Erik's POV

"No…" I shot up in bed, a flash of lightning scaring me. I gasped for breath and ran my fingers through my thin wisps of hair. It was a dream…only a dream and nothing more. But it didn't feel that way. Everything had been so real, and I wasn't sure, but I swore my master was alive again. Why was it that I couldn't remember anything about the past few years, but I could remember my childhood as if it were yesterday? I sighed and lay back down, only to see my door open. I looked up, noticing that Christine was coming in dressed in that familiar robe once more. God, it was such a horrible idea to allow her to stay here. With the way I slept, it was better to be alone, for I had probably woken her.

"Christine, forgive me," I mewed. "I…I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," she confessed. "I was woken by the storm and went to the bathroom. I heard you scream and came in to make sure that you were all right."

"I am," I lied. "I just had a nightmare is all."

"Storms frighten me," she said. "W…Would it be all right if I stayed here with you for a while?"

This made me nervous, for no one had ever wanted to stay with me before. I nodded and scooted over to make room for her. The girl gently sat herself down on my bed and looked towards the rain soaked window.

"Don't you ever get frightened from the storms?" she asked. "They are a little scary, especially with the house being so close to the ocean and all…"

"Not really…Though, I would think the child would have been more afraid of the storms than you would."

"He has his father's bravery," Christine said. "He doesn't seem to be afraid of anything…Though, crowds do tend to make him a bit uneasy."

"They do the same to me," I said, finding the child's personality to be much like my own. "I don't like crowds, that being the reason why I prefer to work alone."

"Erik, I was wondering, would you like to go to dinner one night? I know that I work for you, but it would be nice to do something as friends…Would that be all right?"

"I don't like to dine out often. There isn't much that I can eat without getting sick."

"Desert then?" she quickly said, changing the subject. "We could have desert together one evening…Would that be all right?"

I wasn't sure what to say. There was something about this woman that I did indeed like, but then again, there was also something about her that frightened me. Perhaps it was because she was beautiful and I was the complete opposite. No woman had ever asked me to accompany them to dinner before, and now that Christine was, I couldn't help but be frightened over it. But to walk among the world with a beautiful woman at my side…Now that was something to be excited about.

"We will see," I said. "It could be something nice for a change."

When another rumble of thunder shook the house, Christine scooted closer to me. It didn't frighten me, for I was used to thunder storms. No, what was bothering me was the fact that Christine was seated so close to me.

"Christine, I'm going to go back to sleep now," I said. "You should do the same."

Christine stood to her feet and was about to leave when another flash of lightning scared her. This caused her to fly back to my bed. This time, however, she crawled beneath the covers with me. Oh, I was not comfortable with this at all…

"Christine, what are you doing?"

"Erik, please let me stay… I'll stay on my own side of the bed, this I swear…"

In all my years on earth, never had any woman ever shared a bed with me. I wasn't sure if it made me happy or scared, but either way, there was a woman in my bed. I placed my head against the pillow and closed my eyes, finding that Christine did the same a few moments later.

"You know," Christine began. "When I was younger, I…I used to crawl into bed with my lover. Well, this was before we were lovers. He…He was afraid at first too, but he came around and kept me company during the storms. Sort of like how you're keeping me company now."

"I'm glad…" I choked. "I'm glad you feel better. G…Goodnight, Christine."

And just like that, I closed my eyes and slipped back to sleep. The following morning, I woke to find Christine gone. I sighed in relief, for it would have been awkward if she was still beside me. We were barely friends and for her to be beside me now would only be embarrassing. Knowing that I needed to get back to work, I rose from my bed and reached for my shirt, realizing that thinking about Christine had set my body off in ways it never reacted before. I headed into the bathroom in an attempt to calm down my growing erection. Oh, what was wrong with me? No woman ever made me feel like this, not even the whores in Coney Island. Every day in Phantasma, I saw hundreds of women, and not one ever set my body off like this. Oh, what was wrong with me?

"Erik?" I was pulled from my thoughts, when I heard Christine knocking on the bathroom door. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," I growled. "I'm…I'm getting ready for work."

"Gustave and I are heading out. We will be back later…"

When she was gone, I was relieved to find that my erection was gone. Satisfied, I changed and headed down the stairs. Work needed to be done today, and I was going to be sure that it got done. Deciding to make a few stops first, I entered my ice cream parlor to order supplies.

"How are you feeling Mister E?" I heard one of my employees ask.

I was leaning on the back counter in order to fill out an order form. I shrugged my shoulders and continued writing.

"I've felt better," I said. "Thanks for your concern."

