The Phantom's Daughter

Chapter Twenty-Four

I stirred awake, irked that something was in the bed with me. Was it Erik? Sometimes when I had my night terrors, he’d sit with me until I fell back asleep and end up falling asleep himself. It was those moments that I really got to study him…he wasn’t a young man anymore. Wasn’t old by any means…but he was a little past his prime.

I turned over and smiled, thinking to snuggle up to him. But I immediately frowned when I saw who it was. Christine??? What was she doing down here? Erik had told me that he was going to make himself known to her, but I thought that was to just meet her in person and explain to her that he was the Phantom of the Opera, not bringing her down here!

I sat up in bed and stared at her. She was awake too, looking around, like she was trying to figure things out. “What are you doing here?” I demanded.

She looked at me startled. “You're the little Rita girl…who's been spying for him, haven’t you?” she sat up.

“So?”

“Who is he?” she asked.

“He’s just a man.” I shrugged. “I guess he’s your maestro. He’s got a great interest in you.” but she shook her head and I furrowed my eyes at her. How dare she not believe me.

She got up cautiously and pulled her cloak closer around her. “Where are we? I remember seeing a coffin last night when he brought me down here.”

“That’s just where he sleeps. Some sort of joke to him because he’s the Phantom or something.” I shrugged.

“I thought he was going to put me in it…” she replied to herself, walking out of the room.

I rolled my eyes at her. Sitting there, collecting my thoughts, I thought about last night. Last night was one of the scariest moments of my life, and Erik saved me, and I wanted the feeling of hugging him close again. It was such a weird thing…he held me so tightly like he was equally scared, but then that disappeared quickly and it was back to doing his Phantom of the Opera things again and to bring this wretch down. She didn’t even seem to be fully into this idea that she was down here, what was the point of it all? Seemed a little fast to introduce yourself and then take someone down to the cellars of the Opera House. I had to earn my way down here!

I got out of bed and ran to the doorway to demand to Erik what was going on here. I stopped. Erik was at his piano, with his quill pen in his hand, composing, Christine was standing close beside him, with her hand on her shoulder, listening to him. I was immediately suspicious. Unless there truly was more between them than what I had originally believed.

Erik seemed happy, showing Christine what he was working on. But she wasn’t looking at the music. She was looking at his mask, her hand creeping closer and closer.

I gasped at the realization and took a step forward, “Christine, no!”

She tore off his mask.

We both gasped.

Erik screamed in rage.

Christine and I both fell to the group and scurried back. I started trembling. I needed to hide. Erik was mad. He was mad and he was yelling and screaming and cussing. An old habit to run away and hide shot forth in me. I had done wrong. I was hated. I was targeted.

Wait, but no…Christine was the one being yelled at now. I peeked from behind the doorway to see her get what was coming, trembling and excited that I wasn’t on the receiving end of this. Christine cried.

“DAMN YOU GIRL!!! DAMN YOU! YOU THOUGHT YOU’D HAVE A LOOK EH??? WELL NOW LOOK! LOOK! SEE MY FACE THAT’S BEEN CURSED BY GOD! WHAT DID YOU THINK I HIDE BEHIND THIS MASK??? YOU PRYING PANDORA! YOU LITTLE LYING DELILA! WHAT NOW? YOU LOOK AWAY? NO NO! GAZE AT THIS FACE! THAT’S WHAT YOU WANTED ISN’T IT? LOOK AT IT!!! LOOK AT IT!!!” Erik stalked towards her, shaking her, bringing her close to her face, Christine through her sobbing tried to apologize but he shoved her away.

“SORRY? LITTLE MADEMOISELLE? OH NO, DON’T BE SORRY! IT’S JUST A FREAK SHOW DOWN HERE YOU SEE? YOU SEE!?!? I’M JUST A FREAK—A DEMON! PLAYING THE PIANO!” he walked over to the keyboard slamming his hands on their keys making them scream ungodly notes.

I sat in the doorway as he raged and then started to cry. He jerked his head towards me and I looked at his bareface for the first time. It really did look like God had cursed him. His face was all not right….it was pale and sickly, with long scars, that made him look like some sort of creature demon that was trying to morph into something human. It was like old beat leather ready to tear off. Even his poor ears were affected. Only the bottom of his left cheek seemed untouched…the reason he had to wear a full face mask that went down to his lips.

I felt nothing but brokenness and pity for him. He was born like this. And the world hated him for it. Staring at his dull green eyes, and with rage, but the immense hurt of just wanting to be held and accepted. To not be shunned aside. To suffer such abuse that you had to shove that longing in a tiny ball in the deepest part of yourself so that feeling wouldn’t eat you up inside. It was something I could relate to.

I got up and ran over to Christine. “Get up.” I told her. She took my hand and I walked her over to the boat, looking shamefully in her lap, whispering “I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, I didn’t mean…”

Erik stood there and watched us go. I looked back at him, hoping the expression on my face translated to him that I would be back. Poor thing. Poor hideous Erik. He stood there, shoulders sloped, tears falling from his eyes. He looked tired and defeated.

I pushed the boat with the long rod, opening the gate and rowing us away.

Christine sniffled, looking at the mask she still had in her lap. I felt so mad at her.

“You’re so stupid.” I said to her, She cried some more, telling me I didn’t understand. “I understand perfectly! Being nine years old doesn’t make me ignorant of the world you know! You violated him! What, did you expect to be happy when you tore off his mask? For him to stand up and say ‘surprise!’ ?”

“I wanted to know who he was! The Phantom…the angel…who was this teacher?”

“Oh save it! You’re not getting any pity from me!” I scolded. She cried even more.

We landed and I grabbed her hand and stomped her out of the cellars, leading her back to her room, opening the two-way mirror and shoving her in. I noticed that the door was bust open and Raoul was sleeping on the couch in the room.

I sighed heavily, closing the door behind us. “He’s going to kill him.” I murmured.

“What?” she asked, frightened. I grabbed the mask from her.

“Tell anyone about what happened and how you got down there and back up and I’ll kill you myself.” I warned before walking out, leaving her open mouthed in shock. I stomped and huffed my way to the stables. I fed and brushed Sweet Demon, feeling brave enough to yell at Lloyd when he came over to harass us. Then I took care of Reyer, cleaning his stall and feeding him, and giving him fresh clean water.

I went back down into the basement. Christine and Raoul were gone. I felt the sting of injustice for Erik. How was it fair that he was cursed with his face and trapped in the basement and Christine just gets to go out into the world like that? She didn’t deserve Erik! Sure he was rough around the edges and violent, but one had to be when the whole world abused you and you lived in walls of stone and darkness with nothing but music and rats for company!

I rowed back to Erik. I could here his sobbing echoing through the walls. Docking the boat, I went to his room, where he lay, curled up in his coffin bed. I was frightened to see him so crumbled and defeated. His black hair fell on his face as if trying to mask him, itself. Cautiously stepping towards him in case he struck out, I placed the mask on his thigh.

He paused, taking it, and sitting up to turn away, he put on his mask again.

“She’s not worthy of you Erik.” I told him.

He put a hand on his forehead like he had a headache. “She was going to be my way towards the light and be above ground.” he moaned before crying again, but this time, trying to rein it in.

I jumped in the coffin bed and hugged him. He jumped a little to feel me so close and so bold to get into his personal space like that, before pulling me in his lap, hugging me tight. It felt so wonderful being held, I felt so safe and warm. “She’s not worthy of you, Erik.” I repeated.