Hello Everyone! This is my first fanfic ever. If you have any advice for me, please leave it in the comments. THE STORY WILL GET HAPPIER AND (hopefully with time) BETTER WRITTEN! But I only have the next chapters planned out to a certain extent so if you want anything to appear in the story, leave it in the comments as well. So Read and Review! :)
The Weight of Words: Chapter One
The scanty boy shivered as another strong wind blew against his bare skin, and then wrapped his arms tightly around himself. He didn't remember autumn ever being this cold before. This was just a not so gentle reminder that winter was soon to come. The bars on the hell-hole he was trapped in were swathed with ice although it was only November. The caravans slipped on the ice on the roads which they traveled on. This winter was sure to be the death of him.
Praise God.
Through the slight opening at the fronts of the tent (and through the eyeholes of his makeshift mask, which was just an old sack with two holes in it), he could see the sky turning purple, pink, and gold. This would have been a beautiful sight if he didn't know what agony would be bestowed upon him when night fell. He feared the sunset.
Adding to his fears he heard the sound of boots ambling through the fallen leaves outside the tent. He slunk back from the tent as far as the cage would allow and curled into a ball. He suppressed whimpers as he heard the tent open and the footsteps get closer.
"How is my little demon," his wicked master asked mockingly.
The young boy didn't answer him. Not that the bastard thought he would. The man kicked the cage next to the boy's head causing him to cry out as if he had actually harmed him. He wouldn't do that at the moment. He enjoyed mocking and frightening his little creature almost as much as causing him pain. He was about to tell him about the new whip he had purchased when a man from another act poked him head through the tents opening.
"We are opening in five," he called before quickly leaving the tent.
Upon hearing those words the young boy began to whimper softly. Noticing the whimpers, an evil smile crossed the man's face.
"I will see you soon, devil's child."
As he left, he cracked him whip against the bars of the cage causing the boy to jump. When the brute was finally gone, the child began sobbing quietly into his hands.
~o~
Antoinette wondered why everyone was so excited about going to the traveling carnival. Was it really so much to gawk at freaks? Truth be told, the gypsies' fair was the last place she wanted to be. It scared her. Though they were hundreds of people around she felt like she was alone with the oddities closing in around her. She was started out of her thoughts by a voice.
"Hurry Antoinette, I do not want to have to wait an hour and a half for tickets because you were being so slow."
Why was Cécile always in such a hurry? She was practically Antoinette sister, couldn't see tell there was reason she was lagging behind the other ballet girls?
She did.
"Annie, they won't hurt you," she said putting a reassuring arm around her friend as they walked past the ticket booth. "You have nothing to fear."
Antoinette sighed. "I know, but something just does not seem right."
Cécile laughed. "Annie, I have never been to a gypsy carnival, but from what I have been told, it's not supposed to be 'normal' or 'right.'"
"I know that, but I-," she gasped as a lit torch flew over her head in one of the juggling acts. "Oh! Uh, just, s-something seems amiss."
"How extremely inaccurate, seeing as where we are at the moment," Cécile said sarcastically and then changed her tone of voice," but I think all of it is spectacular!"
Oh, how wrong she was.
~o~
The boy calmed himself down by playing with the one toy he ever had. It was a small rag-toy monkey with a faded red vest and two tiny cymbals attached to each hand. Though not much to anyone else, it was so very vital to him. It was the only luxury he had, if you could even call it that. And when you clanged the two cymbals together you could create a sweet almost bell like sound. You could create music.
Music. How he wished he could have more. Any kind of music would do. Whenever he heard instruments or singing it immediately calmed his fears. Sometimes before his 'act' the wind would blow, carrying voices and a violin that must have belonged to another act through the air and he would feel safe, if only for a little while.
But he didn't hear the music on the breeze tonight. It might have been the howling wind. Or the howling crowds. So he clanked the small cymbals together to make his own music. The child smile slightly at the sounds they made. But his soft, sweet music was cut short when the small toy monkey was kicked out of his hands. Then he noticed a mob beginning to forming around his prison.
Suddenly fear struck him, but not as hard the first blow...or the second...or the third... or the fourth...
~o~
Antoinette watched the scene in horror. Around her crowds were screaming, cheering, and throwing money, encouraging the wicked man to keep hurting a poor boy that looked younger than she was. She even saw her friends and classmate laughing and cheering.
How could they do this to him? She thought. He has done nothing wrong.
"Behold, the Devil's Child," the man hissed after he was satisfied by the cries of the young child.
He ripped the sack off of his head to reveal a dreadful sight. But Antoinette did not believe that was reason enough to harm him so. She felt terrible for even watching this horrendous display. She felt terrible for every person in the crowd. Tears of regret came to her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.
Antoinette didn't know what compelled her to do so, but she turned one last time towards the cage. Her eyes went wide upon seeing the shocking sight.
~o~
He couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't going to wait to die. He was getting out of there. Now. A sudden adrenaline rush caused him to forget his pain and reach for the rope his master kept tied to the side of the bars to pin him down when he tried to get away from his master's whip.
He wouldn't be in this freak-show any longer. He wouldn't be controlled by a master any longer. He did something he never thought he'd do. He slipped the rope over his wretched master's head, tightened it around his neck, and pulled forcefully; cutting off his air to his lungs. He died right there at his feet. Then the realization hit him. I'm a murderer he thought. I've killed a human being.
But now was not the time to worry about this. He crawled to the entrance of the cage. Where was he going to go? How would he get there? He'd never been to Paris before. What would-Then he noticed the girl standing there.
The boy crumpled right there at Antoinette's feet wordlessly begging her not to tell anyone. She wouldn't have anyway, even if he had just run off and not stopped upon seeing her. The vile man lying dead in the cage deserved. She wondered why he hadn't run off. And then it occurred to her: He doesn't know where to run to. She started to say something to her but was cut off by a man's yelling.
"Murderer! Murderer!"
Antoinette grabbed the boys hand firmly.
"Viens avec moi!" she said loudly, almost dragging the boy behind her.
She and the boy ran through the now lifeless carnival. Soon she heard the sound of many feet running towards them. She merged to the shadows on her left, pulling the boy behind her. They two children ran down a seemingly endless pathway that went in between two buildings. She heard the younger child start to whimper as the path narrowed and the shadows covered everything in darkness. She murmured comfort to him as they continued their escape. After what seemed like an eternity they reached the other side.
They children ran down the vacant street and straight to the Opera Populaire stables. Antoinette led the boy to a secret entrance (or exit for ballerinas running off every now and then) of the chapel.
"This path leads to the Chapelle, go through it and I will meet you there."
The boy's eyes were filled with worry, but he obeyed.
Thanks for reading! Review and tell me what you thought. And no, I do not own Phantom of the Opera. Duh. :P