Capturing A Phantom's Heart.
Chapter Twelve: A Horrifying Truth. Back To T Rated.
Olivia awoke in sheer agony.
Her head was pounding, her lips throbbed.
But the true pain was her shattered heart.
It seemed like hours when the attack happened, flashbacks appeared in her mind shocking her again and again.
They took Erik, the man she was deeply in love with, and left her to die in this lonely place.
Shaking, Olivia stood up and wrapped the sheet across her naked body.
Suddenly, the candles began to lit so that she could see where she was going.
Discovering her abounded clothes he gladly tore off her, she put them on though they were in a terrible state.
She looked at herself in the mirror, staring at the large bruise by her lips.
She broke down in uncontrolable sobs, her fists banging the ground.
How could this have happened?
Who knew she was down here?
These questions had to be answered, sooner rather than later.
"Oh Erik," She wailed over and over again though no-one listened to her.
It took Olivia half a hour to gather herself together and made her way out of the lair.
The statues looked at her with a frown and a sad face, they could see that she was heart broken and lost.
Erik's horse stood proudly, she ran towards it and buried her face on it's mane crying once more.
"I'm so glad they didn't hurt you!" She sobbed.
The horse felt her pain, if only there was a way to comfort her.
She pulled away, staring into it's black orbs.
"Can you lead me out of here, I can't bear to go up there alone?" She asked.
The horse neighed in appoval, a weak smile came across her face.
She tried to put her foot on the saddle to fail at every attempt.
But suddenly, she felt invisable hands on her hips that rose her body and placed her softly on the saddle.
Her eyes looked everywhere but there was no-one there, it was just her and the horse.
A sharp shiver ran down her spine, did she imagine that or was it real?
Grabbing the regins, Olivia clicked her tongue and the horse moved on up.
Wandering through the pitch blackness, they arrived at the mirror.
Olivia gently swung her leg over and landed feet first on the ground.
She pushed it aside so she could step through but she ran back to hug the horse once more.
"Wish me luck to finding Erik!" She cried, then pulled away and headed on without stopping.
The Opera Poplaurie was silent and still, eerie and unsetting to wander along alone.
But Olivia was strong, she had to find Erik and fast before it was too late.
Entering her room, she discovered a handwritten note on her bed.
She rushed towards it, clucthing it tight as she read the words carefully.
Olivia,
If you are still alive and have escaped the lair, read this letter.
I'm so sorry for what has happened to you and Erik.
It was I, your mother, that discovered you and him in each other's arms that very day you disappeared from the smoke.
I was shocked, I must admit.
But instead of keeping it a secret, I went ahead and told Raoul by acident.
He flew in a rage and instanly called on the guards to arrest Erik at long last.
Christine hardly stopped him, she was too tear-striken and shocked at my words.
Meg, her lover, Carlotta and Piangi wanted to come to really see for themselves.
I begged for them not to hurt Erik or you but it was out of my control.
They have taken him to jail where I will be waiting for you to visit.
Yes, I want you to see him before I will take you away from Paris.
Don't ask me why, you will know when you come to the jail.
I understand if you will never forgive me but after seeing what's been hidden from you all this time, you would reconsider it.
See you soon, my daughter.
Mother.
Olivia sunk on her knees, shocked of what she had just read.
So it was Mother after all.
But why did she want her to see him for the last time?
What was the secret?
She wouldn't know until she went to find out herself.
The seal of Da Changy was written on the carriage outside the Opera Poplaurie.
A young man came to open the door, his offered hand reached out for hers.
Olivia took it and stepped inside to discover Raoul and Christine were with her too.
"So you surrived the lair, did you?" He asked, cruelly.
She turned away from his sneer, disgust built in her belly.
"The silent treatment, eh? Well, you won't be so quiet when you visit the monster, will you?"
Olivia looked at him with a frown, she hated the way he called Erik a monster.
"What you are about to see will make you think twice of letting him touch you. Hell, he may inpregante you and that's when the real horror will haunt you for the rest of your life."
She wanted to hit him like she did before, shut him up for a good long time but she remained strangely calm.
Her eyes looked at Christine who stared out of the window with a lost look on her face.
"What's the matter with her?" Olivia asked, pointing at her.
Raoul turned at his love, tapping her hands in a constant montion until Christine broke away from her thoughts and instanly looked at his eyes.
"Why do you look like that?" He growled.
"I'm sorry, my love. Just a little tired, that's all." She shrugged, though deep down she was lying and Olivia could see it.
She didn't want a part of this, not by a long shot.
Raoul seemed he believed her but as he turned away from her, a heavy frown was across his face.
Olivia secretly loved the fact that Erik was breaking their relationship apart.
Raoul didn't deserve Christine at all, she belonged to someone who would really love her not a jealous idiot.
But something troubled Olivia: was Christine in love with Erik?
The three kept quiet throughout the journey until they arrived thirty minutes later.
Raoul helped Christine down while the gentleman helped Olivia.
They entered in the jails where dozens of men, women and children were in very small cells.
Olivia was shocked and heartbroken at the sight, how she wanted to let them all free and escape from this cruel place.
Smells of damp and human waste filled the air, the stink was so bad that Christine threw up mid way.
