Gustave burst into the room expecting to find an apparition and what he found was nothing short of that. Leaning over a sleeping Christine was the boy with the mask. He was startled by Gustave's entrance and took two big steps back away from the girl. For a moment the two men looked at each other in silence. Gustave closed the door behind him cautiously so that he did not wake his daughter. Erik stood still in the center of the room and looked back at Christine once more before returning his eyes to Gustave. Their silence was broken by Gustave's voice.
"Erik?" he said.
The boy did not speak, he just kept glancing back at the girl and then at him. It appeared that he was making sure that Christine would not wake up. Gustave tried once again.
"Your name is Erik, right?"
This time the boy nodded and then spoke softly.
"How do you know my name?"
Gustave startled toward him but stopped when he saw Erik's body stiff before him. Instead, Gustave walked to his side and sat on the chair next to the small table that held the only candle in the room.
"That is not important. I want to know what…"
"It is important." Erik interrupted Gustave. "No one is allowed to know me."
Gustave looked down at the floor and clasped his hands together. He had to apologize for inquiring about his life without his consent. He also needed to know what he was doing in his room.
"I beg your forgiveness; I saw no harm in asking for your name."
"Who told you?" Erik proudly asked.
"That I cannot say. But you owe me an apology too, what are you doing in my room when my young daughter is asleep." Gustave asked in a harsh tone.
Erik shifted his weight from one foot to the other and looked straight at Gustave as he answered him.
"Your daughter is afraid of the dark. Her cries annoyed me so that I had to come here and shut her up. You shouldn't leave her alone."
"I see, but I am afraid I have no other choice. I have to work to put food on the table." Gustave responded.
"Where is her mother?" the boy asked.
"She is dead."
The room was quiet for a while. Gustave cleared his throat before speaking again.
"I wasn't aware you were our next door neighbor. Is your room to our left or our right?"
"It is neither." Erik simply said.
"So how is it that you heard her then?"
"I was walking around." Erik's voice was still low, little more than a whisper.
"This late at night, every night?" Gustave pushed him.
"It is the only time when I can."
"Why is that?" Gustave wanted to keep him talking, hoping that he would feel comfortable enough to sit by him.
"For obvious reasons, my face." The boy said sadly.
"What is wrong with your face? May I get to know you?" Gustave courteously asked.
"No!" Erik said angrily and turned away. Gustave got up from his chair, thinking for a moment that he had left, but the boy had only blended into the shadows of the room. From the dark his voice emerged soft once again. "No."
"I'm sorry." Gustave said sitting back. "I will not ask again. Why don't you sit? There is another chair right there." Gustave pointed to his right.
Erik came out of the shadows and Gustave saw the mask a little clearer. It was rather ugly, brown and made of cardboard, with the necessary holes for his eyes, nose and mouth. Gustave could see that a side of his nose was deformed, but that was all that was apparent. Trying not to seem too eager to look, Gustave set his eyes on the boy's eyes. They were blue green and piercing. Those eyes made all the questions that the boy's voice did not utter. Menacing without intend, the boy's eyes told Gustave to be cautious with his future questions.
The boy sat in the chair Gustave had pointed to and kept his gaze on him. He awaited more questions, he was enjoying the interaction. His better judgment was telling him to leave, to run away from this man and his interest in him, but it had been so long since someone had talked to him. So long since another person talked to him as a person. Erik wanted this conversation to last just a little longer. Just a little more and then I swear I'll go back to reality, the boy told himself.
"My name is Gustave Daae, I am a violinist. And that little girl is my daughter Christine." Gustave said pointing to the sleeping child.
"I know."
"Yes, you do indeed." Gustave said laughingly. "I heard you sing, you've got a wonderful voice. Where did you learn to sing like that?"
"I didn't, it's just something I do."
"That is even more of an accomplishment then." Gustave praised him.
In the dim light of the flickering candle Gustave thought he saw Erik smile.
"I was told once that my mother was a singer. My grandfather built this opera house for her." Erik said cheerfully.
"He must have loved her so." Gustave offered.
"I don't know." Erik's voice grew quiet again.
"Where is your mother?"
"She died when I was three years of age."
"I am sorry to hear that. And your father?" Gustave pushed yet again.
"You ask too many questions." Came Erik's sharp response.
Gustave smiled and reminded himself to go slowly.
"I was just trying to keep the conversation flowing. Pardon me. When I saw you for the first time I thought a good conversation might do us both good. A friendship is always good."
"What makes you think I need a friend?" Erik's tone was sarcastic and mean.
"Everyone needs friends. But I was talking about myself when I said that a friendship would be good." Gustave informed the boy.
Erik said nothing. He got up from the chair and looked at Christine. Gustave saw that his clothes were old and stained. He wondered where exactly in the Opera house did this boy live.
"I must go." Erik finally spoke.
"Yes, you must. I am awfully tired and need to rest for tomorrow's rehearsal."
"I have heard you play. You are the best violinist I have ever heard." Erik sincerely complimented him.
"Thank you." Gustave smiled.
"May I continue to sing to your daughter?"
Erik surprised Gustave by the question. He didn't know what to say. Christine had been so peaceful lately, but he didn't even know Erik. Yet the boy inspired in him a confidence that was unearthly. Perhaps he really is an angel sent to help my broken family, Gustave thought.
"Yes you may." The words left Gustave's mouth without any effort, and he felt glad to have said them.
"Good night then."
"Would you stay until I come back?" Gustave wondered. "I still haven't told you all about me." He tried to bribe.
"I will try." Was Erik's final answer before… he walked through the wall of the room?
Gustave let out a gasp and ran to the wall. He traced it with his hand and trying to pull it open with his fingers, but nothing came of it. Did I just see Erik disappear through the wall? I must be more exhausted that I thought, Gustave told himself. Until the second before he fell asleep, Gustave wondered if he had imagined the conversation with Erik. There was no other possible explanation; no one can walk through walls.
