Twisted Every Way

Chapter 16~ No Return

~Paige's POV~

This was it. This was the day that changes everything. I should be happy. I should be thankful that everything is set up so well, that nothing is probably going to happen. But something inside me, was telling me that I should count my blessings, just in case. Tonight was the night that there was no going back.

I stood in the wings, waiting for my que on stage. We were currently half way through the first act of Don Juan Triumphant and soon it would be the song that I helped Erik create. Erik had told me that he was planning on playing Don Juan instead of Piangi, so I wasn't worried that there wasn't going to be any chemistry between the main character and I. No. There was going to be plenty of chemistry.

I saw Meg run off the stage and I knew it was my turn to walk on, with my basket of roses. I lay the basket on the stage floor and began to sing.

"No thoughts within her head, but thoughts of joy. No dreams within her heart, but dreams of love." That last note was one I had been practising for weeks. It was really high and I didn't know if I could even manage to make it, but I did. As I had finished singing my part, a familiar male voice drifted around the stage. Erik.

We sung our song, definitely not lacking in passion and chemistry. We were finishing it, standing on top of a bridge. I had my back resting on his torso, and my head was laying on his chest. Everything was perfect. Almost too perfect. I had been dreaming about this since I first kissed Erik.

I was pretty happy. Let me rephrase that. I was very happy. Well, that was until a gun fired right next to my ear. I screamed. I looked into the audience, and there he was. Standing up and pointing a gun to me. I stepped away from Erik, who was quietly growling.

"Long time, no see Paige. Did you really think that you could hide from me? I know you've been living with your new lover. Well, you can't hide from me any longer! You're coming with me." The crowd got worried. "Everyone stay where you are. I am not afraid to use this gun." I stepped backward. Erik grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him.

"She's not going any where with you, Alexander. Do you really think that I will just willingly let her go to you, after everything you did to her in the past?"

The crowd started to whisper about what was happening. A man stood up and ran towards the exit. Alexander saw this and pointed the gun at the man, and pulled the trigger. There was a loud bang and the poor man fell the the floor. The audience screamed, but none of them dared to get out of their seats. They all knew not to mess with Alexander.

"So Paige, what are you going to do. You can come with me or-" Alexander ran up to stage and sliced a rope. It opened a trap door where we were standing and Erik and I fell onto the stage. We landed in a heap and suddenly my wrist began throbbing. I knew it was probably broken. I was about to stand up slowly when two rough hands grabbed my arms and pulled me up. I squealed through the pain as I was held against a man that I didn't know. I looked around to see Erik and what I saw made my blood boil.

Two men were holding Erik by his arms and he was kneeling on the floor, looking completely defeated. Alexander walked up to him and pressed the gun to his head. I shouted out to him.

"Please Alexander. Don't do this. I will do anything, just let him go." Alexander stared at me. He left Erik and strolled over to me. Once he was close enough, he lifted his hand to stroke my cheek. What I felt was not a stroke, but a slap. Erik cried out for him to stop but Alexander just smiled.

"Leave him Paige. Come with me and forget all about him. You lived with me for two years, you know perfectly what I want." I shuddered at the though. Yes, I knew what Alexander wanted. A child. If that's what it takes to save Erik, then so be it.

"No Paige. Do not do this to save me, please. Paige, if you do this there is no turning back. This is the point of no return." I thought about it in my head. I could either leave Alexander but loose Erik, or I could walk away with Alexander and let Erik continue with his life. In my head, I had already made my choice, and it certainly didn't involve Erik dying.

"Erik, please never forget me." I saw a tear drip out of Erik's eye as he realised what I was going to do. I walked towards Alexander until I was practically breathing on him. "Beautiful creature of darkness," I sung. "What type of life have you known. God give me courage to show you, that you're not alone."

Whith that, I placed my hand in Alexander's and pulled him towards the exit. I could hear Erik shouting and screaming, but I didn't look back. I would run straight back to him if I saw his face once again. No. I would hold on to my memory of him, and I prayed that he would too. He promised that he would.

We walked out of door, and I saw that a carrige was waiting for us. I climbed in and Alexander did the same. We started to move and I looked out of the window to see my last view of the Opera Populaire. But something was wrong. There was smoke coming out a window, and then an other. The Opera Populaire was on fire. I looked to Alexander who was sitting, staring out of the window with a smirk on his face.

I closed my eyes knowing that there was nothing that I could do about it. I just prayed that where ever Erik was, that he was safe.

The carrige came to a stop and Alexander got out first. He held out his hand for me, and I was surprised by his use of manners. I took his hand and got out of the carrige. I looked around to see where we were, and what I saw didn't suprise me. We were at a train station, and my father was standing near the train. The next train was definatly headed for Itlaly.