Chapter Twenty-Two: Journey To The Past
Christine was just seven years old, and already the small girl felt like her world was shattering around her.
Maman had been sick for months now and Papa had only just now been able to afford to pay for a doctor.
Christine didn't know what was wrong with Maman, but she knew it was bad.
In the other room, she could hear Papa and the doctor talking.
The word 'Plague' reached her ears, and that was when she stopped listening and ran back to her tiny room, crawling into bed and burying herself underneath the covers.
No! No! No!
Maman couldn't have the Plague!
She just couldn't!
It had to be a mistake!
Or maybe this was all a bad dream and Christine would wake up in the morning and everything would be fine!
Yes, that was it!
She was just dreaming!
She had to be!
Pinching herself as hard as she could, Christine cried out in pain, her blue eyes welling up with tears.
It wasn't supposed to hurt!
If it hurt, then that meant that this was real and she didn't want this to be real!
She wanted things to go back to the way they were before, before Maman got that awful illness!
"Maman..." the young girl hiccupped, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Christine heard footsteps outside her room and looked up as her door opened and Papa stepped inside.
She took one look at the expression on his face and began to shake her head in denial.
"No..." she begged desperately.
Her father just nodded and Christine burst into tears.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! MAMAN!"
Erik watched as Christine writhed and twisted in her sleep, her face filled with agony as she repeatedly cried out for her mother, begging for her not to leave and to come back.
What in Heaven's name was the girl dreaming about that would cause her so much grief?
And more importantly, why did he even care?
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