TWISTED
LABYRINTH
3rd in the "Erik's Labyrinth" Trilogy
(Sequel to "Sublime Coincidence" and "Ultimate Dream")
| Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 |
| Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 |
Copyright © Janie 2001
Chapter One
Sing For Me
|
Married life together suited us. Erik had expressed a strong desire for us not to become more than a couple, so we had lived accordingly - taking precautions where necessary. His reasons for this were plain. It was not that either of us hated children, in fact, reader, we might have liked to have a child together had the circumstances been different - no, he did not want to risk any possibility what so ever of fathering a child that looked like him, and that child being outcast as a result - as was Erik himself.... Erik's memories of his past life were still too vivid and painful for him to contemplate, in his mind, re-living it all through the eyes of his own child. I was totally sympathetic to Erik's wishes, after all we were more than happy together just the two of us. Besides which, his feelings were strong on this topic and mine were not - I was blissfully happy just to be with him! We had lived happily this way for six months - it was spring.
Nadir had been wonderful, he had helped Erik to gain several commissions for scores, for which he was paid handsomely, always keeping Erik's identity secret to add to the mystery... Erik would also put on shows of dark magic and singing from time to time, creating illusions that had his audiences in awe, but, always 'disapearing' as the performance came to a close, leaving the audience yearning for more. This was not his original intention, he just wanted to keep his anonymity, however it worked very well in his favour, for when the 'Masked Magician' was said to be planning another performance people would come from miles around, paying well, just to see him perform again. He was captivating and enchanting, in his role as the mysterious masked man with the voice of an angel...
It was on one of Erik's more impromptu performances that a small child had approached him. The child had stood looking at Erik in awe and wonder for well over half an hour - virtually the whole of the first half of the performance.
"Can I help you, child?" Erik said, without looking at the boy. He had been aware of the child's attention for the whole. Erik returned to the audience awaiting the second half of his performance.... |
opyright © Janie 2001
Chapter Two
Erik
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As I made my way out again to face the waiting crowd I noticed a silence had descended, I thought in anticipation of my next illusion. I prepared the tools which I needed for the illusion I was about to perform not paying much attention to the crowd. On preparing to recommence my show I glanced at the audience, who seemed in a very different frame of mind to previously... "There he is - the 'freak'!" one of them shouted, then commenced the chant! "FREAK! FREAK! FREAK!!" It grew in volume as they advanced toward me... I realised that I was not going to get out of here alive unless I took action there and then! I packed my things as quickly as I could and made for a hasty escape, only to find several angry men in my path, behind them - THAT woman, smirking! I looked for my secret door - which I had taken the precaution of finding when I first came here six months ago, 'just in-case' anything like this should happen. I had been accustomed to taking such precautions in my former life - in the event of such things happening - and they DID happen - frequently! I had hoped that it would be different here, with my Sarah.... I saw my exit. It, so far, was still free for me to use. All I had to do was get to it before the overwhelming desire to punjab one or all of my persuers took hold of me completely - Sarah would not like that! Suddenly they heard my voice booming at them from a thing they call, in this century, a 'speaker' - the most haunting, hypnotic sound they had ever heard! Slowly they all turned to stare at the speaker as if it were possessed! I did not like the thing that Sarah calls a 'bus', however, it was the only way I had to get back to her quickly... I stood, on the journey home, at the front of the bus - unwilling to risk anyone sitting next to me - fencing me in! People kept offering me to sit on seats which were available, to which I declined with the most objectionable looks returned from them. The infernal journey seemed endless. It must have been no more than fifteen minutes, but, it seemed like an eternity to me - a nightmare! By now I did not know what I was doing anymore. I must have ran from the bus stop because Sarah said that I was hot, perspiring and breathless when I arrived home. Collapsing into her arms I broke down with a huge sob! When I was finally calm enough to talk - to breath, I began to tell her what had happened and how it had felt to once again want to kill from fear of one's life and anger! I had thought that all that was long behind me - I was saddened and more than a little horrified that this part of my character - and past life was haunting me again now... All I wanted was a peaceful life and to be loved by one whom I Ioved as much - and I had found this with Sarah! When I had finished Sarah continued