A/N: Hello, fandom! This is my first time uploading a story on here and I hope you will enjoy it... or maybe cry. Just to let you know, this is a friendship story, a cross-over of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. The story will be told in Javert's pov and contains many Susan Kay: Phantom background. For those who have read Susan Kay, the circus master's name is Javert, but due to the cross-over I will be changing his name to Ramon. It is less awkward that way. I'm testing the waters, so if this chapter does well I may continue to post more. Please give me feedback, thank you.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Susan Kay: Phantom, The Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserables. All characters belong to them. All but original characters of my own and alterations in story line.
Chapter One
1840
The blazing sun of summer bead down against my skin. I could taste the salty sweat trickling down from my brow as I shoveled maneuver out from the horses' stables. It was my second day working in the gypsy circus as a stable boy after the death of my gypsy mother, Drina.
The same day my mother had died from influenza, the prison guards had not hesitated to throw me to the gutters of Paris with nothing, but the clothes on my back. Before then, they had beaten me an inch before death if I ever spoke out of turn, complained about the cold, or for doing nothing at all. My mother had never so much lifted a finger to protect me from such bullying. She would only look at me with disgust and tell me that whatever beatings I got was well deserved for a bastard such as I.
Ever since then I was succumb to stealing food and coin to survive in the city. It wasn't till then I had come across a passing gypsy circus some months ago. The circus master, Ramon, was fortunate enough to offer me a job as a stable boy. Being at the age of thirteen, I was taller and stronger than most boys my age. He had said that a boy such as I was well suited for the job.
After tossing in some extra hay into the stables for the horses, I wiped away the sweat with the back of my palm from my forehead. I felt my mouth going dry from all the hard labor, so I went for the barrel of water that stood by the entrance door. Bringing the ladle to my dried lips, I feverishly drank all the cool contents of it, then splashed some onto my face to refresh myself. Grabbing the rag the hung over on one of the empty stable doors, I dabbed my face dry, then suddenly heard the fast pacing of footsteps. When I turned, I saw two boys, younger than I, running past the stables.
"Hurry up! They will start the show soon!" One of them shouted to his fat friend.
"I am running as fast as I can!" The fat one came to a stop in front of the stables to allow himself to breathe.
"Where are you two heading to?" I asked, startling the fat child.
The two children first gave me odd looks when they had heard me speak. I suppose it was due to the fact that during my residing here, I had not spoken a word to anyone, besides reporting my work the circus master. "Where are you two heading to in such a rush?" I repeated impatiently.
The fat boy seemed to sense my demeanor and spoke. "We are going to see the Living Corps!"
"The Living Corps?" I mimicked in confusion.
"Yes," Said the thinner boy. "It is a new show! They say he is an actual living, breathing corps! That his face is death and that he is the child of the Devil himself! And we are going to witness the showing!"
Before I could ask any more questions, the two boys were gone with the wind at their backs. I rolled my eyes. The whole thing was obscured. The Living Corps, there is no such thing. This was a circus and everything in a circus was an act. It must probably be some old man wearing heavy makeup.
As I was just about to descend back into the stables, the cheering crowd of people stopped me in my tracks. They were all yelling things such as 'Show him!' and 'Bring out the face of death!'. Looking around the stables, I saw that I had finished most of my chores for today and that I did have time for myself… Curiosity was eating at my head and after some time of contemplating, I pivoted on my heel and started off for north of the camp.
It was not too long until I had found the large amount of people gathering around a small cage that was concealed by a velvet blanket. The crowd was getting impatient with the waiting and children began pestering their parents when they would show the 'monster'. One man had shouted, "Start the damn show already!" I suppose that this 'Living Corps' was the most popular act in the gypsy circus.
Finally, at the corner of my eye, I saw Ramon walking towards the cage and setting himself up upon the podium. Everyone who had come looked up to the fat gypsy man as he stood over eyeing each and every man, woman, and child. When the roaring crowd had soon subsided into silence, Ramon spoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages," The fat circus master projected as if he has done this over a thousand times. "You have all traveled far and wide to gather here today to witness the most horrifying, repulsive monster that has ever walked this earth! What we have for you is an actual living, breathing corps who has risen from the dead and carries the face of death itself!"
The crowd anxiously began whispering among themselves. One man shouted, "There is no such thing! This must be a fraud!"
Ramon looked to the man with an amused expression. "Just because it seems impossible, does not mean that it is, monsieur." He said with measured tone. "Behold!"
The velvet blanket was pulled off with swiftness and the sudden gasp of the crowd was heard. Leaning to the side, I was able to see over the shocked crowd and what they were all staring at. Inside the cage, what was revealed was a young boy, possibly younger then I, who looked horridly malnourished for he seemed like nothing, but a sack of bones. His rib cage could be plainly seen pinching against his pale, grimy skin and his thin arms were spread out from himself, bound to each bar of the cage, reminding me of Jesus and his crucifixion. The boy's head was hung down to his chest, but I could see the faint white mask that cover his face.
Ramon clumsily opened the cage with the ring of many keys in hand. Everyone watching very carefully at his every move as he made his way towards the skeleton child. Although I was not able to hear from where I stood, I did see Ramon say something to the boy, to which the boy nodded in defeated agreement.
Ramon turned back to face the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages," He repeated. "I give you… The Living Corps!"
In a quick motion, Ramon ripped the white mask off the helpless boy and threw it to the side of the cage. Horrific screams could be heard along with the wailing of children hiding themselves behind their mother's dresses as if the cotton fabric could conceal you away from the face of death.
He had thin black hair that fell loosely over his face that hung like a curtain, but I could still see that the boy's skin was a pale-ish yellow that pulled against his face, highlighting the outlines of his skull. I was not sure if it was the heat that was the cause of my hallucination, but I could have sworn that the boy did not have a nose! Only a black hole taking place of it. Then there was his eyes, although I could not see the color of them –being in the state of where I stood- I saw that they were dark. Not dark from the shadow that casted over his eyes, but dark with so much scorn and hatred.
The noise around me never subsided, but continued on when Ramon picked up a discarded stick from the corner and began to beat the boy for everyone's amusement. Women gasped and cringed back at each swing while covering the eyes of their children who were trying to rip away from their mothers to watch the show in fascination. Wild men roared in encouragement like the animals they were as their ears were filled with the cries of a helpless skeleton boy. But I did not, I stayed silent.
Once the 'show' was over, the crowd of people began to migrate elsewhere as they whispered to each other gossips of the skeleton boy. When Ramon untied the ropes from the boy's burnt red wrists, he had collapsed onto the floor of the cage with little hay surrounding him as he laid on his side. After locking the cage and once again draping the blanket over, Ramon walked away back to his tent counting his earned shillings in his dirty palms. As I stood there alone staring at the velvet red blanket, I hadn't noticed the blood that trickled down my fingertips from clenching my fists too hard, trying to keep myself at bay. I had to walk away, back to my station and continue my chores. Words could not describe the amount rage that burned in the pits of my guts.
I had lost all respect for humanity.