i mean, it was like, 'JUST GET WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER, DANG IT!' sheesh
so that's why im posting sooo soon after the last one!
# Part Nineteen:
Lark was still shaking and crying as she sat on the wood board that held her above the stage. People had started to gather below, staring at the man's now dead body. Murmurings came up to her ears but the girl clamped her hands over her ears, moaning pitifully. What could she do? She had juts killed a man, now what could she do? The stage master had come into the crowd, pushing past and stared in horror. "Who did this?" he demanded angrily, his voice shaking. People looked at each other, bemused but one pointed to where Lark was.
"He did!" the person cried out, "I saw him shove 'ol Louise off the side! I saw them racing up there," the boy who spoke looked darkly up at Lark who's jaw dropped in stunned surprise, "she probably stole something from him to egg him on!" Shocked mutterings went through as the crowd stared at her with deep distrust and a growing hatred. Lark stood up, bracing herself on the ropes and shook her head frantically. "No!" she cried, "No, I didn't!"
"Why should we believe a child?" another person shouted. Roars of approval came to Lark's ears. She couldn't believe what she was hearing; they thought she was a killer! But you are one, said a nasty little voice in her head, you killed that poor man when you could have…But the girl had shut her mind off. The crowd had gotten larger, and more threatening. "We should take him to the police," shouted a few. Roars of approval rocked the board where Lark was standing, she shuddered with horror.
The crowd had agreed, but one gave a shout of alarm as they glanced up. "He's gone!" one shouted. Lark had snuck down as the crowd had discussed what to do with the 'murderer' her heart pounding hard against her ribs. Rushing along the halls, she stifled a terrified shriek as she heard people pouring into the halls after her. 'They're after me!' she thought hurtling down the halls. The angry voices had gotten louder but Lark was sure that they weren't….
"Hey..! There he is!" a stagehand assistant cried out, pointing Lark out. She gasped out loud and ran quickly in the other direction, the pounding of feet getting louder and louder behind her. Like the fox being hunted down by the hunters…then coming after Mama… Rushing down the hall, Lark looked wildly for a place to hide. "Where to hide? Where can I hide?" she whispered hoarsely. She stopped and listened hard, they were coming closer! Feeling faint, Lark reached behind her and was surprised to find a door.
Without looking where it led to, the girl yanked the door open and closed it quietly behind her, breathless. Taking a deep breath, Lark was able to look around her in surprise. Somehow, her frantic search had led her to the very place she had planned to go to before these unfortunate events, the dressing room. She could hear voices out in the halls. Gasping, Lark ran toward the mirror racing up to meet her image, a frightened thin girl. "Oh…" Looking at herself, she could see why she no longer could be mistaken for a boy, she had matured.
"Damn," she cursed for the first time, feeling for the opening of the mirror. She gave a small cry as it gave way, sending her sprawling on the cold stone floor. She let no time go past as she jumped up and closed it firmly and waited with baited breath. Sure enough the door opened and people swarmed in it, all crying out, and 'search everywhere!' 'Don't lose him!' 'We'll find that murderer', Lark shuddered. Finally she turned away from the search party and felt her way down the dark passageway, her breath lifting into little white puffs.
Erik had been out on the roof, sketching a newly carved corner of the Opera (it had gotten remodeled after the new manager took charge, but it was a handsome piece of work so Erik remained silent) and he was surprised to find himself looking down at a curious mass of people as he descended. What were they looking at anyways? Crossing silently in the rafters above, Erik managed to glimpse a stretcher being carried out, a limp arm hanging out of the sheet that covered it. 'Someone's dead?' Erik wondered to himself. He shook his head disdainfully, he better not be blamed for this. Becoming the Phantom of the Opera was not on his to do list. Actually, there wasn't much at all on his to do list.
Crawling down a rope and keeping to the shadows, Erik traced down the new manager who was whispering to another man in quiet, hushed voice. "Yes, you see, poor old Louis was murdered," explained the manager, looking over his shoulder as though looking for eavesdroppers. Erik almost smiled, he could never be seen. "Who was it?" asked the other man, horrified. Erik listened closely, curious about the event. The manager shook his head solemnly as he turned back to his companion, "Very terrible, terrible indeed, you see, it was none other than that young boy. Lark was it?"
Erik was surprised, but the manager wasn't finished. "You see," he continued seriously, "they say that that boy had stolen something from Louise and, naturally, he gave chase after him. Followed him up to the rafters and didn't see the boy hiding apparently, because after that, he was pushed off the rafter!" The other man winced and the manager added, "They say that the boy has fled, they got the police looking for him in the shops nearby…" The two men walked away, muttering to each other and shaking their heads unaware of the hidden phantom who stood stunned. It couldn't have been Lark; she was too scatter-brained, too young to have accomplished something like this.
Updated. XD
When it says, 'she had matured' it means that she grew more. (cough cough) All ladies have to some time or another!