to hold me gently and kiss me.... I looked at her then, her soft hair floating upon my shoulder - her eyes glowing with love and tears, her lips like rose buds waiting to come into bloom with a kiss. She was the sweetest, purest thing in my life. She was all that was keeping me sane - keeping me from slipping back to old ways - giving me perspective. I love her! I kissed Sarah softly on her rose bud lips. She in turn kissed my lips, transforming me from a clumsy monster to an elegant gentleman. With one kiss I became her Angel! It was late, so Sarah suggested we retire for the night - I went to the kitchen to prepare us both a bedtime drink, a task which she insisted on taking from me - in her words - I had 'been through enough and I should be taking it easy'.... I will admit - I was feeling a little drained from the events of the evening! The drinks made and lights extinguished, we made our way up stairs to prepare for sleep. I was too tired to bother with my usual routine and merely had a light wash and freshen up before joining my angel and drifting off in her arms. I was hoping that being in her arms might be enough to prevent the nightmares that usually followed events such as I had been through that evening.... I had experienced no nightmares since I had been with Sarah, yet, I had not experienced events like these since being with her either... with the exception of when she found me in the street on that first night... I remembered how she had been so kind and gentle with me when she had found me and held on to that thought as I drifted into sleep beside her. |
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Copyright © Janie 2001
Chapter Three
Echoes
| When I woke up, all I saw was Erik close to me. He was still asleep and I smiled at seeing him beside me - seemingly so peaceful - especially as that night I had dreamed that he and I were apart and I was looking for him in a panic!. I was relived that he seemed to have got over last night's living nightmare without having a nightmare - well, not that I knew of... I began to wonder, reflecting on what Erik had told me of the events that made him rush home last night, if he actually was better off here after all... was he not experiencing the same torment last night as he did all through his life in his own time? But, no! This was an isolated incident! I put this thought from my mind as I watched him stir. He opened his eyes suddenly with a slight start. "Sarah?!" He said as if looking for reassurance.... "I am here, my angel" I kissed his face, gently "Oh" he sighed "My darling, I had the strangest dream...." he drew me close to him, with a sense of urgency and insecurity I had not seen in him before "we were separated and I could not find you... I was looking everywhere, Nadir was looking everywhere - you had vanished! Oh, Sarah, thank heaven it was just a dream... it was just a dream...." he nestled into my neck, kissing it and holding me so tenderly, then he looked at me and said, "are you alright, angel? You have gone quite pale..." So, again we are to be connected by a dream.... I would have preferred it to have been a more pleasant dream - I wondered what this meant for us, hoping it did not mean that we would actually be separated. "Erik, we have had the same dream again... you have no idea how relieved I was to see you there beside me when I woke up today!" Erik looked at me doubtfully, "I think I have a fairly good idea of that" he said pulling me even closer "I was aware when I awoke that it was a dream, but, at the same time I was frightened when I awoke incase you were not there... " He began to kiss me like he had never kissed me before, more passionately - if that was possible! I stroked his neck lightly and moved my other hand down the small of his back with light pressure... The feelings he stirred in me were like no other feelings I had ever felt for anyone... he made me dizzy with love, I needed him close to me - even the way his eyes, with a seductive glint, caught mine sent shivers down my spine which stopped at my hips. When he touched me gently with his long, elegant fingers I almost swooned.... When I touched him he would close his eyes, take a short breath, tremble slightly and pull me close to him, looking into my eyes so deeply I felt as if he were inside my head and I inside his, reading eachother's thoughts and feelings perfectly - each one knowing instinctively how to please the other... We spent hours that morning just kissing and caressing eachother tenderly - passionately, until, we were so lost in eachother and our feelings for eachother.... we finally brought eachother the heavenly ecstasy which we could only have found with eachother.... We lay for an hour or so, not daring to move from the position we had adopted when we found ultimate bliss in eachother, eyes closed, caressing eachother's faces and waists... Suddenly Erik stopped and gasped. |
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Copyright © Janie 2001
Chapter Four
Haunted
