A New Beginning

Erik stumbled out of his secret entrance to the Opera Populaire, lost and unsure of what do to with his life now. His only inspiration had left him and he felt alone in the world. His only companion that could be trust was the person he searched for outside the flaming Opera house, he hid in the shadows, his eyes looking for this one familiar face. At last he found her, Madame Antoinette Giry, outside with her daughter Meg. Antoinette seemed to also be searching for someone, only this person usually lurked in the shadows, nowhere near throngs of people, such as the groups outside now. She finally caught a glimpse when he moved out of the shadows briefly. Erik saw Antoinette whisper something to Meg, and briskly walked over to him, making sure no one was watching she hid with him in the darkness of an alleyway.

"Erik what have you done?" She asked him, "Where are Christine and Raoul?"

"I let them go," Erik replied lamely.

"Where do you plan to go from here?" Antoinette inquired "You destroyed not only your home, but also the home of so many other people."

"I do not know," he replied, his patience leaving him quickly.

"I have an idea for you," she began, " I have an old cottage that belongs to my family in the countryside. I do not need it since I will be here while they rebuild the Opera Populaire; you can live there if you like, or until you find a more suitable place for you."

Erik didn't know what to say, he nodded in understanding and said a quick thank you. Antoinette quickly gave him directions as she gave him some money for necessary items when he arrived, and then she handed him something he didn't expect. His white leather mask, he had thought he left it in the lair, but someone must have found it. Seeing the look of confusion on his face she explained to him how Meg went down to the lair and found it and gave it to her mother.

With haste Erik left the alleyway after saying thank-you to Antoinette and went off to the Opera House stables and took a horse. Erik mounted the horse and looked once more at his previous home, as he made his way to a new life in the country.