The Attic

He stepped out of the attic and onto the landing and turned around and sat down upon the top of the step and leaned against the wall. From his vantage point Erik, for this was the name of the man, could see everything from the open attic room empty of everything but an ancient empty cradle, who's shattered windows forever boarded up against the sunlight and down to the open plan of the ground floor and out the front door were it open and the street outside. Presently though the door to the outside was closed. Erik sighed and turned his attention once more towards the attic's empty room. In silent replay the scenes begun to unfold...

The scene showed the madwoman turn from the bloodstained bed and the new born babe that lay there not even bothering to clean herself up. The echo moved from her room towards the attic and stripped it bare of everything but the cradle. The windows she bolted shut after sealing the outside shutters in place, then she walked calmly into her room picked up the babe and returned to the cradle where she dropped it without a care for its well being. To keep it amused she tied some musical bells in place within its reach and walked out shutting the door and locking it behind her. She would only go to it to feed and cloth it otherwise it would kept locked in the room she decided. Then and only then did she return to her own room and clean it and herself from top to bottom. Everything about this horrid night she burned without trace. It was as if she had never given birth to the boy that was her son. The scenes came to an end and minutes later a new set begun.

The Boy

The boy within months was already walking and talking and getting into mischief. His only companion and old family dog that was the only one to look upon him in unconditional love without fear or constraint. As the boy grew older his genius and intellect begun to show making the mad woman who was his mother even more afraid and as a result she would beat and torture him and with cruel intent for no other reason than that he existed.

The town in which they lived was quiet and peaceful or had been until the night her son came into the world. Now the towns people were afraid and made life difficult for them day and night. They wanted nothing more than to drive them out of the town until eventually when he was old enough he ran away from all he knew leaving the madwoman to face the music alone. Hidden away and left behind also were countless drawings and musical compositions as the only reminder that he had ever dwelt inside that place. The murder of his beloved dog had been the catalyst to set him on the course of his lifetimes adventure of pain and suffering thought he was yet to realize this. The only things he took with him were the clothing he had , the shoes on his feet the small coat some food stuff and all the money he could find and would soon run out of all and one last thing.

A Mask!

White and well fitted to cover his entire deformity and for him the only thing he truly valued and couldn't do without.. And one he still wore to this day though these days it was of the fines quality and not a material one or a cloth sack over his head. But a custom made porcelain one.