The Man Clad in Black: Book Two

Weak - Chapter 31

By the time you woke up, you saw Detective Francois sitting nearby with his head in his hands, looking quite distressed. His leg bounced as his gaze kept on the ground— and, though he was quick to glance up to check if you were awake, it was clear that the task seemed now tedious.

He seemed almost surprised that you were awake.

"Mademoiselle..." he began. He practically had a speech prepared for when you woke up, but suddenly, his voice became choked in his throat— he could hardly speak, and any inspiration behind his words became completely lost.

"What're you doing here?" you asked. You wished to turn on your side, to face him better, but you were too weak to do so– you would give up before even trying.

"A formal apology, for starters," he said. His large hands fell from his face and clasped together so tightly they shook— and almost to the point where his they turned red. "I'm sure you do not want to relive those moments, but... I want you to know a few things. Firstly, erhm...

He paused and glanced down at the floor again, trying to recollect his thoughts.

"From my own pocket, I will be more than willing to pay any compensations you deem necessary," he said. "And... I wanted to apologize sincerely for what occured with Peter."

Rub salt into the wound, why don't you?

"Thank you for the apology, but..."

The rush of the events came flooding back over you, and your heart began to race again.

"What's to become of Erik?" you asked.

"My apologies?" Francois asked, his eyebrows furrowing. He wanted more than anything to give you everything that you wanted, just to compensate for what had occurred in his hands, and he felt horrible that he didn't know who you were speaking about.

"Erik," you said. With newfound strength, you pushed yourself up, panicking just a little. You were quick to realize why he was so confused. "The— the ghost, per se— what's going to happen to him?"

Francois paused.

"I think they've decided to execute him," he muttered.

"No!"

You felt like you had been shot all over again. All of your memories with Erik came flooding back to you, and you felt the sudden urge to burst into tears.

"You're lying," you said. "They can't—"

"Mademoiselle..." he said, his eyebrows furrowing in the slightest.

"They can't just..." You felt panic begin to crawl all over you. It was near impossible to see— everything was so blurred, and you had gotten so worked up that your tears fell without you having to blink... And even after they fell, your vision was still obscured. All sense of logic had escaped you. "Monsieur, I love him! You can't let him die!"

Francois's gaze shot up to you.

"You do?"

"Of course I do," you sobbed, your left hand shooting out in front of him. "We're married, Monsieur! He turned himself in so I wouldn't get into any trouble!"

Francois's jaw tightened. He casted you a horribly empathetic look, and you immediately remembered how much trouble you could get into for saying that...

But you no longer cared.

"Where is he being held?" you asked. In a fit of worry, you stood up— despite the fact that it was horribly painful and probably dangerous. "I can't... Monsieur, I have to see him."