The Phantom of the Opera: Phantom's Apprentice (Complete)

Chapter 9

"It is too high." Looking down from her window, Christia pondered the possibility of climbing down, though the way the house was built was much different from how the buildings in Paris were. Not even the possibility of using the bed sheets would work. "There has to be another way." She whispered to herself. She was locked in with no way out.

Not long earlier, she had waited till she thought the house was asleep to make her way out and back to the city. Still dressed in her day clothes, she refused to leave the room since they had arrived. Not even to come down for dinner. This infuriated the man who claimed to be her father. The woman however, seemed more saddened by this.

She almost made it to the staircase, but Raul had caught her and scolded her.

"I very much admire your diligence my child, but I am afraid you are going nowhere." Raul had stated, taking her by the hand and dragging her back to her room. She fought his grasp, but it seemed with each attempt, his grip had tightened around her wrist. "You are to stay in here till that sun rises!" He then locked the door, causing Christia to have to find another way out.

"I will be out of here!" She had screamed at the top of her lungs. "I will return to my Master!" From this, she heard nothing but another set of footsteps, more likely Christine's.

She then heard Raul speaking to her about what had happened and why she had decided to go for a walk in the middle of the night. Christia stopped listening after the couple had gone too far down the hall and she no longer could hear them.

"I have to get out of here," she softly spoke to herself. She started to pace back and forth, causing her to make noise with her shoes as she took each step. "I must get back to my master. He must be so worried about me." She began to quietly sob, but then stopped. "Pull yourself together. You were taught well. You will get out of here."

When she whispered these words, a strange noise was heard. A sort of clang that had hit the floor behind her. Turning to the sound, Christia noticed that something had been thrown under the door. Walking towards it, she saw that it was something wrapped in parchment.

"How odd," Christia whispered. Leaning down to pick it up, she felt the metal through the paper. Unwrapping it, she saw it was a small gold key. "A key? Is this the key to my door?" Flattening the paper out a little, she began to see that there was a small note written.

He waits for you. Go to the front gate.

"He waits for you," she repeated to herself. After a second, she gasped. "Master!" Without hesitation, she placed the key in the door lock. It fit and trying not to make a single noise, she opened it slowly. The hall was dark and all seemed quiet. "Let us just hope that Raul does not surprise me again."

Making her way down the dark hall, she noticed that one of the rooms was lit from under the door. Reaching the door, she heard a woman's voice.

"I heard her singing the song!" A voice spoke from inside the room. She recognized it as Christine. She sounded worried, but not as she was earlier.

"It could not have been!" She then heard Raul yelling. "I told you that he was gone and how could he have had her for 10 years?"

"I do not know but she was singing that song from that fateful night!" Christine persisted. Christia quietly placed her ear by the door and listened. "I heard her singing it Raul. It is the only way possible."

"I am finished with this! I will not hear one more word about the Phantom again!" Raul yelled out.

'The Phantom?' Christia thought to herself. 'They must be talking about the same person, but she mentioned she heard me sing a song. Did she hear me singing from my room? Does she know my master?' She thought for a moment but realized that she needed to get out of the house now before someone noticed her.

Quickly, she made her way quietly down the stairs and to the door. 'I know there will be locks on this.' After inspecting the door, she noticed that the locks had been unlocked already. 'Who ever gave me that key is helping me escape.' Opening the door, she swiftly and quietly made her way outside and into the cold.

Shutting the door as quietly as possible, Christia maneuvered herself away from the house and to the gate. The air was colder than it was and snow lightly fell to the ground. The large black metal gate was much taller than she was and again, she feared the gate would have been locked. From where she was, it looked locked, but after getting slightly closer, she noticed that it was not locked, but open very slightly.

"Someone must be helping me escape," she spoke up quietly. The air was quiet and the moon was high in the sky and clouds covered it ever so slightly. Christia made her way towards the gate once more.

"Christia?" She stopped in her tracks and turned around. "My child," it spoke again, though slightly louder. Turning back towards the gate, she saw a figure come from behind a tree that sat only a few meters away from the gate.

She did not think twice, but now ran towards the gate.

"Master!" She exclaimed, opening the gate and making her way towards him. He made his presence clear and held his arms out, allowing his black cloak to drag a part of the light snowy ground. Christia accepted this and embraced her master, burying her face into his chest.

"Oh Christia," he spoke, holding her close to him. "I am relieved you're safe." A tear or two fell down his face as he held the girl tightly. Releasing her, he noticed that tears were flowing down her face. "What is wrong child?"

"Master, will you ever forgive me?" Christia began to spurt out. "I allowed myself to get caught and for angering you. I never meant any harm to you! Please forgive me!" She put her head in her hands and cried. Her Master placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a look of reassurance.

"My child. I am the one who should be sorry. I never should have yelled at you like that." He spoke to her with a tone of remorse. He then took a look up to the estate. He saw a figure near one of the windows looking down at them. Looking slightly longer, he set his eyes on Christia again. "We must go."

Taking her by the hand, he led her to a brown horse that was not too far off from where they were standing. Christia noticed that the saddle was engraved with the name of a carriage company in the city.

"Master? Did you steal this horse?" Christia questioned.

"Only for the time being my dear. We will be returning it when we return." He answered her, lifting her up onto the horse and then placing himself behind her. "Comfortable?" Christia nodded while he took the reins and snapped them. The horse then began to run away from the estate and back to the city.