The Phantom's Daughter (Book 2)

On The Edge

Elise ran through Phantasma with her father, Christine, and Madame Giry close behind her.
She could understand the pain Meg was going through after being cast aside by Erik, and she just prayed that Meg didn't do anything rash.
If she had sacrificed the same things that Meg had, Elise knew that she would feel a whole lot worse about being replaced by Gustave and Christine.
She knew that in her right mind, Meg would never hurt Gustave, as she was Christine's son.
But Meg was not in her right mind, and that scared Elise.

When they eventually reached the pier, Christine immediately called out to her son, who was standing on the edge beside Meg.
"Gustave!" Yelled Christine.
"Mother!" Gustave called back as him and Meg spun around to face the group.
"Stay back, I mean it" warned Meg, as she clutched Gustave tightly.
"Let go of the boy" ordered Erik.
"Not another step" shouted Meg.
"Let go of him girl, or I swear-"
"Not another word. I always wondered how to make you watch, well watch me now".

Meg pushed Gustave back sightly, and he had to grab hold of the pier railing to stop himself from falling into the water below.
Elise knew that the boy couldn't swim, so if he fell into the sea, he would almost certainly drown before they could save him.
"This is all your fault. I came here because of you... I took a little trip to Coney Island, I took a little trip because of you. I did as mother said, I followed where you lead, and I tried to do what little I could do... But here's the way it works on Coney Island, they make you pay for every little crum. I gave what they would take, I gave it for your sake. Now look at me and see what I've become" continued Meg.
Elise could see the pain in Meg's eyes, as years of pain and neglect began to spill out of her.

Meg then began to sing an eerie dark version of the song she had sung in the show earlier that evening, that Erik had failed to watch.
"Bathing beauty on the beach. Bathing beauty in her dressing room. Bathing beauty in the dark. On their laps, in their arms, in their beds" she cried.
"Meg, my little Meg" sobbed Madame Giry.
Elise felt tears stream down her face as she stared out at her friend.
America had broken Meg, and Elise didn't know if there was a way to make her whole again.
"What are you saying?" Questioned Erik, who had no idea about the things Meg had gotten up to, on his behalf.

"Who helped you raise the money? Who helped the permits come through? Who greased the wheels of your high flying deals, brought you time when the bills came through? Who swayed the local bosses, carried favor with the press? No, not her" snapped Meg, as she pointed at Christine.
"Are you saying what I think you are?" Asked Erik softly.
"Meg has sacrificed more than most to get you where you are today" revealed Elise.
"Did you-"
"No, I only sold my talents, not my body. But had I been older when we arrived in America, I would've shared Meg's burden, and ended up like my mother"
"Why did you never tell me about any of this?"
"We didn't want to, as a man, we didn't think that you'd understand, so we decided to keep it from you".

Erik turned back to look at Meg, his face full of shame, "Meg, I am so sorry".
"It's too late now. You have chosen Christine over me again" snapped Meg.
"Who kept singing, desperate for your favour? And who kept dancing, hoping you would save her? Who kept dying, while you looked the other way? You couldn't see me then, so watch me now!" Continued Meg.
She then reached into her pocket and removed a revolver, which she began to point towards Gustave.
"No!" Screamed everyone on the pier in unison.

"Now that I've got your attention at last. Here's the big finish, and then you can go!" Announced Meg, as she released Gustave and raised the gun to her temple.
Gustave ran towards them and jumped into his mother's open arms.
Although she was delighted that Gustave was now safe, Elise couldn't take her eyes off Meg.
"Meg, please put the gun down" begged Elise as she took a step towards her friend.
Erik reached out his arm, and held Elise back, shaking his head.
"I've got to stop her. I know you're angry at her for putting Gustave's life in danger, but she is my best friend, and I'm not going to watch her die" insisted Elise, as she tried to get around her father.
"I don't want you to get hurt. Let me deal with this" he whispered, before turning back to face Meg.

"Give me the gun Meg. Give me the hurt and the pain, and the gun Meg. Give me the blame for not seeing the things that you've done Meg... Give me the gun Meg. Give me the chance to see you clear at last" insisted Erik, as he slowly began to walk towards Meg.
"See me clear at last" mumbled Meg.
He had never given Meg the attention that she deserved, and now that she was receiving it, the impact it had on her was overwhelming.

"You feel ugly, you feel used, you feel broken, you feel bruised. Ah but me, I can see all the beauty underneath" reassured Erik, who was doing his best to sweet talk Meg so that he could get close enough to take the gun from her.
"Yes" muttered Meg as she began to lower the gun.
"You've been robbed of love and pride, been ignored and pushed aside. But I can still see that there is beauty underneath" replied Erik.
"Yes".

"Diamonds never sparkle right, if they aren't set just right. Beauty sometimes goes unseen. We can't all be like Christine" admitted Erik.
Elise knew immediately that he had said the wrong thing. Because the second he mentioned Christine's name, Meg's mood changed once more.
"Christine. It's always about Christine!" Yelled Meg angrily.
Erik reached for the gun as Meg began to raise it once more, and the pair began grappling with it.
Then, without realising it, Meg pulled the trigger several times as she tried to pull the gun from Erik's grasp.
But Erik was stronger and managed to pull the gun off Meg, before placing it into his back pocket.

Elise had been worried that Erik would get himself shot by walking up to Meg, but she should have been more concerned for her own wellbeing.
She transferred her weight onto her left leg, as her right leg was suddenly causing her great pain.
Elise looked down and saw blood pouring from the top of her thigh, so she immediately placed her hands over the wound to stop the bleeding.
One of the bullets had grazed her leg after being fired from the gun.
Erik turned around to face the others, and when he saw the blood on Elise's hands his face fell.

"Are you O.K?" Questioned Erik as he ran towards Elise, his face full of concern.
"I'm fine, the bullet just grazed me thats all, it didn't go through me" reassured Elise.
"Are you sure?" Asked Erik.
"Yes, my injuries aren't life threatening, trust me. I'm more worried about where the other bullets went..." Elise faltered as she spun around and saw Christine looking pale.
Christine's hands were pressed against her stomach, but it wasn't enough to stop the blood from pouring out of her, and she collapsed onto the floor.