Chapter 16 - Chapter 16

Erik struggled violently as the police hauled him through the dark corridors of the prison. Torches lined the stone walls, and there was a slight, uncomfortable dampness lingering in the air. They passed by barred jail cells occupied by hollow-eyed criminals that watched as he passed. He could hear their mutters and mocking laughter as he was dragged to his cell.
Victor led the way to where Erik’s cell was. Erik couldn’t stop glaring at him for a second. This man ruined his entire life, and Anna’s as well. He hated him more than he had ever hated anyone in his life. He was so close to finally completing his life, so close to finally marrying Anna, and Victor had to ruin it all.
Victor looked back over his shoulder. “Not much farther now, Erik.”
Erik growled hatefully at him, as he was continuously being shoved forward towards his cell. Finally, after some more walking, Victor came to a halt at one of the last cells in the corridor. One of the police fumbled though a ring of jangling keys and unlocked the barred door. Victor pushed open the door, and stepped aside as the police threw Erik inside the small cell.
Erik hit the cold stone floor hard, nearly knocking the sense out of him. He hadn’t even gotten up before the police grabbed hold of his arms and dragged him to the other side of the small cell. He struggled as they sat him with his back against the stone wall. Then, they pulled his arms behind his back and chained them to the wall. When they had finally finished, the five police stepped aside and allowed Victor to step forward.
“Comfortable, Erik?” He asked. “No? Good.”
Erik shook his head a bit, trying to get his bangs out of his eyes. “I swear to God, Victor. I hope you burn in hell for this.”
Victor laughed a bit. “Oh, it wont be me in hell, Erik. You see, I’m not the murderous criminal here. You are.”
“I am no longer the man I once was!” Erik shouted angrily. “Can’t you get that through your thick head? I’ve changed!”
“I don’t care what you, or Anna say.” Victor said. “I wont let you hurt my sister. She’s suffering enough as it is.”
Erik blinked. “What do you mean?”
“She’s dying, Erik!” Victor shouted. “She’s dying! You know all the coughing and the sudden collapses she suffers from? Those are results of the lung problems, which killed our mother twenty years ago. She has been diagnosed with the same problems, and they are slowly killing her. Don’t you see, Erik? She hasn’t much time to live.”
Erik’s jaw fell open. “No… You’re lying.”
“I wish I was, Erik.” Victor frowned. “But it’s the truth. Anna is dying. And I’m just trying to protect her for as long as I can.”
Erik lowered his head, tears stinging his eyes. “But putting me in prison and sentencing me to death will only make her worse.” He whispered. “If I die, she will follow after me.”
Victor knelt down beside Erik. “Erik, I know my sister loves you, but I can’t let you hurt her. You are the most wanted murderer in all of Paris. You are a monster, and I can’t let my sister suffer because of you.”
“I am no monster!” Erik shouted angrily. “It is you, Victor, who is the true monster. By putting me to death, you have lost your sister forever. She will never forgive you for this.”
“It doesn’t matter if she does or doesn’t.” Victor said. “As long as she’s safe, I’ll be happy.” He rose to his feet. “I must go now, Erik. But don’t worry; ten o’clock is visiting hours, so I will allow you to see Anna for one last time. After that, it’s only the rays of the morning sun you shall fear. For when you see them, it will be the dawning of your last day on earth.”
Then, Victor bent down, took hold of Erik’s half-white mask, and ripped it off his face. Erik quickly turned his face away. He heard the startled gasps of the five policemen who had been watching from the other side of the cell. Victor took hold of Erik’s jaw and turned his face back towards him. Erik glared venomously as Victor’s ice blue eyes studied his maskless face.
After a short while, Victor let go of Erik’s jaw and stood up. He looked at the half-white mask in his hands. “You wont be needing this anymore, Erik. I’m sure the crowd will want to see your face before your hanging.”
And with that, Victor turned and exited the cell, the five policemen following. They shut the barred cell door behind them, and locked it quickly. Erik shared one last hateful glare with Victor, before they all walked back down the corridor, the echo of their footsteps fading into silence.
Erik lowered his head as tears began to sting his eyes. How could this happen? How could Anna, his beloved angel, be dying? How could she, when she seemed to full of energy and life? Just the very thought of her suffering made the tears pour down his cheek even faster.
Erik raised his head and looked up at the small barred window near the ceiling of his cell. He could see the light blush of afternoon sunlight shining into the small room. It would be a long time before ten o’clock arrived, but he was sure that sunrise would come far too quickly.

