My Angel of Music

My Heart is Burning

The carriage shook and jolted as we rode down the eternal dirt road.  Meg weeped silently beside me, clutching my children in her arms.  Erik's head laid in my lap, and I pretended he was simply sleeping.  The men had wrapped his chest in some sort of coated bandages, and I could almost feel the heat being lifted from his flesh.  They said Luke's condition was too severe for the ba dages, but they rubbed some sort of salve over his visible burns.  The carriage was completly silent, besides the occasional moan from Erik, or sob from Meg.  

 I glued my eyes to Erik's, and tried to mentally make him wake up.  It didn't work.  Suddenly, a deep voice broke the silence.  "Um, Madame, we would like to introduce ourselves."  I looked up to see a black-headed young man adressing Meg and I.  Meg was too distraught to speak, so I turned to face them.  "I'm Johnny Delvin.  You can call me John."  The dark haired man said.  I nodded at him, unable to smile.  Next, a red haired man with a face of freckles and deep blue eyes smiled at me.  "I'm Tyler."  He chirped.  I couldn't help but smile at his happiness, in spite of the situation.  To his left was a blonde man, who looked to be the youngest.  "And I'm Julius."  He said shyly.  I nodded at all of them.

"And you are the Doctor's assitances?"  I asked quietly, my voice cracking a little.  They looked at eachother and laughed.  My eyebrows rose in confusion.

"We're apprentices."  Tyler explained.  I nodded before looking back at Erik's pained expression.  "Do you think they'll be okay?"  I whispered, so Meg wouldn't hear, just in case they said no.  John looked at Tyler, and Tyler looked at John with a hopeful expression.  John turned back to me, a small smile on his thin lips.  "Yes, Madame.  I hope so."  He answered quietly.

***

"Meg, we have to let the doctor do his work."  I pulled at Meg's arms, but she held fast to Luke's bed.  Her sobs were loud and painful, but I knew just how she felt.  "Meg, please!"  I scoffed.  Suddenly, I was gently pushed to the side by Julius.  He grabbed Meg by the shoulders and lifted her up as if she were a doll.  She struggled against him, kicking and flailing, but his arms held her down.  "Luke!  Luke, no!"  She cried as she was carried away.  I gave her a pitiful glance before rushing to Erik's side and planting a kiss on his feverish brow.  "You'll be okay, alright?"  I whispered in his ear.  No response.  "Don't leave, Angel."  I commanded as a tear welled in my eye.  But before I could shed it, I bolted away, and out the door.

Julius was just setting Meg on a cot when I entered the room.  She had stopped struggling, but was weeping so loud, I was afraid the Doctor would not be able to concentrate.  I strode to her, and sat on the cot.  Julius nodded at me before leaving the room.  I looked at my poor, heartbroken sister.  She looked sick herself.  Her once beautiful curls had gotten so wet with tears they had straighned and tangled.  Her face was red and blotchy, and her eyes were swollen.  I began to rub her arm, but she shook me off.  I sighed and sunk to the floor beside her cot.  I stared at the plain wooden floor below me, as if it had all the answers.

How many times must I go through this?  Erik had been on death's door how many times now?  Three?  It was getting to be too much to handle.  I feared for my sanity.  Annabel and Elsa were safely tucked away in a nearby bed, napping, to my relief.  I wouldn't be able to handle them right now.  My mind was getting dimmer, as if a light was going out.  It was if I was blocking everything out.  I didn't think, I didn't move, I didn't even blink for hours.  Meg's crying eventually ceased, and she fell into a restless slumber.  The window beside Annabel's cot got darker and darker.  And the candle beside me finally flickered out.  I was left in complete, utter darkness.  And that's exactly how I wanted it.  

Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation, is what Erik said once.  He said many things about the night, but I didn't care to think of them at that moment.