This is my story of The Phantom of the Opera. I wrote it a few years ago and am in the process of rewriting it. I am not the best, so lemme know where I can improve! This is based on the movie version, and I don't own any of it. Just having a little fun. Enjoy!
Chapter One
He sat in the dark, staring at nothing. His life was meaningless. He had no one.
Deep underground Paris there was a man. He had loved once, but that love was thrown back in his deformed face. Now he sat waiting for something, anything to happen.
It has been two years since Christine left The Phantom, two very long, very painful lonely years.
He almost couldn't believe he had lived this long. He was hoping for death to claim him. He came close to claiming his own life once or twice, but he was no coward. He thought it ironic that what he wanted was death and in a way it had been given to him.
Christine had killed him, by removing his mask in front of a full opera house. How he hated and loved her all at once. He was happy and sad at the same time when she moved with Raoul to England. Even though he let them go, they still feared him enough to leave the country. How could he blame them?
The Phantom loathed himself more than anything. He was an evil man, he knew it. His face marked him as evil the moment he was born. He knew the things he had done, and knew he would someday pay for them.
He was still sitting in the dark when a thought struck him.
Every day that passed he thought less and less about Christine.
Was his obsession for her lessening? He had loved her once, long ago, but that love was twisted into an obsession to have her as his and only his. He hoped he could move on from her. He wanted nothing else but to be free of her memory. He had to move on, something inside of him told him too.
He sat up from the edge of his worn bed and walked to his pipe organ. Once an elegant instrument, was now layered in a thick coat of dust.
He hadn't touched it in two years. Looking at it brought back painful memories, one of the last night his lair was at its pique. The night she left him for good. He recalled how he left through his secret passage and came back weeks later, after all the commotion went down. The mob that had planned on arresting him barely touched anything, he assumed it was because he still held sway over them, in after his humiliation. In fear of being caught he stopped playing music, for after the fire the opera house became a shell of its former glory. Even now it was still broken down and was now a playground for children. He roamed the old opera house as a ghost long forgotten, reliving its, and his former glory.
His hands played softly on the keys, and no sound came out. He figured as much, and set about cleaning it, not really knowing why. He needed something to occupy his time.
As he cleaned away the dust and grim he found renewed strength and hope. If this old instrument could be cleaned away of all its grim, why not he?
It was time for his life to start over, he would try his hardest to make this new life better then the last. He would go by his name, his real name. If he meant anyone, which he doubted, he would tell them his real name. Erik. He had almost forgotten it, but somewhere deep down he had found it. Erik.
As he finished his work on the organ, he looked at in pride. Once again it was gleaming and bright. He touched down on one key and a long harmonious note filled the air.
Now that that was finished he decided to go for a long walk around his opera house. He couldn't explain it, but he knew things were going to be different from this day on.
As Erik walked around the Opera house, he was cautious of being seen. Not many people came into the opera house anymore, but children often did. For the most part he would ignore them. He knew how to stay unseen from anyone, it was no trouble hiding from a child.
This day was bright and sunny, without a cloud in the sky. Erik didn't miss the irony. He almost smiled in fact, but didn't. For though the sunshine represented his switch from his old life to knew, he would never appreciate the sun.
Darkness was where he found his solace and comfort.
He was walking above what remained of the stage, thinking that one day this could be rebuilt, when two young girls walked in.
He grew curious for these girls were much older than anyone else he has seen come in here. One was tall and slender, and he could tell by the way she walked she was a dancer. She must be twenty years old at least. The other shorter, and slightly plump, had to have been in her teens. The taller girl was pretty and had a serious look on her face. She seemed to be looking for something. The shorter girl had a frightened look on her face, but he thought she must look rather jolly when not scared.
Both girls headed for the stage. He stood and watched, he had nothing to do today, why not watch these girls?
They walked around on stage, not doing much, just looking about.
He followed them, unseen. He knew why. He was lonely, and it had been a long time since anyone older than ten had come into the opera house. As much as he hated to admit it, he missed human contact. Just watching these girls walk about, talk to each other made him feel whole again. Even though most human contact he had had in his life ended poorly, he longed for it every day. So he contented himself with watching these two young girls explore the opera house.
They walked onto the ruined stage, the chandelier still in pieces.
"Come Nicole let's go! This place frightens me!" said the younger girl.
"Oh, Belle, really it is not that bad." said Nicole.
Nicole had a dreamy look in her piercing brown eyes.
"Just think this is where she sang! If only I could sing like her." Nicole said sadly.
Belle looked over at her friend and said, "It is not fair the way your mother treats you."
"I know Mamma only loves Anne, because she can sing. She doesn't love me because...I can't."