| We lay there for a bit longer, hardly taking in what seemed to have happened to us - almost afraid to let go of eachother incase we should suddenly be torn apart! After another eternity holding onto eachother, Erik suggested we take a look around to see if we could establish exactly at what place in time we had been placed. We made our way out via the lake. Erik helped me into the little boat gently and then began to row...When we reached the other side he held out his hand to me and steadied me as we moored the little boat and made our way up through Erik's Labrynth of corridoors and turns - lanterns lighting the way occasionally... but, on other parts the darkness took over and engulfed everything in it's path. "Sarah, angel are you alright?" Erik's voice drifted softly to me in the near pitch black of one of these darker corridoors. "Yes, Erik" I whispered to him "As long as I know you are with me I fear nothing". I felt him squeeze my hand... I reciprocated the gesture. We at last reached the third cellar where Erik opened a trap door in order for us to emerge into the word of the Paris Opera House. After such darkness, as had just before surrounded us, the brightness was at first painful to my eyes, then as I got used to natural light once again I could see we were accompanied by bits of scenery - from which play or opera they were, it was hard to tell for my part.... I looked to Erik, indicating the scenery to him - from his face I could tell he knew at once which opera the scenery had come from... "Faust!" He simply said, sitting down heavily on a small stool, shocked and disheartened at the thought of what he may have to go through all over again. He looked down toward the floor and I saw his shoulders visibly begin to tremble. I remembered mention of 'Faust' in the book I had read - and Erik had often spoken of it with mixed affection and regret... for, although he loved the opera, he had memories associated with it that he would rather have laid to rest. I knelt beside him and cuddled him lovingly, trying to comfort him and chase the ever multiplying demons from his memory. It was only after we heard a scene shifter approaching that we finally moved and found one of Erik's old hiding places.... behind a wall. We over heard the conversation between him and another shortly to arrive.... "This piece needs to go up today ready for the performance tonight - why is it still here!" The other was spluttering some sort of an apology for his apparent lapse of his duties.... We then heard a lot of pushing and shoving, a blasphemous comment as one of them evidently hurt himself on something. "Do you think the ghost is still around?" one asked cautiously. "Don't be such a fool!" said the other "He will be long gone now.... now that Christine Daae is getting engaged to the Vicomte De Chagney what excuse has this 'ghost' of your's to stay around here?" Then the sound of them seemed to fade away slowly as the scene shifters took the scenery in question to it's rightful position on the stage... I watched Erik's face as Christine's name was mentioned - he showed no emotion, even looked a little happy at the mention of her imminent engagement... When the sound of them had disappeared - I suddenly though about Nadir - had he been transported too? If he had where was he? "Erik" I whispered quietly. Erik put a long elegant finger to his lips as a polite indication for me to keep quiet.... I moved closer to him and whispered as quietly as I could..... "Erik - where is Nadir?" |
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Copyright © Janie 2001
Chapter Five
Voices
| Erik remained silent for some time... I could see the thought lines on his forehead growing deeper... and a concerned expression, which he tried to hide, spread across his whole face. Eventually he said, "Nadir, hmmmm? Well, no doubt that great booby has got himself into trouble again, I suppose we ought to try and find out if he is with us here - he needs someone to keep him out of trouble!" Although all this was said in a joke, Erik could not entirely hide his concern for his friend, Nadir. Just then we heard music from just above us - it seemed to be coming from the stage... "Ah, they are rehearsing for the opera" Erik said, quite naturally - already seeming to fit in with his old life once again.... "Let us get a little closer and hear it?" Erik then looked at me slightly questioning, as he always did, but there was an air of authority I had not seen in him before... I nodded and Erik led me upwards through various trap doors and secret passages until we were right below the stage... we could hear the music seeping down to us clearly, until a woman's voice broke through the smooth phrases.. "Argh! Carlotta!!" Erik spat the words, holding his hands over his ears "Why is she here? Do not tell me I will have to get rid of her all over again!" Erik's voice now sounded harsh to me - not like the Erik I had come to know.... "Erik, darling, calm down - was she not always the Opera Diva?" "Not after I had finished with her" he gave a wry smile "I can only suppose that we have gone back further than the point that I...." he stopped suddenly I could not fathom Erik, at once he was a mystery to me once more... "What did you do to her Erik?" "You really want to know? I took her voice away - for good!" Erik looked down at the floor, regret creeping onto his face.... "I should not have told you - forget it!" "Erik what do you mean - 'for good'?" Erik looked at me impatiently - I had never seen him like this before, it unnerved me a little... "I made her voice leave her - she had NO voice when I