Candle 1:Château de Colville
Erik stood in the shadows as he looked at the Opera Populaire. He breathed deep and found himself in pain which could not be healed. Erik leaned against a building and closed his eyes tightly as tears fell from his face.
" I have lost everything," he thought
Erik looked again and suddenly things become disorientated and Erik became scared as he fell into the snow. His eyes shut and his body relaxed as his mind seemed to fade away.
Erik heard a soft hum and the sound of water being poured into a porcelain bowl. He opened his eyes as he turned his head seeing where he was. The room was painted a beautiful sunflower yellow, the furniture was of the finest quality, art work hung on the wall and the bed he laid was of fine white sheets.
" Monsieur you are awake," a soft voice said
Erik's eyes turned to the servant girl, who had to be in her early teens. She was fair in skin and her black hair, with waves of the sea. Erik looked up and felt himself fade just like the last time.
" You said he was awake," a gruff voice said
" Yes, Monsieur," the girl's voice said
A hand rested on Erik's head and another checked his pulse.
" He's alive, but how did he look before he passed out?" the man asked
" His eyes just suddenly rolled back into his head sir. He was pale as a ghost," the servant girl said
The man sighed and the servant girl went to get her mistress.
" Who is he doctor?" a older woman's voice asked
" He appears to be just your average kind of man Madame," the man's voice said
" What is wrong with his face?" the woman's voice asked
" A birth defect, that is all, he's still human after all. Your husband after all felt pity for these young outcast," the doctor said
" He also was fond of his nephew," the woman said, " Where ever that boy is, he's probably dead."
The doctor sighed and continued to check Erik's pulse as he was out.
" So, what does he have?" she asked
" What we call fainting spells is what others call epilepsy," the doctor replied
" Can it be cured?" she asked
" I'm afraid not," the doctor said, " Its rare, he's the second case I have seen…where did you find him?"
" On the street's of Paris," she said, " Poor thing looked as he got mugged or perhaps just had a spell."
" Then he'll be safe in your care Madame, do come and get me if the lad wakes up," the doctor said
" Yes, of course," the older woman said
Erik opened his eyes once more and saw an older woman, nicely dress, sitting in a chair, knitting. He moaned a little and she walked to him.
" You're awake now," she said
" Where am I?" he asked
" Château de Colville," the woman replied, " I found you faint on the streets of Paris…you must have survived that terrible fire."
Erik looked at the woman that now sat beside him and touched his face.
" You look so much like him," the woman said
" Who?" Erik asked
" My husband's nephew, he was like you…sadly he was never allowed to breathe the fresh air. His mother's fear and loathing and his father's endless absents," the older woman said
Erik sat up and leaned back against the head board. He sighed and looked down at the fresh clothing he wore.
" I shall not take anymore of your time Madame, I must return to Paris," Erik said
" You are to rest here, I can not allow you to leave right now in your condition," the older woman said
Erik looked at the woman, she seemed to become fond of him already, with the impression that he was the nephew of her late husband. Erik did not want to be apart of this past, for he had already experienced extreme pain.
" Isabelle, please fetch the doctor," the older woman said
" I need no doctor, I am fine," he said
" Calm yourself or you will faint once more," she said
" Faint, I do not faint," Erik said
The doctor arrived soon after and entered the room, he looked at Erik and sent the women out the room.
" How old are you?" he asked
" 35," Erik replied
" Young 35 or old?" he asked
" Old 35, I'll be 36 in late November," Erik answered
The doctor checked his reflexes and Erik looked at the doctor. The doctor nodded and got up and left the room. Erik heard chatter behind the doors and then the doctor came back in.
" You wish to return to Paris?" the doctor asked
" Yes," Erik said
" Stay here for a week and I shall bring you to Paris. Madame has already welcomed you into her home," the doctor said
" Why can't I leave now?" Erik asked
" Your condition is hard to explain, but know you should not stray to far from the comforts of this bed," he said, " Good day Monsieur."
Erik laid back down and looked around the room, he closed his eyes trying remember what had happen in the past.
The following day Erik walked around the Château and found an office. He entered it and there pictures of the late Monsieur Colville hung. He sat down and lifted a picture off Monsieur Colville's desk and looked at it. Two men stood side by side and had the same look on their faces.
" My husband and his twin brother Daniel," Madame Colville said
Erik looked up at her, the older woman glided across the floor and walked to Erik. She looked at the picture and smiled at the man on the right.
" He would be 56 today if the fever did not get to him," she said, " His brother died three years after that."
" Do you have pictures of your nephew Madame?" Erik asked
" Yes, in the top drawer," she said
Erik reached into the top drawer and pulled out several pictures. Erik scanned the pictures of the young boy. He dressings were that of a very wealthy family, but his expression suggest other wise.
" What happened to him?" he asked
" He disappeared, his mother did not love this child at all because of his face," Madame Colville said
" His face, but he looks normal," Erik said
" Keep going," she said
Erik flipped through and stopped on a picture and looked at it. The boy's face was truly disfigured, though it was only half. Erik traced his disfigurement and looked at the boy's. He set the pictures down and stood up, Madame Colville looked at him.
" I need some fresh air," Erik said
Erik walked off and she lifted the pictures.
" I can only wonder if this is truly you young nephew. That there is hope that you have returned to Château de Colville as you hoped you would."
