She wasn't in Raoul's chambers. The walls surrounding her looked utterly alien. A single window on the far wall allowed three thin shafts of light inside, the iron bars casting stark shadows across the foot of the bed on which she sat. Christine frowned and swung her legs over the edge. A heavy chain fell down between her feet, its ends attached to thick manacles around her ankles. Hot tears blurred her vision as she reached down to tug at the iron links. The bracelets dug into her flesh, their locks secure in place. Instead of the dress she had donned before escaping her room at the chateau, a simple grey frock covered her from neck to shins. Her feet were bare and stained with filth. The screams from her dream continued. The unnerving cries filtered through the thick crack under the room's lone door.
Christine tried to swallow and regretted it. A shot of agony raced through her entire neck and made her choke with violent coughs. She stumbled towards the wooden door only to realize it didn't have any sort of handle. Panic gripped her mind and she beat her fists against it, another coughing fit cutting off any words she tried to form. A small slot in the door near her feet caught her eye, and she bent to look through it. Stagnant air from the hallway outside flowed through the opening and filled her nose. The mixture of sour urine and rotten filth churned her stomach. Christine gagged and lunged for the metal basin beneath the window. Thin vomit burst from her lips, each retching motion sending another shot of pain through her neck and up to her ears.
Footsteps echoed down the hall followed by a jingling of keys. The door swung open and three men stepped inside the room. Christine wiped her face and turned to look at them, her face contorting with rage at the sight of Dr. Lebeau. He stood between two larger men dressed in simple grey shirts and matching trousers. Each of them held a short wooden club with leather-wrapped handles. Dr. Lebeau smiled a bit and took a step towards Christine.
"Mademoiselle Daae, it is good to see you again."
She glowered at him, her throat still too constricted to allow her a single word of speech. Dr. Lebeau held out a cup for her to take. Christine hesitated for a moment, but when she saw it was filled with water, she snatched it from his hand and swallowed several gulps.
"You may not be able to speak for a few days. Your neck is bruised quite badly, I'm afraid. Not to worry though, there won't be any permanent damage."
Christine reached up to touch the purple swaths that lined both sides of her neck. She couldn't feel anything, but the painful lump in her throat told her the doctor wasn't lying. Before she could protest, Dr. Lebeau reached out to probe her neck with his fingers. The pressure drew a wince to her face, and she jerked away from him.
"Do you remember anything, Ms. Daae?"
Daae. Not de Chagny.
Christine chewed her lip but didn't answer him.
"You've had an episode. It seems you fell into a fit of melancholic insanity. You murdered the Comte's butler. Do you remember this?"
She still refused to answer.
"Either way, you'll be staying here for a while. Quite a while actually."
Tears spilled down her cheeks as this new reality set into her mind.
I'm here until I die.
"The Comte ordered us to treat you gently. That will depend on your behavior. A few rules to keep in mind while you're in my hospital. Keep your voice down, keep your hands to yourself, and do as you're told. Understood?"
A steady stream of tears trailed down her face to drip from her jaw. Christine nodded and swallowed the last of the water still in the cup.
Dr. Lebeau smiled and took the cup back. "This will be your room for a few days, until you're feeling better. The sight of your injuries may upset some of my other patients."
The three men had long gone before Christine moved from her spot on the floor. With two shuffling steps weighed down by the chain between her feet, she collapsed face first on the straw mattress that now served as her bed. In silence she wailed against the dirty linen, her nose thick with snot.
How could you do this, Raoul?!