From Shadows to Starlight

The Phantom Returns

Chapter Nine

I'm not, I'm not myself, feels like I'm someone else, fallen and faceless, so hollow, hollow inside. A part of me is dead, need you to live again. Can you replace this? I'm hollow, hollow and faceless."  --RED

The Phantom Returns

The drive seemed to last forever. Out of the corner of his eye, Erik could see that Alana had fallen asleep sitting up beside him. He was thankful for that, because at some point on the night’s journey he’d realized he had absolutely no idea where he was going...something she didn't need to know. He wasn't exactly familiar with these roads, but he feared they had taken a wrong turn at some point after their encounter with the five thieves, and he wasn’t sure where they would end up. One thing he did know was that they would not be in Paris by tomorrow, or maybe even the day after that. He reached into his cloak and pulled out his pocket watch. Four in the morning. Like Alana, he too was exhausted, and every bone in his body ached from the fight, from far too many hard hits he‘d taken. His head especially hurt. It felt like it was taking hits over and over again with one of the thieves’ clubs.

Suddenly he noticed lights on the horizon, and he breathed a sigh of relief. A city, closer and closer with every minute. Not Paris, he knew, but what was it? Soon he began to see signs signaling their approach to the city of Rouen. He realized with an unpleasant feeling in his stomach that he had been to Rouen once, long ago, when he had been with the traveling fair. He was kept locked up the entire time and never got a chance to see the beauties of the city. It was the historic capital city of Normandy…so that was the region of France he had been in for the past months…and the home of many beautiful sights he wouldn’t be able to see. If he ventured out into the city, he knew people would stare at him, mask or no mask, and they would be wary or even afraid of him. He couldn’t stand the feeling of being watched; something he always felt when he was among other people or out in the bright light of day. When the sunlight shone down on him, he had this strange, terrifying feeling of someone, somewhere, watching him, with eyes that burned like sunrays straight through his skin and into his soul. In the light, he was safe from no one. He hadn’t been in the sun since his childhood, and though he hated the day, he longed to be free, no longer confined to the night.

“Alana.” The girl still slept. “Alana,” he repeated. This time she opened her eyes.

“Yes?” she answered sleepily. By now they had entered Rouen. The city was asleep, but the empty cobblestone road was lit by streetlamps, bathing the empty streets in a glow that was both lovely and a bit eerie. “Oh.” Alana looked around. “Where are we?”

“This is Rouen,” Erik said. “Keep your eyes open for an inn with a stable.”

“All right.” Alana scanned the streets diligently along with Erik, and soon they came upon Le Maison D’accueil, a charming old hotel that was several stories high and looked very expensive.

Erik pulled Raven to a halt, and got down from the cart, going around to the back and rummaging through his things. He pulled out a small bag of money and handed it to Alana. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You will go and pay for two rooms and a stall and place to keep a cart. While you’re doing that, I will get Raven adequately situated. When I am finished and when you have the keys to the rooms, go into my room and open the window. I will be up as soon as I can.”

Alana looked bemused. “That’s quite an elaborate plan for getting into your hotel room. What are you planning to do, come in through the window?”

Yes, that had been the plan. He didn’t like her sarcastic tone and the fact that she was obviously trying to hold back laughter, so he didn’t answer.