Music of the Masquerade

A Face A Mother Feared

Elizabeth had been a hollow shell of her past self ever since he left her. She had only wanted to sing for him, she hadn't expected to love him how she did. She hadn't expected to care for him that way. She hadn't expected him to bin her as soon as his précieux petit ange (precious little angel) came running back.
'Dieu! Ça me rend tellement fou!' she thought. (God! It makes me so mad!) She contained herself to her room, and didn't leave. Finally, one day, she did, but with bags packed. She was going to live with Marie and her husband.
She got on the train, sitting first class, as tears threatened to fall. She missed him. She hadn't sang since that night with him. She smiled, thinking about what her mum had told her oldest brother who moved to Spain with his wife. "Think of only joyous memories of those you miss, never the harsh or cruel." So she did just that.
   She arrived at her sister's house, only to find, no one was there. The remaining furniture was covered in dusty cloths, and the rest of the house was barren except for a single chair and table in what would be a dining room.
   She sighed, and ventured upstairs, where she found a small twin-sized bed in an empty room. She set her bag down, and said "I miss him." She then found a piece of parchment from her stationary kit, and a quill with some ink. She proceeded to make a list of everything she missed about him, and every flaw she disliked.
The list went something like this...
I miss:
His cologne
His voice
His laugh
His smile
His personality
His presence
His music
His mask
His hair
His body
His hands
His eyes
His music box that played songs
Him

Flaws I dislike:
Christine

   The only thing she didn't like was that Christine was always somewhere in the back of his mind. Whether it be positive or negative thoughts, she was a constant.
   She cried herself to sleep that night, and woke early. She rushed from the house, bringing only a locket and quill Erik gave to her, and a sewing kit. She got on the first train back to Paris, and sat in silence the whole way.
   When she got back, she practically sprinted to the opera house, not caring who saw her, or thought her to be improper. She burst through the doors, happy the opera was closed that day, and ran to her dressing room. She saw that the mirror was open, and she ran into the dark corridor.
   She made her way to the icy pool again, but saw no boat. She ran through the water, for it was fairly shallow, until she reached where he resided. She heard sobbing, and cried out "Erik!" She then whispered to herself, "Please be here, please be okay."
   She saw a dark figure on the bed, and rushed to it. It was Erik! He was crying out, and moaning. She saw as she approached him, his white shirt was now red with blood. He looked like he had been shot in his abdomen! She ran to him, and said, "Erik, Erik, in here now. I'm here. Where's Christine?" She looked around, trying to find the mauvaise vipère et pandora. (evil viper and pandora)
   She saw the blood pool growing, and she said, "I might have to try to operate on you, because you can't go to a hospital." He's had a warrant out for arrest for twenty-five years! She ripped his shirt off, and immediately saw the cause of the wound. It was a stab wound, and she was glad it wasn't a bullet lodged inside him.
   "Okay, this will probably hurt really badly, so I apologize, but I'm saving your life." She grabbed a candle, a bottle of beer, and her sewing kit. She wondered where the beer came from, but had no time for questioning.
She lit the pointy end of the needle on fire, sterilizing it. The then grabbed a spool of thread, and tied it on. She poured the beer on the wound, hoping the alcoholic contents would help to disinfect it. Then she took the needle, and started sewing the wound together.
Each time it moved, which was almost constantly, he'd scream and cry. She felt so bad, and anxious, it was hard to keep a steady hand, especially with his writhing.
"Erik!!" she yelled at him, "Please stop moving, I'm trying to make this easier in both of us, but if you keep moving......I'm sorry." He whimpered, but didn't writhe any longer. She finished sewing him up, and when she was done, she helped him limp over to the icy water.
She helped him down into the boat, and started paddling. She knew she could get Miss Giry's help if she could just get him to the dressing room. She got him up to the corridor, and called for Caesar the horse to come, which he did.
She helped him up onto the horse, and led the horse up to the mirror entrance. She helped him down once more, tying the horse to a torch-holder in the corridor. She lay him down on the bed, and ran from the room. Their only hope was to find Mme. Giry.