Under The Spell Of A Phantom.
Thirteen: Not The End
As Mr Johnson and Ruby reached towards the house, her stomach began to twist and turn.
Moaning in agony, she knelt on the ground and felt the vomit threatening to come out at the back of her throat.
He stopped to look at the contents falling out of her mouth, the sight was disgusting but not once did he help her.
Wiping the remains from her lips, Ruby slowly rose and carried on walking not noticing a huge stain on the dress.
Once they got inside, Eleanor rushed to them with tears rolling down her eyes only to stop in total horror all the sudden.
"What on earth is that?" She shrieked, pointing at her. Ruby frowned, lowering her gaze to discover the offending sight.
She shot her head back up, shaking her head. "Mother, I'm so sorry!" She pleaded but Eleanor backed away from Ruby.
"No, how dare you steal that dress? I wanted to wear that for a special night and you have ruined it forever!" She wailed.
Mr Johnson came to comfort her, wrapping his arms across her shaking body. "Don't worry, my darling. It will come out in the wash." He said, softly.
"NO!" Eleanor roared, pushing him aside with fury in her eyes. "She will pay for a brand new one, that will be destroyed tonight!
"Mother please, don't do this!" Ruby cried but it was no use. She grabbed ahold of it and with one big tuck, the dress was ripped apart.
"Come, let's get you a warm brandy." Mr Johnson said, taking the shaking Eleanor back in his comforting arms. It took a matter of seconds to follow him.
Ruby was left shocked and stunned of what just happened, her watery eyes fell on the torn garrment. It will never be fixed again.
With a sob, she ran upstairs to go into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. She flung herself on the bed and cried with no-one to hear her.
Christine is dead. Ruby is gone. Everything I ever felt was destoryed within one day. Tomorrow would be the end of my life as I know it.
To see her know my past damaged my soul, a few moments ago I had her in my arms and we kissed. My second embrace. It has never left my mind.
As I lay on my bed, feeling the never ending tears fall down, I rethink that gentle and loving caress she left on my unmasked face. No fear or screams.
I shut my eyes tight, images began to flash across my tired and torrtured mind. All I can see is her, so beautiful and free, taking my hands into her own and just stares at me.
But though I mourn for Christine, it is Ruby that appears in this vision along with my dreams and the never ending thoughts that come every single day since I laid eyes on her.
Could it be? Could I be falling in love with her? But it's too later to reveal my feelings now, she will never forgive me and wants to never see me ever again after tomorrow.
It's not over, this isn't the end! I reopen my eyes and stood up from the bed, I tilt my head up at the celing hoping that He is listening to every word I'm about to say.
"God, I know my past is dark and disturbing. I don't deserve any kind of forgivness but I can't live my life without Ruby. If she rejects me, then I will end my life. May you make the right descison for my fate to either enter in your Holy gates or forever burn in the firey depths of Hell."
With a long sigh, I lowered my head. Then a risky and dangerous idea appeared in my mind, could I do this without getting caught? For her, I would do anything to win her back.
So I grabbed my cloak, dashed out of the house and ran across the empty streets with only the night lamps guiding my path. Once I reached her home, my heart began to pound.
This was it, I couldn't wait a another day. Fear rose in me, would she scream and run if I appeared before her? That I won't know unless I'll try so off I went to find her window.
Ruby wiped away the tears for the final time tonight. She went to brush her hair, put on her nightdress and got into bed to try and get some kind of sleep.
Once she started to shut her eyes, Erik suddenly appeared at her window. He looked at her with such longing, she slept so peacefully that it was beautiful.
Silently, he opened it and crept inside the bedroom. He was just about reaching her bed when Ruby suddenly awoke with horror written in her eyes.
"Erik, what on earth are you doing here?" She cried, grabbing her covers against her chin. "I want to see you again, take you away from here for a while." He said.
Ruby shook her head. "No, you get out now before I get caught by either my mother or Mr Johnson." She ordered, pointing at the window. He tensed when she said his name.
"Please, I can't be without you. If you reject me, then I will surely die before sunrise." He warned, coming dangerously close to her. Fear and terror was across her face.
"So you can join with Christine? Go ahead, like I care anyway." Ruby replied, dully turning away from him to lay back down on the pillows. She felt his weight on the bed.
"I love you, Ruby." He said. She shot her head back up to let her eyes burn into his, her jaw dropped at the sudden outburst. "What do you just say to me?" She asked.
"I've loved you the moment I laid eyes on you that very night. Your voice, your soul, your beauty, all the little things about you raptures me. I love you, Ruby." He replied.
His hands grabbed her own, she bit down her lips from trembling. "I mean every word I just said to you. Now let's fly from this place and be together forever."
For a few seconds, Ruby thought this through but her answer was already there. A warm, happy smile went across her face that made him have a wide grin appear.
Erik gathered her from the bed, opened the door, went down the stairs and left the house so quietly that no-one even heard the footsteps. Execpt one, Mr Johnson.
He got out of the bed and rushed to the window where he watched them walking away until they disappeared from sight. Anger boiled his blood, that beast will pay for that.
Ruby looked up at Erik, he stared at her with such happiness he hadn't felt for such a long time. She placed her head against his chest and closed her eyes to the melody of his heartbeat.
