Through Music We Love

IX - Cecilia

I never knew Meg could sing so well. Listening to her sing a song about the beach was quite the pleasant sound. I really had missed my dear sister. We had caught up quite a bit before the performance. I could hear her from the room Christine was getting ready in at the moment.

Raoul strides in and runs a hand down the back of my neck. "Will you take Gustave to a seat, I'll be there in a moment."

I hold back the vomit in my throat and stood to take Gustave out and escape Raoul when he grabs my arm. "Don't try to go to him. It won't be pleasant if you do." He hisses into my ear. He releases me and I rush out of the room with Gustave.

We run into Meg in the hall and make small talk as she leads us to our seats. I so dearly loved my sister and she was a blissful release from Christine and Raoul.

A few moments later, I'm caressed by a brisk salty air an wood planks are creaking beneath my feet. "Meg, where are we? This can't be the right place."

"Not far now." She mutters. She grips my arm tighter, her hold becoming a vice, "Not much further."

"Why are we out here, Ms. Meg?" Gustave squeaked, tightening his grip on my skirts as she pulls us along. "Ms. Giry, I want to go back!"

"Meg, we should go watch Christine. It is so terribly cold out here." I suggest, hoping it will deter her from whatever was going on. My stomach twisted into a tangled ball of yarn.

"Its almost over Cecelia." Meg mutters. "I thought we could go for a swim."

"Let them go, Meg!" I heard Erik shout from down the dock. What was going on? Why is Meg so disrupted? Why did Erik sound so scared?

"Why do you always ignore me?" Meg mutters. Without a second passing, I was careening sideways and there was nothing around me but cold sea air and the void.

I flail and my throat constricts, there's nothing but cold air, empty space and shouts. I felt a small hand grasp mine tightly, though I nearly fell out of its grasp. "Mr. Erik, I can't hold on!" Gustave shouts.

"Meg!" I cry, suddenly understanding what is going on. "Please you know I can't swim, please Meg! My sister, please."

"No, no, no, SHUT UP!" Meg wails. "You always ignore me, Master. I dance and I sing and I hope that you'll just recognize all I do for you! And yet- you don't even think of me. You only think of my sweet little sister. My dear sweet Cecelia and all her blindness." Her words were fill with such spite and rage I had to question where my sweet, teasing sister had gone.

"Meg put down the gun!" Christine's voice joins the crys.

"Meg, please!" Madam Giry calls as well.

"No mother! I will not be silenced. He has to understand, I have done so much I have worked so hard for him. I was just a pretty girl to them. I was just a fool to be used in their hearts, in their homes, in their beds! You don't understand what I've done to be by your side. All you care about is her! Only my sister!" Meg's voice echoed with betrayal and hatred, my heart responded with pity and sorrow.

I felt my heart break at what my closest companion, my sister went through. Men could be terrible creatures when they wanted to be. I feared what had happened to make her so unlike herself. She was my sister and someone had hurt her so badly.

"Gustave," I whispered decidedly. "Let go of my hand."

"Cecelia! You- you can't swi-" I wrenched my hand out of his and released a scream, hoping that this could all be over. Perhaps Meg would drop the gun all together.

"Cecelia!" I heard Erik cry before I went under. Water pressed on me from every angle, chilling and biting. I flailed my arms as my lungs tightened and my heart stung.

I pawed at the water hoping desperately to swim to the surface. There was no up or down, only cold, unfeeling water.

I thought of everything I'd never get to do. I'd never get to finish my life with Erik, I'd never see Gustave play for the world. I'd never get to have children of my own. I'd never be able to make Erik smile with my music. I thought of the feeling I got when he smiled, though I couldn't see it, it always made the room warmer.

When my lungs nearly exploded an arm encircled my waist and pulled me above the water. Suddenly there were hands everywhere, pulling me up onto the dock. I coughed and spluttered and listen for Erik and Gustave.

My ears heard nothing but jumbled words and painful cries. But I smelled blood. The metallic tang spread through the air, permeating everything.

Where was Erik?