The Phantom's Admirer By: K.C.M

Chapter 16: A Shopping Expedition

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, all I could do was watch as the Phantom of the Opera disappeared for the last time. I was crying like a mad woman, maybe I was mad.

A mad woman crying over a ghost that may die without her being able to see him again. It does sound crazy. "Why? Why does this have to happen?" I cried out into the night. No one answered. "I loose everyone I love."

It was then that the smoke filled my lungs and stung my eyes. I turned around to find a fire raging inside the opera house. Everything I owned was in there, probably burnt to ashes by now. The thought did not help my current emotional stage, and I started crying hard once more. Slowly, I slid down the wall of a building not to far from my home, and I slid down to the ground, thinking of everything I had lost in one night.

The wind picked up and pushed the ash, soot, and smoke into my face, where it stuck to the sticky, wet surface. The smoke filled my lungs once more, and I knew that if did not move soon, the smoke would overtake me. The only problem was, I could not move, I had no strength left in me. All of my will power had left, and sat there helplessly trying to find some way to escape. My vision was beginning to blur, I needed air. When I tried to stand, I was shaky, and found that it caused me to become more out of breath and inhale more smoke. I tried to move my legs and found out quickly that they could not hold my wait. The smoke grew thicker and I felt like I was holding my breath, my chest tightening harder and harder.

A figure began to run towards me and I held out my hand, reaching for help. My vision went black, and they hoisted me up across their shoulder. "Erik." I murmured before I surrendered to the overwhelming sensation of tiredness.

I woke up in a strange white room. The smells of chemicals quickly filled my nostrils, and I jerked myself to where I was fully awake. No one was in sight, but when I tried to stand a hand snatched my arm quickly. "Valentina, you need to stay in bed. The doctor will be hear in a short while. Just lie down." I looked at Alexandre and noticed he was not his normal self. He seemed slightly angry and very tired. Deep circles laid around his eyes and his eyes lacked their normal glow. "I said lay down." He barked. Immediately I lied back in the bed and looked into Alexandre's dull brown eyes. "Why am I at the hospital?" I asked.

He sighed and shook his head. "You were so stupid," he muttered. "You became so distraught by the sight of the opera house burning down, you ran straight into it. Luckily, I found you. Valentina, I almost lost you. You were so close to death." His voice shook and I felt so horrible. He thought I was sad about the opera house? That was not the half of it. At that moment, the door opened, and in came the doctor and some other strange man. He smelled of cigars and had a stern look plastered on his face. The doctor coughed and I turned my attention back to him. "Hello Miss Lafleur. I am Doctor Alexandre but since you already have an Alexandre in your presence, you can call me Doctor. This man here to my left is Detective Lock. He just needs to ask you a few questions and you will be able to leave the hospital this afternoon. Alright? Good." Then he left the room and the loud sound of the door closing echoed inside the quiet room. Detective Lock looked at me and scoffed at me saying, "I'm here to ask you what you know about the fire. We know who did it and we have intel that you might know where he is. So talk." Alexandre stood quickly and put his hand on top of mine. By now I was sitting up and was ready to scream at the unwelcome visitor. "You have no right to talk to Valentina like that!"

"Sit down lover boy!" He barked at Alexandre. He didn't sit down, but stayed quiet.

"Do I need to ask you again?" The detective asked me once more. "No." I said back.

"Then start talking." For a while I stayed silent, then I became curious. "Who said I knew anything?"

"I'm asking the questions here Missy. I said, start taking. Not start asking." I shrugged my shoulders.