was....." His look softened a little as he seemed to remember something more pleasant... "When I was transported to you!" He took my hands so softly in his and shook his head "Please, forgive me, angel - this place - this....time, it does not do good things for me ...." He was once again the Erik I knew - his voice was so soft.... but, he was right - being back here was not going to do him any good. We looked at eachother for a time, hands entwined - then another voice joined Carlotta's, with a sweeter, smoother tone than the Diva's.... Erik looked up, surprised.... "Christine?" "Lovely voice" I said trying to keep my head, and stem the jealousy from my heart.... "Yes, she was well taught" he winked "She has remembered her lessons well...." and he smiled as a proud teacher might... I squeezed Erik's hand and he looked down at me from his great height.... "Angel! Oh my Angel!" He exclaimed as he saw the tears merging uncontrollably from my eyes, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my face repeatedly... "Surely you do not think..... oh! Mon Dieu!" he placed his hands upon my shoulders and then lifted my chin with a single, long, gentle finger so that I was looking straight at him... "I love you my Sarah! Please, do not think otherwise - my angel...." he stroked my face, gently tracing the line of my lips with his finger tips... "I am happy for her that is all - she is with the boy now - whom she appears to adore and who at least adores her..." He cradled me in his arms, stroking my hair affectionately.. "You did not think I could still feel for her - now that I love you - my darling!" he said - looking proudly at the ring that he had placed on the third finger of my left hand six months ago.... He looked down at me again and smiled lovingly, saying very softly "My Angel......." and kissed me sweetly as he always did, sending me into a spin of emotions and desires... I could feel all his emotions and desires wrapped up in that kiss. As we kissed I became more and more lost in him - becoming aware of his 'romantic feelings', as he called them.... He lowered us gently towards the floor - then stopped. He took off his cloak with a swirl and laid it on the dusty floor.... "Erik, are you sure about that - that floor is filthy, your cloak will need washing...." Erik shrugged "I have other cloaks at home... " He realised at once what he had said.... "I mean at the house...it is not my home anylonger - and let's hope it will not be - I want to go back to your time with you, I know I had little... 'incident' but I still felt much more comfortable there" then looking at me again "I only do not go mad here because YOU are with me - my darling...." He began to kiss me again, and I felt him gently ease us both down onto the stretched out cloak beneath us.... I held onto him tightly - not wanting to let him go for a second..... Whilst we lay there gently caressing and kissing eachother, a noise disturbed us from above - it seemed to be moving downward - to where we were lying....... |
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Copyright Janie 2001
Chapter Six
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I looked up only to see something falling through a trap door just above us... Erik, seeming to sense this, rolled us over so that what ever was falling missed us - just! The silence which followed was deafening for what seemed like hours, then - as the dust cleared, a coughing individual got up onto his knees and touched his forelock in a polite greeting.... it was Nadir! Suddenly, we grew aware of the gathering commotion above us - the dust was clearing rather more quickly than we needed it to, and I could see through it people above peering into the darkness... At once Erik took my hand and ordered Nadir to follow. We were behind one of Erik's many hiding places - behind a wall... "You haven't seen this one - have you Daroga?" Erik smirked "I made this one quite recently, just before I....." His eyes softenened again as he pulled me close to him and looked at me..."just before I found my Angel...." We could hear people outside our little hiding place whispering..... "What do you suppose that was?" said one "Oh! you don't think the phantom has returned to us?!" gasped another Hushed whispers filled the corridor on the other side of the wall, whilst Erik ushered me gently along our side of the wall until we reached a turning, he stopped and looked at me. "Do not be afraid, my angel, I will take care of you - it is dark and damp here, but we must go down!" I looked at him as best I could, in this darkness I could barely make out his profile. "Erik, I am with you" Nadir just remained silent and followed us. Down we went through damp, dismal corridors - the darkness all consuming. Erik knew exactly where he was going, never stopping even for a second to check his bearings... in the distance I could see the furnaces burning - we did not go that way. I began to shiver, partly from the cold - Erik stopped and turned to me. "You are cold, Angel?" He immediately took off his cloak and wrapped it around my shoulders, taking me in his arms for a few seconds..."Stay close to me, Angel, we must continue - we are not safe yet..." Then he kissed me softly and continued to lead me through this unfriendly Labyrinth. |
Copyright © Janie 2001
