The Fifth Cellar (Phantom of the Opera)

Chapter 20 - The Rooftop

 Evangeline's POV:

It was the day after the trapdoor incident and I was again on the tail of Christine and Raoul. I had spoken to Erik and he had been the one who closed the door. As of right now Christine and Raoul were heading up into the rooftop. I glided silently behind them then saw something between me and them. Uh oh, I thought. The shadow looked a lot like Erik. Somehow I didn't think this was going to be good. Christine and Raoul ran up the flights of stairs and were soon on the roof. She hurried to a bench and Raoul sat beside her. I took up my place behind a statue. I wanted to know what they were going to talk about. The sun was setting and it spread its beautiful light over the pair. Suddenly Christine said,

*“Soon we shall go father and faster than the clouds, to the end of the world; and then you will leave me, Raoul. But, if, when the moment comes for you to take me away, I refuse to go with you, well then, Raoul, you must carry me away by force!”* This was strange. This didn't sound good. Erik was going to kill if she ran from him.

*“Are you afraid that you will change your mind, Christine?”* Raoul asked. She shook her head oddly, and said,

*“I don't know, He is a demon!”* With a moan she buried herself into Raoul's arms. I was beginning to wonder if Erik was watching and if he was when he was going to kill them. *“I am afraid now of going back to live with him … in the ground.”*
*“What compels you to go back, Christine?”*

*“If I do not go back to him, terrible misfortunes may happen! … But I can't do it, I can't do it! … I know one ought to be sorry for people who live underground … but he is too horrible! And yet the time is at hand; I have only a day left; and, if I do not go, he will come and fetch me with his voice. And he will drag me with him, underground, and go on his knees before me, with his death's-head. And he will tell me that he loves me! And he will cry! Oh, those tears. Raoul, those tears in the to black eye-sockets of the death's-head! I cannot see those tears flow again!”* I was surprised that she hated them so much. I had wiped them away and loved him even while he cried. What was wrong with her? Raoul hugged her as she wrung her hands.

*“No, no, you shall never again hear him tell you that he loves you! You shall not see his tears! Let us fly, Christine, let us fly at once!”* He tried to take her away with him at the moment but she refused. The girl was confusing. I would never understand her.

*“No, no,” she whispered, “Not now! … it would be too cruel … Let him hear me sing tomorrow evening .. and then we will go away. You must come and fetch me in my dressing-room at midnight exactly. He will be waiting for me in the dining-room by the lake: we shall be free and you shall take me away .. You must promise me that, Raoul, even if I refuse; for I feel that, if I go back this time, I shall perhaps never return …”* She sighed again and I heard the echo from behind them. I knew then that Erik was listening. He was going to kill Raoul for this. And Christine wasn't going to have it easy. I wanted to tell them to cease talking about it but there was nothing I could do. I could only listen and watch. Christine heard the sigh and said,

*“Didn't you hear?”* Her teeth were chattering. She was scared.

*“No, I heard nothing …”* Raoul stated.

*“It is too terrible, to be always trembling like this! … and yet we run no danger here: we are at home, in the sky, in the open air, in the light. The sun is flaming; and the night-birds cannot bear to look at the sun. I have never seen him by daylight … it must be awful! … Oh, the first time I saw him! … I thought he was going to die.”* Now this was getting more and more interesting. She must have been talking about what was under the mask. I was curious and maybe she would tell me something so I might be prepared. I only wished Erik wasn't listening as well.

*“Why,”* Raoul seemed genuinely frightened as he heard his love say it.

*“Because I have seen him.”* Christine moaned.