The Phantom's Shadow (On Hold/Serious Editing In Progress)

The Point Of No Return

                Upon hearing another, fresh round of shrieking, my eyes snap open and I can see Erik slashing at a cord beside him, and my heart sinks as I watch the giant chandelier above plummet toward the unsuspecting crowd.

          "ERIK!" I scream at the top of my lungs, running toward the stage fire as he kicks something on the bridge and drops down into the prop fire below with Christine.

     Though it hurts to know he's gone through such extremes for her, a part of me knows that I must follow him and at least attempt to reason with him and bring him out of the delirious phase of fury that he seems to be trapped in.

     So, not even thinking twice, I jump in.

     There's no doubt in my mind from the pain that ensues in my legs that I've made a regrettable decision. However, I shake off the sore feelings in my muscles and follow the small torch of light that has just disappeared in front of me, knowing that it's Christine and Erik.

          "WHY, DO YOU ASK, WAS I BOUND AND CHAINED IN THIS COLD DISMAL PLACE?!" I hear him bellow through the tunnels, making me fear for Christine. "NOT FOR ANY MORTAL SIN, BUT THE WICKEDNESS OF MY ABHORRENT FACE!"

          "ERIK!" I try screeching, knowing that with how this place echoes that he'll be able to hear me.

     He doesn't respond, clearly only thinking about Christine.

     Pushing my legs to move my body faster, I eventually make it up to them by the time they've reached the entrance to the lair. Erik is still roughly pulling Christine along as he loads her into the boat, and I make a last minute jump onto the boat, startling both of them.

         "Erik, please—"

          "THIS DOESN'T INVOLVE YOU, SHADOW!" The concentrated hatred in his voice makes me flinch back as though he's physically assaulted me.

     But I don't back down.

          "It may not involve me, but you need to think about how this makes Christine feels!" I shout as loudly as possible, which doesn't result in volume so much as it results in being higher pitched. "You can't force her to love you!"

          "JUST LIKE YOU CAN'T FORCE ME TO LOVE YOU!" He strikes below the belt.

     I swallow, before trying once more to put on my brave face.

          "I only want your happiness." I clench my teeth to stop the flow of tears I'm certain are moments away from spilling over. "But you can't be happy if Christine isn't happy, and this isn't what she wants."

     By now we're in the cave, and he yanks Christine out of the boat by the arm and over to a mannequin of her in a wedding dress; he rips the wedding dress from the mannequin and shoves it to her chest, bidding her to go and change into it.

     Once I manage to finally maneuver out of the boat, he finally gives me his undivided attention, a hostile glare in his eyes.

     I'm stuck between being glad he's directed away from Christine and terrified of what he might do to me in his state of blinding rage. Yet, I know I have to take care of Christine, because she's become like a sister to me, even if I don't understand why she's made some of the decisions she has.

          "Shadow," His voice is quieter, but still as sharp as a rapier. "Come here."

     Though I know he's beyond irate with me, I swallow my fear and boldly walk up to him, until I almost directly in his face, bracing myself for whatever argument or stream of profane words he has to spit out at me.