I was just getting ready to leave, when Nadir walked in carrying a few boxes. He placed them down on the front counter and made his way towards me. I was just placing my note pad into my pocket, when I felt the man's hand clamp around my shoulder.

"How have you been feeling?"

"Wonderful," I sarcastically replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have things that need to be done. They're not going to get that way with me standing around talking to you."

"I have a few other deliveries to make," Nadir said. "I can walk with you."

"I didn't know that I wanted you to walk with me," I snapped. "I have things that I need to do."

I walked outside, only to see Nadir approaching a cart that was stacked with other boxes that needed to be delivered to the other stands and shops.

"I need to drop off a box of supplies at the sea glass gift store," Nadir said, pulling his cart along. "Walk with me."

"I thought you were walking with me," I sarcastically replied. "How did it turn into me walking with you?"

"I wanted to ask you about your maid," he said. "How have things been going with her?"

"I have yet to fire her, if that's what you're asking. Her cooking is good and her work is sufficient. Plus, she keeps to herself and isn't a nosy skunk. That's what I was looking for in a maid."

"That wasn't what I was asking. I was asking if you liked her? You know…As a potential love interest…"

"Love interest? What on earth does that mean? How could you think I would ever like someone like that? On the other hand, what woman would want me in that way? No, Persian, you need to mind your own business."

When we arrived at the small gift store that sold sea shells and sea glass, I followed Nadir inside. He placed the box of supplies down on the counter and turned to me.

"Oh, come now, friend," Nadir mocked. "I doubt that you mean that. What woman wouldn't want to be in that position? You're the owner of an entire park, the most successful one on Coney Island to boot."

"That's encouraging… You're telling me that any woman would marry me because I have money. Well, Persian, I would want to marry for love, not my money. If I were poor, I would want them to love me…Money is nothing."

"It helps."

"She's from the non-freak community. What would my world think if I started seeing someone from the non-freak community? Freaks are supposed to marry freaks, and if I started seeing someone from outside the community, think about what others would say… I am to set an example."

"But as you said before, not all non-freaks are bad. You stood up for Christine at your café last week. You said that it should be all right to date who you want to date."

"Perhaps, but Christine would never want to be with me."

"I wouldn't say that, Monsieur."

I rolled my eyes and stepped out of the gift store to continue the rest of my rounds. For the remainder of the day I made my rounds, finishing up at the pizza parlor around nine. The lights of Phantasma were just turning off, leaving my park in complete darkness. Oh, the dark felt wonderful, for there were no more crowds, giving me the sense of relief I needed. I was just passing Feltman's ice cream stand, when I heard a familiar voice.

"Erik?"

I turned my head to find Christine standing there. Gustave was nowhere in sight, making me wonder what she was doing here.

"Christine, what are you doing?"

"I was waiting for you," she said. "You said you would have desert with me. I…I thought tonight would have been the perfect night to have it."

"I'm not really that hungry," I said. "I was tired and thinking about going home."

"We're the only ones here," Christine argued. "Come on, Erik…"

For some odd reason, I couldn't deny this woman her request, that being the reason why I ordered a small vanilla ice cream in a cup and she a fudge sundae. We took a seat on a bench the was facing the ocean to eat our ice cream, me finding it strange. No one ever did this with me before…no one.

"My lover couldn't eat any flavor but vanilla," Christine said. "He had a weak stomach."

"I have a weak stomach as well," I said. "Though, I can see that you have no problem eating any kind of ice cream."

"No, I love all the different flavors."

"Christine, have you been talking to Nadir?"

"Not really," she said. "I hardly see him, and when I do, we don't talk about you."

"Really? Because he seems to see it a bit differently. He came up to me today with this outrageous notion that you seem to admire me."

"Me?" she giggled. "I don't know what would make him think such a thing."

"I thought the same."

When we were finished with our ice cream, I stood and began walking home with Christine at my side. I was just locking up the gates of my park, when a crowd of people passed by.

"Hey, freak…" a few of them shouted out. "Freak! What are you doing with a girl? You're not a human being!"

Anger stirred within me, but I ignored them. When they passed, Christine looked into my eyes as if wanting to know how I felt about being called a freak.

"…Right," I said, continuing our walk. "I don't know why Nadir would have thought you admired me. I'm nothing but a freak…"

Ignorant fools! Christine can thank them for Erik's sudden drop in self confidence... She's getting closer to him though... The next few chapters are some of the best I've ever written so stay tuned! A little fluff is on the way, and of course, more jokes from our favorite comedian, Nadir Khan. Please review!