Chapter 10: When It Rained
3 years later
Erik's mischief continued as strange things began to happen. Antoinette continued to become the best in the ballet. She watched Meg as she watched her mother dance. A scenery piece fell and the girls ran to their mistress again and one looked up.
" It's him the Phantom of the Opera," one girl cried
" Why is he here?" another sneered
Erik's white mask glistened giving off a flash of light. He vanished and Antoinette sighed as these little childish games continued. Meg quickly hid behind the seats in the row behind her, she was afraid of this Phantom of the Opera. Her mother told her he would not harm anyone if they did not harm him. She collected the notes and payments Monsieur Lefevre made to Erik. He found if Erik got his money he would not attack or if he got what he wanted he wouldn't. Erik looked at Antoinette as she paid him the 25,000 francs each month. Erik paid her 8,000 every two months. Antoinette looked at him as he played.
" Vincent is dying," Antoinette said
Erik stopped, he paused for a few minuets, then turned around. He said his condolence to her and then took her in his arms.
" How long?" he asked
" They say three months, how do you explain that to your child?" Antoinette cried
" I don't know," Erik whispered
Antoinette looked at Erik and sighed, he was full of bitterness. She touched his face and Erik pulled away from her.
" Go home Antoinette, don't worry about me," he said, " Spend time with your husband."
" Erik," she said, " Please, don't kill anyone."
" She deserved it," Erik said, " if anyone speaks ill of me there will be a Punjab lasso around their necks."
Erik's voice dripped with hate, and Antoinette knew there was no hope to save him. Love was to weak now, hate had conquered his mind and possibly his body. Antoinette could not allow him to go any further.
" Erik," she sighed
Erik stood before a mirror and breathed deep…his masked faced showed no mercy, but his eyes showed a little. Erik was fighting his own shadow to live like an innocent child that is not tainted.
Antoinette looked at Erik and he looked in the mirror to see her standing there. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.
" Erik come home with me and live there, Vincent won't mind if your there," Antoinette whispered
" I can not my palace needs me," Erik whispered, " I need to defend my home."
Erik sighed and looked at her removing his mask removed his black wig. Antoinette looked at him, he turned to her and knelt down.
" You are the only one I can trust," Erik said, " So please do as you wish to accept me."
Erik presented her a pair scissors and Antoinette fixed his hair, she saw the length of his hair and knew it had been some time. She kissed his head and began to cut his hair. Erik closed his eyes and Antoinette looked at him then finished, she fixed his hair where it covered the baldness of his disfigurement. She knelt down next to him and touched his face and then hugged him.
" Erik, don't do what your doing, don't make yourself into a ghost," she cried, " You're a living being and you need to be with others."
" I don't need anyone, the only person I need is you…cause I don't care what happens, I will always love you," Erik snapped
Antoinette shook her head and stood up and felt tears just drape her face. She ran off in a hurry and Erik breathed deep. He stared at the mask and wig that had fallen off the top of the table. He got up in complete bitterness and began to write what would happen the next few months.
2 months
Antoinette fed Vincent as she sat at his bedside, what ever he had was getting worse and eating him a live from the inside out. Erik watched from the shadows in the Girys' home, his unmasked face showed his mourning for the young man that loved Antoinette. He turned away and slipped the mask back on his face, he saw Meg standing be the door. She looked at him and tears began to fall from her face.
" Don't take my Papa," Meg cried, " Death go back to where you came from…don't take my Papa."
" I am not Death, I am on her behalf as she is my companion and I do not take up her job. Erik walked out and hooded himself. He walked off into the shadows and Meg looked at him.
" Don't come back!" she cried out
Antoinette looked at her husband and sighed. He looked at her and took her hand, then weakly kissed it.
" Has Death come to claim me?" he whispered
" No, not at all," Antoinette said
She laid beside her husband and gently stroked his head and both stared up. Antoinette thought about the old days, on how she and Erik would spend every minuet staring up at the ceiling. Antoinette turned to her husband and saw he rested peacefully, she kissed his head and walked out. Meg was curled up on the sofa and Antoinette lifted up her daughter.
" Oh, Meg," she whispered
Antoinette slept on the soft sofa and worried about her husband's health. She was worried on how she would support her daughter. She worried how she would go on without being beside Vincent. Tears got the best of her and she cried herself to sleep.
1 month later
Antoinette looked at her husband's grave and knelt down beside it. She tossed several color roses into the turned soil and then placed a picture at his grave. As everyone told her and Meg their condolence and support, they left. Erik walked from the shadows as the rain began and he stood there from a distance. Meg turned around and looked at Erik she shook her head.
" He's back mother, Death is back," Meg whispered
Antoinette turned around and looked at Erik as he stood there. Erik traced his white mask and then kissed his two fingers which he traced his mask with. Antoinette kissed her two fingers and then Erik walked off without a word. His shadowy figure vanished into the rain's curtains. Antoinette took Meg home and there the rain poured harder.
" Who was that man with Death's head?" Meg asked
" He is not Death, he is the man who took care of you as you grew," Antoinette said, " He is the guardian angel which I myself could not survive without."
Antoinette sat down beside her daughter as they sat at the table and Antoinette knew she could not longer be here. She told Meg in three weeks they would leave this house for go. There her new life would come alive, the guardian angel would see them everyday.
Day after day Antoinette packed all her things, she wanted her new life to be with only one man and he was the man that protected her. Meg was uncomfortable around this strange man, this Phantom of the Opera. Meg watched as her mother addressed the man as Erik, but this man was different then O.G.
"Come this way, there is a room for you and your daughter in my palace," Erik said, " Your welcome here Antoinette Giry."
Erik opened a door and she looked at the large room that was broke down into two. No one knew of this room and it was just about the first cellar giving her easy access to the cellars. Meg's room was sealed off, but Erik knew other ways of getting in to sing to the young child. Her childish fears would vanish, Erik would become the guardian and a father all at once.
