and found that this brought her more comfort when she was faced with the darkness that lingered below.
Christine stumbled along as quietly as she could, trying to keep Meg in her sight. The darkness seemed thicker than she had ever seen. She breathed deeply, panic setting in, as she followed Meg downward. She remembered a time when she had been dragged into the darkness and, even now, three years later, the fear was still great and unnerving, but she forced herself onward. It was all that she could do to regain what she had, had before Raoul had taken her for granted. Her desperation was far greater than her fear.
As Meg travelled downward she could feel the cold drawing closer to her. She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and continued on. Soon the fog began to form around her. It was thick and black now, but she knew that soon she would meet Erik. Thicker and thicker the fog grew and the slower she began to move. The steps were uneven now and treacherous to manoeuver, but Erik didn't come. Meg moved slower and slower as the darkness grew blacker and the air grew thinner. She ran her hand over the rough wall, feeling her way down the stairs.
Christine had fallen behind now. The fog had caught her off guard. She almost felt like the darkness was moving in to choke her. She was starting to feel claustrophobic in the darkness and didn't see just how big the space was. Panic filled her entire being. She tripped over steps, scratching her hands and yet she continued to move downward, after Meg. She had now begun to worry that they were both going to be lost in the darkness. She was nearly ready to call out to Meg when red eyes appeared so close to her she fell backward. Fear enveloped her. The scream couldn't make its way out of her throat. She only stared.
"How dare you come down here," the Phantom's voice boomed in the stone column, "you are no longer welcome."
Meg spun around hearing it. It was far above her, she looked up into the darkness but could see nothing of the voice that was so angry. She did the only thing she could think to do, she ran upward toward the voice to try and stop any evil that would be a complete regret later.
"Insolent girl," the Phantom yelled as he grabbed Christine by the arms and pulled her upright, "why have you come here?" he questioned, "why?"
"Oh angel, I need you," Christine forced the words, "please, I've come back to you," she said tears swelling in her eyes.
"Do you think me the fool?" Erik hissed into her face, "do you?" he yelled as he shook her, "after all that I have been through, all the things that I had to suppress. The evil that you made me do? Did you think it would all be as it was? Well?"
"No," she whispered, "but I was wrong to leave you."
"Lies," he yelled as he watched the fear grow in her eyes, "you lie to my face, you can't even stand to look at me!" he said as he ripped off his mask.
Christine had remembered the face, the sick, horrible face. She had tried so many times to put it out of her mind and here it was again so close she could feel the warmth of his breath. She couldn't take this and turned her face away, tears streaming down her face.
"Get out now!" he yelled.
"But please," Christine begged as he let her go, "please help me to be pleasing to you again. I need your guidance and your genius," she said as she fell to her knees begging.
"Never!" he yelled, "get out now before you meet the same fate as those who have come this fare before you!" he said as he pulled a lasso around her shoulders.
Christine screamed with panic with the feeling of the rope tightening around her. The scream was blood curdling and echoed up and down the cylindrical column.
Shivers ran up Meg's back as she heard the scream. Her heart sank when she was Erik and Christine coming into view, the rope around her now.
"And you," Erik hissed as he suddenly turned away from Christine and rushed toward Meg.
Christine had fallen back to the floor and was frantically removing the lasso from around her upper body.
Fire was raging in his eyes as he grabbed Meg and through the rose blanket away from her, "how dare you disobey me," he yelled, "traitor!"
"But I haven't," Meg cried out her face white with fear as he moved closer and closer to her. She back herself into the wall and was trapped by him now.
"You have!" The Phantom yelled, "don't deny it, you let her follow you!"
"But I didn't," Meg sobbed, "I would never. I didn't know," her tone pleaded for him to believe her.
"Both of you need to be punished for your disobedience," he yelled.
"Christine run!" Meg yelled as she stared bravely into the Phantom's unmasked face, "get out now!" she yelled as she quickly glanced toward Christine who was shaking with fear on the stairs.
"Both of you get out," Erik hissed as he through Meg down beside Christine, "Go now, before I change my mind!" he yelled at them.
"Come on!" Meg yelled as she struggled to stand and grabbed onto Christine's hand. They ran as fast as they could upward and out of the darkness. Away from the madness that brewed in the betrayed mind of the Phantom of the Opera.