The Phantom awoke with a scream. The dream had seemed so real. He could still feel the sharp, icy fingers digging into his legs and he subconsciously swatted them away. Cold sweet dampened his face and neck, his breath came in short, shallow bursts as he tried to bring himself back to reality. He closed his eyes and listened to the world around him, half expecting to hear the soothing silence of the catacombs of the Opera Populaire. He wanted to listen to the melody the silence created as it slowly was joined by the harmonies of the early morning bustles of the opera house residents preparing for the first rehearsals of the day. The dancers hurrying to get to practice on time because they woke up late, the chorus warming up, the crew preparing the set and chatting amongst themselves about the cast and other crew members. This was the music that greeted the Phantom every morning, it's beauty overwhelmed him and inspired him to create his music. But the beauty he was so used to did not greet him this morning, there was no music, there was no beauty, there was no inspiration. Instead, there was nothing but noise. Loud, abrasive noise from the other inmates calling out for someone... calling out for him.

"Bring him out! Let's see what this freak is made of!"

"You're in for it now!"

"Someone is gonna be checked out a little early today!"

The Phantom stood abruptly when he heard the guard unlocking his cell and his heart sank when he saw that it was not the kind old man who had helped him the day before. This was the other man, the one who had enjoyed throwing him into walls. His face was smug with a grin of satisfaction, he wore the face of a man who enjoyed causing pain to others, or at least seeing them in pain.

"Let's go freak, time for you to meet your new friends." He said viciously, he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and threw him out into the common area. Dozens of faces stared at him, most with the same satisfied looks. One man stepped up to him after the guard had left and helped him to his feet. He was a tall dark man with hazel eyes that burned with a certain waiting intensity. He wore a smile unlike the rest, it seemed kind enough but somehow it seemed to hide something behind it that set the Phantom on edge.

"Hello, brother." The man said holding out his hand in greeting, there was a hint of mocking in his voice. "My name is Adam and this here is Sam and John," he gestured to two men who in turn stepped up next to him. The Phantom took a step back.

"Pleased to meet ya." Said Sam, he was a small man compared to the others and older too, he had greying hair and sharp, tierd eyes. The other man said nothing, only looked at him with cold, black eyes and equally black skin, and he was a giant compared to his comrades. The Phantom retreated another step.

"Hey now there's no need for that." Said Adam coming closer, his hands outstretched.

"Stay back." Said the Phantom, his voice hardened and defensive. The three men laughed and gestured to the crowd who, in turn, created a tight circle around the four of them.

"What do you want?" The Phantom asked, he searched for a means of retreat and when he found none he looked for something that could have been used as a weapon. The big man, noticed his wandering gaze and growled menacingly at him.

"Haha, now now John don't frighten him... that's my job." Said Adam with a cold, and serpent like gaze. The Phantom glared at him continuing to back away.

"What do you want?" The Phantom asked again. Adam laughed haughtily.

"Just a crack at the famous, genius murderer. And... a look behind that bandage." He said, the Phantom looked at him incredulously.

"What?!" He asked

"Is it true what they say?" Adam asked cruelly "Is your face as hideous... horrible as they say? Is it true that your own mother sold you to a freak show? Is it true that they threw you in a cage? Is it true… that yet called you 'The Devil's Child'?" Rage rose in the Phantom's body, his fist clenched and he shook with anger.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I strike a nerve?" Adam taunted, the room seemed to rumble with laughter. Murmurs echoed through the crowd.

"Devil's Child." They said,

"Monster… freak."

Each word sent a cold rush of new anger and old hatred through the Phantom. His body was stiff and his knuckles grew white with fury. The three men closed in on him, their faces painted with the horrid curiosity and wicked satisfaction the Phantom used to see on the faces of those who had come to stare before. Memories of that life flooded back to him, memories of the men who would come into the cage they kept him in and beat him like a wild animal, who would tear at the meager scrap of cloth that covered his face. He heard them now, their cruel words, their curses and their laughter. He felt a sharp pain in his side and he staggered backwards into the sea of bodies surrounding them. Laughter erupted around him as they hauled him upright and pushed him back to the three men.

"Come on now freak, are you going to just let me beat you to death? How disappointing." Adam said, but the Phantom was no longer listening to him. When he had hit him, the Phantom had heard something, something deep in the back of his head. Eyes wide and mouth open he stood there trying to recapture what it was he had heard.

"Hey, are you even listening to me? You freak!" Adam yelled, he stood very close to his face now and the Phantom could smell his horrid breath, but he needed to know.

"Hit me again…" he whispered, Adam blinked in surprise.

"Wh-what did you say?" Adam asked incredulously. The Phantom snapped his head up to look him face to face. Adam flinched back.

"Hit me again, damn you! Hit me!" He screamed at him. Adam smiled and gestured at John who ran up and grabbed the Phantom around the neck and lifted him high off the ground. Again he heard it, and now he understood what it was. Music. It was soft, barely audible, but it was there, it had come back to him. As the giant man strangled him he smiled triumphantly.

"Why are you smiling?" Said the giant, the Phantom looked down at him with his familiar cold, calculating eyes and sly smile. He clutched at the giant man's wrist with one hand and with the other he slammed a fist into his right temple. He let out a cry of pain and released his grip on the Phantom. Immediately he ran at the giant, releasing some of the bandage on his face as he went. The man did not have enough time to stand before the Phantom was on top of him, he wrapped the strip of bandage around the thick neck and pulled. The familiarity of the snapping neck bones filled him with the old feelings of euphoria.

"Oy, let him go! You're going to kill him!" Yelled Sam, he tried to run to John but the Phantom shot him a glare so menacing that he, Adam and the other men coming from the circle were frozen.

"This is what you wanted, was it not?" He growled at them all, their faces showed both terror and a sort of hidden respect. Then he felt the giant man stop struggling and his body went limp, and his breath left his body. The Phantom released his grip and slowly stood to face the other two men, the circle had widened now and some inmates had snuck away back to the safety of their cells. Since all of the men in this prison were either in for life or condemned to death the guards did not bother to watch them. The way they saw it, there was no way of escape and if they killed each other it would just mean less work for them. As the Phantom stood facing Adam and Sam he once again heard the music, his music, but there was something different about this music. He didn't care, it was beautiful and it was his once more. He felt an overwhelming serge of hope and power that the music granted him. It was fantastic. He reached to the bandage and began to unwrap it, all of the onlookers who were left fled to their cells. Adam and Sam looked on in horror.

"Now, the-there's no need for that." Said Adam, his tone bordered on hysteria. The Phantom could not help but smile.

"What's wrong boy?" He asked mockingly "I am only giving you what you wanted…" Sam bolted away and left Adam there paralyzed in fear.

"I really must thank you," Said the Phantom, backing the fear stricken inmate into one of the darker corners. "It is because of you and your friends that I can once again hear my beautiful music."

"Please," Adam begged "Please, don't kill me. I beg you!" The Phantom smiled viciously and undid the last of the bandage. The look of terror and an ear piercing scream was the end of the Phantom's first day.

How am I doing guys? Do ya like it? Please review. Thank you all! ^_^