**********************

Anna’s face was expressionless as she walked briskly through the dark streets of Paris towards the prison. The cool night air caused the skirt of her black dress to billow, and she wrapped her long, black hooded cloak tighter around herself. She could already see the tall, dark silhouette of the prison against the starry night sky. Moonlight shone over the stone walls, giving the building a dark, menacing look, which sent shivers up Anna’s spine.
The prison looked so frightening, it was hard for her to picture Erik being locked up inside it. She couldn’t even imagine what it must be like to be a prisoner in such a dark, frightening place.
As Anna approached the front doors of the prison, she could see a group of about six men all constructing a platform of some sort. She could see a tall beam standing on top of the platform, and a few men hammering a few nails to it. When one of the men spotted her standing a few feet away, he jumped off the platform and approached her.
“Is there something I can do for you, Madame?” He asked.
Anna shook her head. “No, Monsieur. I was just wondering what the wooden platform was for.”
He scratched his fuzzy black beard. “Why, its for the hanging of the Phantom of the Opera tomorrow at sunrise. Didn’t you hear? He’s been caught and he’s locked up in this very prison.”
Anna shut her eyes and bowed her head. “I see.” She whispered.
“What are you doing out so late at night, Madame?” The Man asked. “This is no place for a lovely woman such as yourself.”
Anna sniffed back her tears. “I’m here to visit my fiancé. He’s been locked away and is sentenced to death.”
“Oh dear.” He said. “What’s he imprisoned for?”
“Murder.” Anna frowned. “But he’s innocent.”
The man nodded sadly. “We’ve had a lot of men who have been imprisoned for a crime they did not commit. I’m sorry for what has happened to you.”
Anna nodded. “Thank you.”
She then turned away and headed towards the tall wooden doors of the prison. Grabbing hold of the rusted handle, she opened the creaking door and stepped inside the dark building. It was very cold and damp inside the prison, even after she shut the door behind her. Torches lined the stone walls, rats scurried around the floor, and dozens of guards armed with swords marched up and down the corridors. Anna shuddered and wrapped her cloak tighter around herself. She took a few steps forward and froze when she heard footsteps coming towards her.
Anna looked back and a deep feeling of loathing and anger filled her body when she saw that it was Victor’s footsteps she heard. She watched as her older brother stopped in front of her and crossed his arms.
“I see you’ve come to visit the murderous Phantom of the Opera?” He asked.
“His name is Erik.” Anna hissed. “And yes I’ve come to visit him.”
Victor shrugged. “Fine. Do as you wish. Follow me.”
He turned and began to walk down one of the dark corridors. Anna remained still, and when Victor noticed she wasn’t following him, he stopped and looked at her.
“Are you coming?” He asked.
“I don’t trust you.” She hissed.
Victor shrugged. “I’m not asking you to. But if you want to see Erik before he dies, I suggest you follow me. I will take you to his cell.”
Anna hesitated a bit before finally deciding to follow Victor. They walked in complete silence, the only sound coming from their boots hitting the stone floor. Anna refused to look at Victor for a second and just let him lead her to where Erik’s cell was. After a long while, they came to a halt at one of the last cells in the corridor. Victor pulled out a set of jangling keys, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
“Go on in.” He told her. “I’ll be back for you later.”
Anna gave her brother one last hateful glance before opening the barred cell door and stepping inside. She heard Victor shut the door behind her and walk away, his footsteps fading down the corridor. She looked around the small stone room until her eyes finally stopped at the dark figure sitting against the back wall. The moonlight, which shone in through the small barred window near the ceiling of the cell, was her only way of seeing him. She held her breath as she stepped towards her lover. His head was hung low, his arms were chained behind his back, and he was shivering. No wonder, the small cell was quite damp, and the cool night breeze was blowing in through the window. He didn’t seem to notice she was there.
Kneeling down beside him, Anna removed her long black cloak and wrapped it around Erik’s shivering body. Erik shifted a bit and ever so slowly, his head rose and he looked at her with wet green eyes. Anna noticed that his mask was gone, and she stroked the side of his face gently. Erik shut his eyes, and a tear rolled down his cheek. Anna could feel tears stinging her own eyes and she buried her face in his neck.
“I’m so sorry.” She breathed into his neck.
Erik nuzzled the top of her head. “It’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself.”
She lifted her head and looked at him. “Yes it is, Erik. If I hadn’t come here, then Victor wouldn’t have either.” She looked away. “It would have been better if we never met. None of this would have happened.”
Erik frowned. “Anna…look at me.”
Anna sniffed back her tears and looked back into Erik’s green eyes.
“Anna, I’d rather die tomorrow, than have spent entire life without knowing you.” He whispered. “You’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Tears poured down Anna’s face as she wrapped her arms around Erik and buried her face into his neck. She began to weep quietly and he kissed the top of her head. Softly, he began to sing in her ear:

