Chapter 3: Flashes From The Past


~ Many Years Ago ~


Young Erik cried within the corner of his room after his mother had struck him across the face for asking for a birthday kiss on the cheek; She had screamed at him that he was to never again ask for such a sinful thing and that she would make him wish that he had never been born if he ever removed his cloth mask again. The sound of his light sobs filled the room as he hid his clothed face within his arms that were lent against his knees that he had pulled close to his chest,

"Who's there?" a soft voice called causing Erik to gasp in fright thinking that his mother had come to strike him once again... Erik waited for the voice to speak again and sighed in relief when no sound came but looked up curiously when a soft piano melody began to play and the young boy stood from his corner and approached the attic wall across the room and peered through a crack that allowed him to see a girl his age with auburn hair sat at a grand piano in the middle of a grandly decorated music room,

"You... You play beautifully" Erik said timidly causing the girl to look towards him with a curious expression due to the fact that she could not see who the voice belonged too,

"I knew someone was there. I heard you crying. Are you ok?" The young girl asked with gentle concern,

"Yes I... I'm ok now" he told her as she peered through the crack so that she could see his clothed face,

"I'm about to begin my music lesson. Do you want to come over and join in? My maestro would be happy to teach you too" The young girl said in excitement but Erik frowned behind his mask,

"I can't... Miss doesn't let me leave the house" he said, allowing a hidden tear to fall as he remembered the day that Madeline had forbidden him from ever calling her mother and insisted that he address her as 'Miss' like a student would to their teacher or a servant to their master.

"Awwwww... That's not fair. She should let you out at least to go and play with your friends" The girl reasoned,

"I don't have any friends" Erik admitted,

"Why not?" The girl pressed gently,

"Miss says that no one deserves to look upon my hideous face... She says I'm a monster" Erik murmured sadly as silence fell between them,

"I don't think you're a monster. I'll be your friend" The girl said gently causing Erik to look up with a surprised expression hidden behind his mask,

"Really?" he asked and saw her smile brightly,

"Yes. I don't have any friends either. My father would rather have me study all the time... I'm Amelia by the way. What's your name?" she asked curiously,

"I... Miss calls me monster but... Her friend, Marie always calls me Erik. She says its the name I was given when I was born" Erik said timidly,

"Well I will call you Erik if that's ok because you're not a monster to me. We're friends now. Best friends" she told him kindly and for the very first time... Erik felt him smile behind his mask,

"Best friends" he said in agreement.


Erik woke to find that he had fallen asleep with his head on his desk whilst composing,

"Best friends..." he murmured to himself, remembering the time he had first met Amelia that he had dreamed about the night before and he stood, stretching his neck in order to wake up his muscles before opening his desk draw and retrieved an unfortunate but all too familiar object... A cloth mask,

"What's that?" a voice said causing Erik to turn to find Madame Giry standing there with his weekly provisions of food and various other necessary items,

"... The only gift my mother ever gave me... The very first mask I ever wore" he answered in a murmur, tossing the material onto the desk in an uncaring manner before turning towards her and accepted the item with polite thanks,

"I know that you have been wondering about my reasons for making you invite Miss Johnson to view the performance of Cinderella last week... Like Sasha... I too know her from childhood. She was my friend... My best friend but... Our paths went in different directions due to my own actions and choices... I never dreamed that our lives would ever cross again... But it seems that fate has been kind to me" Erik explained with a smile,

"This means you are in luck, Madame... You wish for Miss Johnson to attend your school and I wish for my friend and I to be truly reunited. She does not yet no that I was the boy she once met behind a cloth mask. If you send for her then I shall do my best to convince her to audition for the next season" Erik told her causing the ballet mistress to smile brightly,

"I shall send for her right away" she assured with an excited tone,

"Good and when she arrives... Show her the way to me" Erik instructed gently before Madame Giry rushed off to send for Amelia.


NEXT CHAPTER IS THE OFFICIAL REUNION FOR ERIK AND AMELIA! REVIEW FOR CHAPTER 4!

Kind Regards,

TheAuthor1996