Erik stood silently listening, confused but interested. This was something different from his day to day life.
"Nicole I am too scared right now, I am leaving." stuttered Belle.
Nicole chuckled, "Scared of what? The Phantom of the Opera!"
Erik tensed slightly. Not really believing that anyone still remembered him.
"Well, no but...all right yes! Do you know there are rumors he is still alive, and still lives here?"
"Yes I have heard that."
Belle leaned in as if to tell a secret, "My little cousin comes here and plays sometimes, and he has told me that he has seen him!"
Nicole smiled sweetly shaking her head, "Little boys have active imaginations."
Belle looked hurt that she wasn't being taken seriously.
Nicole gave her a quick hug and said, "Why don't you go wait outside for me. I will be along in a moment."
Belle smiled and left in a hurry. Nicole looked around the stage.
"The Phantom of the Opera...If you are still here, maybe you can help me to sing."
Chapter Two
Erik watched as Nicole gave the Opera house one last look before she left.
"I will return." she said to the darkness.
Erik watched her leave with much interest. Something about this girl intrigued him. He turned to go back to his lair, still thinking of Nicole.
It certainly was a break from his mundane life, watching those two girls. He couldn't shake the thoughts of the one named Nicole from his mind. On further thought, he found her quite pretty, even close to being beautiful, if she didn't wear here brown hair in such a severely tight bun. Brown hair. Was it the same as Christine's? No, it wasn't as dark, and defiantly wasn't curly.
He got back to his lair and walked to his organ and sat. He grabbed some sheet music, which was blank and began to compose, with thoughts of Nicole still swimming in his head.
*****
"Jacob, dear, please come to the dining room I have a gift for you!" said Mother.
Jacob looked at him with sadness in his eyes and said, "I will see if she has anything for you."
The young boy laughed. She never did. Jacob ran to the dining room. As he left the young boy felt the anger rise in him. Since Jacob was normal, Mother always gave him gifts. He never got anything. Not with his face. Mother always makes him wear a mask to hide his 'misfortune' as she called it.
"A piano? For me?" squealed Jacob.
His brother, only seven, didn't even know how to play the piano. He being only eight taught himself. He always snuck out at night, to go next door, there the blind old lady, Nicole, always lets him play. She doesn't know what he looks like, but even if she did she would still let him play. She is the only person that is kind to him.
"Where is that brother of yours? He should be setting the table for dinner! ERIK!"
"Coming Mother." Said Erik.
He walked as fast as he could to get to her, but it never was fast enough.
"You come when I call!"
She slapped him across the good side of his face. She never touched the other side,
"You set the table now! We have guests coming tonight! So after you are done I don't want to see you for the rest of the night!"
Young Erik nodded, looking at the ground.
He walked to the kitchen and grabbed what He needed. After the table was ready he walked to his room. If you could call a closet at the end of the hall a room. He opened the door and sat down in the dark. Darkness was soothing to him.. It seemed so sharpen and heighten his senses. And tonight his mind was telling me to get out of the house. He had always thought of running away, but never went through with it, but tonight seemed different. Jacob, who had always been nice to him, was becoming indifferent. Soon Jacob would start to hit him, he knew. He had to leave. And tonight seemed like the best night. He sat for an hour devising his plan. Erik would leave as soon as he felt his chance would come. But he never had that chance. He heard Mother approach his door.
'Why was she coming?' he thought as he shrank against the wall, thinking that he wasn't making any noise at all. The door flew open, light cascading in. he blinked trying to adjust to the light.
"You won't cause me any more pain." his mother spat at me.
Erik almost laughed. He caused her pain? He wasn't the one that was treated like nothing more than an animal. She grabbed his arm and pushed him along the hall way .As they entered the dining room Mother said,
"Here he is. Is this freakish enough for you?" And she ripped the mask off poor young Erik's face.
He tried hiding his face but she wouldn't let him. He looked and saw a strange man. He was tall, with a beard, and he was the scariest man Erik had ever seen. The man didn't cringe at Erik's face, in fact he grabbed his chin, and studied it thoroughly.
"Yes, he will do well."
He then handed Mother, a bag, Erik could hear coins jingling in side.
The man took Erik's arm and said, "Come with me, Devil's Child."
Erik woke from his sleep in a cold sweat.
Had I just dreamed of my childhood?
He sat up in bed, holding his head in his hands. It had been years since he dreamt about his childhood. What brought it back? It must have been the events from earlier that day. Nicole, yes he remembered that name now. She had the same name as the kind old woman that used to let him play the piano.
Odd how that young girl today could make him think of his past. Something he had forced himself to forget.