Olivia came to help her but Raoul pushed her aside, only offering a clean hannichief.
Christine wiped it off her mouth, then placed the dirty thing in his pocket which a look of disgust was written on his face.
They reached the staircase where only the murderers and the insane were placed.
Raoul stopped Olivia and turned her around, cupping her chin with a tight grip.
"Only you are to go alone down there, guided by the lamps. You will find Madme Giry at the very end where that monster is." He told her, sternly.
She nodded her head but as she was about to go, he grabbed her arm and pulled her very close to his nose.
"Now you will see the horrifying truth, Olivia. Been too long for you not to know the real Phantom Of The Opera."
He let her go and listened to her footfalls until they faded to nothing.
Olivia reached the final step, trembling and nevous.
With each cell she passed, men stared at her with lust and danger in their eyes.
She refused to look at them, never daring to rise her head from the floor.
It was only when she heard her name being called that she looked up and saw her.
Betrayal and anger boiled her blood, how she hated the woman she called Mother.
She jogged towards Olivia and hugged her tightly, letting a few loose tears fall down her face.
"I'm so sorry," She repeated over and over again.
Olivia pulled away, her body stiffened and her eyes burning with pure hatred.
"Where is Erik?" She asked, coldly.
Mother stepped aside without hesistation.
She ran down the end of the hall to find a man hung up in chains on both hands and feet.
His head was pointing downwards, he wore ripped pants and a shirt that didn't leave much to the mind.
"ERIK!" She cried with added sobs, her pounding footsteps echoing the walls.
He rose his head slowly, at first not believing what he heard but it was eyes that knew the truth.
Then, out of nowhere, the lit lamps shone more to make the room more brighter.
Olivia stopped a few meters where Erik stood, a hand covered her face.
One side handsome and beautiful, the other red and disfigured.
Terror and horror was written all over her face, so this was the truth everyone hid from her.
"NO!" She screammed again and again, shaking her head.
"Olivia, please stop screaming!" Erik pleaded.
But his begging fell to deaf ears, they grew louder and more haunting to anyone that listened.
"Why?!" She sobbed, collasping on the floor and banging her fists on the ground.
Mother came to comfort her with her hand but Olivia violently pushed her aside.
"Stay away from me!" She roared, her eyes wildly darting around other than her and Erik.
"Please Olivia, listen to me!" He cried.
"Never! You took my virginaty, you monster! What if I'm with your child? Would they be disfigured like you?! I can't live with that, no wonder Raoul called me a whore! Fall for someone who is dangerous and hides behind a mask. What else are you hiding from me?" She shouted.
Erik began to cry, the sight before him was heartbreaking.
"Well, I'm waiting!"
"I killed and threatened people. I kidnapped Christine the very night she replaced Carlotta, I wanted to her to be with me forever but she knew about my secret that I couldn't let her go. She ran into Raoul's arms, they planned to arrest me on the night of Don Juan. If it wasn't you playing Christine's role, I would have taken her from everyone and would never be set free. But when I saw you, everything changed. I'm so sorry that I didn't let you see this, so many have screamed or run away from my face. Even my own mother abounded me, I lived in the circus and was called the Devil's Child. Luckily enough, Madame Giry came to save me from my fate so I could live under the Opera Poplaurie. Olivia, I'm so sorry for all this. Please forgive me before I die. If you are with child, then I will never forgive myself to have done that to you." He explained sadly.
Olivia listened to his story but it wasn't enough, they all betrayed her in the most cruelist way and forgiveness was out of the question to her.
She slowly stood, her eyes slowly rising to his.
Tears were rolling down his face, his lips were trembling and his eyes held such sadness that it would break the coldest of hearts.
But not Olivia's.
She stood before him, preparing to speak.
"I will never forgive you, Erik. You stole my friend and forced to love her even though she dosen't. You broke apart my friendship with her and Meg, even my bond with my adopted mother. You captured my heart and crushed it with your boots by your terrible secrets, I would never run away or be so afraid like I was tonight if you told me. I would understand and be with you forever because I love you. That's right, I Love You Erik. Ever since that night, you took everything from me and made it beautiful and ugly at the same time. If I am with child, I will keep it because I would never kill like you did with your masterful hands. The child will be a constant remainder of my mistake of you and me, like Raoul said I would be forever haunted until my dying day. Before I leave, know this. You are a cold bloodied killer that snatched women in your bloody hands and made mad plans with them, one escaped while the other is trapped in your cage. May your dying days be plenty of suffering because I am right now, goodbye Erik."
A hard slap went across his scarred face, he turned away and felt the stinging pain burn his cheek.
But that didn't matter, it was Olivia's words that killed his heart.
She began to walk away with Mother following behind her.
"Olivia!" He cried.
She stopped and turned to look at him for the last time.
"I will always love you, I will take that to my grave." He said, grimly.
Olivia felt her hardened posture breaking, temptation was running wild for her to run back to his arms and sob until she couldn't no more.
But she simply turned away and disappeared in the dark, her footfalls echoing the hollow walls.
Erik lowered his head and silently wept to himself.
He had lost Olivia for good.
Author's Note: Again with the anger! Hope you enjoy this chapter.