Why Fear The Face ?

Chapter 9

Erik's POV
Is she happy with the revenge that I have got her? Is she satisfied?
I stood in the wing of the balcony which he hung from in the shadows, I wanted to see her reaction. I knew no one but her, with that oblivious nature, would venture up here themselves. So I waited, the screams from the ballerinas were almost unbearable but I stayed and stood my ground, despite their horrendous shrieks.

She was very late, I was beginning to worry for her. The footsteps coming up the spiral staircase were so soft and delicate that I knew it had to be her. I waited in anticipation.

She still didn't look in full health but it did reassure me that she looked a lot better than the night before. At first she didn't notice; when I saw her reaction I wished I hadn't.

Her expression was cold and unrecognisable, the moment she looked this way I knew I had done wrong in her eyes. I quickly wiped the smile of pride off of my face and quickly made away from the scene of the crime, for which I was the culprit.

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Roses's POV

Why? Why had he killed this man? I didn't understand, yes he was the lowest of the low; Erik is not a murderer. I was in complete and utter shock, I didn't believe what I was seeing, I didn't want to. I heard people in the distance screaming at the top of their voices for me to get down from where I stood, but I couldn't. I couldn't for I was too numb with shock.

I heard people coming up the staircase behind me and ran the other way into the shadows which he had disappeared. I ran and ran into the darkness till I ran into something that stopped me from going any further. He held me at arms distance his hands cupping my shoulders.

"Why?" I looked to the floor, I couldn't meet his eyes.

"He was a bad man. He deserved his fate. The anger... I just couldn't deal with knowing he'd got away with what he'd done." He let a light finger trace over the bandage around my neck.

"Yes but you didn't need to kill him!" I cried shaking his hand away from my neck."You're not God Erik! You don't have the ability to control life and death!" I put my head in my hands and kneeled to the floor.

"I don't know, I... I don't regret my actions Rose, it needed to be done." He kneeled beside me putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't touch me." I whispered although I ultimately regretted my words as soon as he recoiled away from me.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." I heard him get up and began pacing away from me but I couldn't stand it. I reached and grabbed the hem of his coat

"Please..." I didn't know what I was asking, whether it was to apologise for my harsh words or whether it was just to ask of him what he did next. He sat in front of me and pulled him into his arms, cradling me like the child I felt like. I felt same and comforted in the arms of this murderer. I saw past the horror of the mask which graced his face, underneath he was just a lost little boy who wanted only but to be loved and understood.

Later that evening after the police force had came and removed the body they had canceled that nights performance and the word had spread by this time around town that there had been a death in the opera house. We were all ordered to stay in our rooms until instructed otherwise, my heart was pounding and I felt thoroughly sickened to my stomach. Meg was with her mother so I was left to my own thoughts a prisoner in my own mind.

There was loud abrasive knock on the wooden door which cause me to jump out of my skin. "Mademoiselle Rosélinda Mc Millan?" A strange man called out from behind the door. My heart in my throat I slowly turned to open the door to find 3 policemen dressed in smart black and blue suits all armed with the latest technology of the century.

"Yes?" I answered nervously, their eyes stared me down they were all so tall and looked like they themselves could of spent time in prison.

"Please come with us, we'd like to ask you a few questions." A man with a clipboard asked but I knew it was more of an order and that I had no say in the matter.

I followed them to the managers office where there was no manager to be present, they sat one side of the desk where as I sat on the other.

"I'm sure you're aware by now of the terrible events which have occurred in the opera house, so I see no point in going over the formalities so let us get straight down to business. So Miss McMillan, where were you at the time of the unfortunate mishap?" The tallest and supposedly the one in charge of the three asked.

"I was in my room asleep, Monsieur."

"You see, we know this to not be true. Miss Giry told us that she, herself was in her room that the two of you share, we have witnesses who can prove this matter, however you Miss McMillan, do not. She told us that you were not there; some witnesses saw you going off after the show was complete with Mr. Bouquet, do you deny this?" I had no clue what to say, I simply looked to the floor, this was no looking great on my part.

"No Sir, I don't."

"Could you please explain to us in full detail what the two of you were up to on the night of his death?" I wasn't going to tell these simple braindead law enforcers about the ordeal that I had been through, there was no point, it wasn't like they'd believe me.

"No Sir, I regret I cannot share with you."

"Miss McMillan I regret to inform you that If you do choose to not share this vital piece of information with us I will have no choice but to put you under arrest until you decide to cooperate, so I will ask you again, will you please share with us what you and Mr Boquet were doing the night of his death?" I stood my ground and didn't utter another word.

"You leave us with no choice, Miss Rosélinda McMillan I am within legal right to put you under arrest due to obstructing our investigation, you're coming with us." One of the men grabbed my arm, forcing me to stand before twisting my arms behind my back to handcuff me, I accidentally yelped when the cold metal pinched my wrists so painfully that tears came to my eyes.

I didn't another word that entire night so eventually their questioning ways ceased and they decided to leave me alone in my damp dark cell, with no place nor warmth for me to rest my head.