“If I never knew you,

If I never felt this love,

I would have no inkling of,

How precious life can be.

And if I never held you,

I would never have a clue,

How at last I’ll find in you,

The missing part of me.

In this world so full of fear,

Full of rage and lies,

I can see the truth so clear,

In your eyes, so dry your eyes.

And I’m so grateful to you,

I’d have lived my whole life through,

Lost forever,

If I never knew you.”

Anna raised her head and looked at him with wet eyes. She held her hand to the side of his face, and he gave her a small smile. Anna then wrapped her arms around her lover’s neck and pressed a tender kiss to his soft lips. He kissed back, and she felt a warm tear running down his cheek.
When they parted, Erik whispered, “I love you, Anna. Even after death, I will still love you. You are my everything, and I would have loved to dance with you on our wedding day as your husband.”
“I love you too, Erik.” She breathed, kissing him again.
“Anna…” He whispered when they parted. “I don’t want you to be at the hanging tomorrow. I can’t bare to have you see what they will do to me.”
She raised her head. “But, Erik…”
“No buts.” He said sternly. “Please, Anna. Don’t come to the hanging.”
Anna looked at him for a long time, her eyes searching his. “Erik, I love you more than anything in my life. I always will, but I have to be there. I don’t know why, but I have to.”
Erik frowned. “You’re not going to like what you will see.”
She laid her head on his shoulder. “I don’t care. I’m going to be there.”
Erik sighed and buried his face in her hair. They held each other for a long while, until they heard the sound of footsteps growing louder and louder. Anna raised her head and looked back to the cell door. Just then, Victor appeared and took out his set of jangling keys. He unlocked the barred door and opened it.
“Come, Anna.” He said. “Time for you to leave.”
Anna looked back at Erik. “I can’t leave you.” She breathed.
“You never will.” He told her. “No matter what happens, I’ll always be with you…forever.”
Anna leaned in and kissed Erik softly before getting to her feet. She then crossed the small room and walked through the door. She watched helplessly as Victor shut the door behind her and locked it.
Victor placed the keys on a hook on his belt. He looked up at her. “You should head back, Anna. It’s late, and you need your rest.”
She flashed him a deadly glare. “It’s a little late for you to start becoming compassionate, Victor. Just leave. I can show myself out.”
Victor sighed and turned away, walking back down the corridor and out of sight. Anna looked back through the bars of the cell door at Erik’s dark form.
“Goodbye, my Erik.” She breathed quietly.
And with that, she turned and walked back down the dark corridor towards the front door. When she finally exited the prison, she wiped away her tears and looked up at the night sky in despair.
Sunrise was only a few hours away.

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