Phantom of the Opera; The Phantom lives

Chapter 27: Am I foolish?

As me and my love Raoul rowed across the small lake from the island that belonged to my captor couldn't help but feel odd. No, I know this feeling, I felt it for my father and mama Valérius and at one point my lover Raoul. Except it's far stronger than any I had felt before. Well except for my father, I will always cherish my memories with him, and I never expected to make any new memories with him after his funeral until my Angel of Music, that is. I have never heard more beautiful playing from my fathers violin since he once played it all those years ago until that night at the grave, it was absolutely enchanting. Now to think that man who gave me such joy is being left to rot in that horrible house, forever hidden away from light and stuck with his own personal demons feels cruel, an Angel should never be tormented by demons. Now I know he isn't an Angel, not even close to a saint either. A monster as Raoul is now describing him as. But the way he spoke of his life before the Opera House was devastating and as I told my lover Raoul I can never forget his tears. So why am I feeling this awful, heart wrenching way about him? After all, I should hate him, even want him dead but I only want to help him. What would father want me to do?

Raoul suddenly thrusted me out of my thoughts,

"Christine? Is everything alright? You must still be in shock. I'll get you to the doctor immediately, I can't possibly imagine what he did to you before I rescued you!" I feel myself stiffen at his words, what was he thinking?! Did he think Erik may have.... No! He would never! How could he think such a thing!? Also he saved me? I rescued him from drowning! I quickly focus my thoughts to attempt to speak to him in a calm manner however my voice just ends up quiet and stumbly, "Raoul...? I was just wondering..." His face inches closer to me as he eagerly waits for me to say the end of my sentence, "Do you think we could... help him?"

Raoul's response was completely different from what I had hoped. He jumped back and stared at me with disgust, and gasped, "My Christine you surely aren't talking about that horrible monster we just narrowly escaped, right?!" There's that word again, monster, that word that I've heard many times to describe him, a monster. The phantom, the horror of the opera house, death's head, I'm sure he heard it all from within this beautiful horror show we call an opera house. "Maybe if we helped him, maybe he could get better, he could go outside without the stresses of stares and past trauma that has haunted him since he was a boy. He has told me many things of his childhood, things a boy should never experience in his life!"

"Christine what lies has he been feeding to you, you foolish woman! How could you believe him after I told you he was a sham!?" It was my turn to stare at Raoul with a horrified look on my face, is this the man I fell in love with all those years ago? "Raoul, please have a heart! He is a poor man who has done nothing to a world that decided it hated him long ago, please!" I suddenly felt a strong pain on my cheek, I touched it gingerly.

"Raoul...?" I whispered in shock. Had he just...?

"Christine my dear I'm sorry but it was the only way to get you to stop talking about such foolish things like helping the monster beneath the opera house!" I felt a swell of rage overcome me as we rocked into the rickety dock at the otherside of the lake. "No Raoul! Am I foolish for wanting to help someone? Or am I foolish for falling in love with someone so cruel!?" Raoul stared at me as he got out of the rickety boat, to which I didn't follow. "Christine! Don't tell me you...! You slut! You fell in love with him didn't you! I should have known you weren't the good pure girl I fell in love with as a boy! Think about it, a man who lives under the opera house! Of course someone like you fell in love with him!" I stared at him, how could he say something like that? "Go now you whore! Go run back to him I won't stop you!" Hot tears were running down his face and mine by this point. What was he talking about and calling me...? Does he even still love me? "Raoul please don't make me choose... please...!" Raoul growed in reply,

"It shouldn't be a difficult choice between me and that monster!" I slowly stood up, I could see Raoul smirking until I grabbed the rope and slowly untied it. "Christine, are you really turning your back on everything we have just for that freak!?"

"HE'S NOT A FREAK RAOUL!" I snapped, "And I am not in love with him, I want to help him, of course you would know that if you had listened to a word I uttered." Raoul looked deflated when I glanced in his direction before boating off. "Maybe he's not the freak but you are, a true monster would turn their back on someone clearly in need."

And with that I pushed off the dock and headed for the little island I just left. I heard Raoul's angered shouts and calls to me, all of which I wanted to just block out. I am so mad, how could he do this to me? I thought he loved me? My heart ached for me to be with him again but I knew I couldn't, not after what he said. And I know that Erik still needs my help, after all he just told me that he was tired of living and was ready f0r death.

'Was he going to try and kill himself?'

Suddenly that thought jolted out a sense of urgency, when? I started rowing the little rickety boat quickly across the lake and rushed onto the island. I ran into the house to find things quiet, too quiet. I walked into the living room and found him, and I suddenly had the thought that maybe I shouldn't have walked into this old rickety house of horrors. I let out a scream at his body hanging from his punjab lasso. All I can do is stand there, screaming. 'Help him!' my mind screams yet my body is frozen.