Candle 2: This Boy, That Man
Erik opened his eyes breathing deep, sweat dressed his face and his chest heaved. Erik got up and walked to the porcelain wash bowl. He pour water into it and washed the sweat away. He looked up in the mirror and looked at himself as he gripped the sides of the table.
" What am I doing here?" Erik thought
Erik walked to the balcony and opened the door, the fresh air came sailing in and Erik closed his eyes. His thoughts flew back to Paris where he thought back to the Opera Populaire.
Flashback
Erik listened to the girls in the dormitories, he had come to visit Christine as her angel of music. He stayed where he was and found that there was a conversation between the girls about him.
" The Phantom?" Christine questioned
" Have you seen him?" Meg asked
Christine shook her head and Meg sighed, with a certain tone to her sigh.
" Why are you interested in him?" Christine asked, " He's done such terrible things."
" I don't know, he's so mysterious, but I find myself attracted him," Meg said
Christine giggled a little and hugged her friend.
" He is truly a man of mystery, but a dangerous man," Christine said, " What would you do if you came face to face with him?"
Meg blushed and Christine smiled and said, " Meg, I'm surprised, a man that you never met."
" I didn't mean it to be like that," Meg said
Christine stood up and put her hands on her hips and Meg gave her friend a look.
" Alright Meg, here's my promise…together we will find the Phantom of the Opera," Christine said
Meg stood up and looked at her Christine and smiled.
" And you Christine, what is it that you want, it's apparent that O.G. can grant any desire. What is it that you want?" Meg asked
" I want to sing, sing on stage," Christine said, " To let my father see me."
" Then let us find him," Meg said
" You can get your kiss dear Meg and I can get him to request me," Christine said
Meg smiled and quickly hushed her friend about the forbidden kiss. The two girls pranced around the room so happily. Erik watched them and leaned against the wall, there he waited for them to fall asleep. Erik walked out into the shadows and saw a letter signed by Christine. He lifted it up and read it, the childish request made him smile. He looked at Meg as she slept and walked to her.
" Perhaps, you will see me long enough to receive that kiss," Erik whispered
He vanished into the shadow with the letter at hand. It was the first and only time he left Meg a red rose with a black, silk ribbon.
End of flash back
Erik sighed and looked at the stars, Paris held the young chorus girl, that he had grown fond of. Of course she had never received that forbidden kiss from him and he wished to make that dream come true.
" Could I face her?" Erik thought
He pushed off and went to sleep and dreamt of hope to bring one dream come true.
The morning light broke into his room and Erik turned his head in the other direction. He rubbed his eyes and just laid there for a few minuets, then sat up. His shirt half way off his back and his eyes full of weariness. Erik slipped his shirt on and washed his face, he walked down the halls to the breakfast room. Erik looked at the servants as they served him and then walked off. Isabelle stood there and he looked at the large breakfast.
" Isabelle," Erik said
" Yes?" she asked
" Can you tell me about the young boy, Madame Colville was talking about?" Erik asked
Isabelle nodded and Erik offered her a seat and she folded her hands into her lap.
" Before I came here, my mother worked for Madame and Monsieur Colville. She would go with the couple to visit the couple up the road. Madame's brother, David, was he was never there and the Madame, her sister-in-law . They had a son named….named….I forgot his name, but he was like you Monsieur, disfigured on one side. None the less, he was never seen unless requested by Monsieur Colville. Madame and Monsieur would take the boy away for the day to visit the estate. My mother loved the young master of the house and would hope that he would stay. He was probably about 5 at the time, but when he turned 8 he vanished from existence. Madame Colville claims he was taken by gypsies or sold for slavery. Monsieur Colville spent ten years of his life looking for the young master, but fever got him and he past away. I'm afraid that is all I know, but if he is alive he is probably your age Monsieur," Isabelle said
Erik sighed and looked down at his food, he found himself in thought.
" I must go back to Paris," he thought, " I can't get involved."
Erik finished what he could and then ventured around the estate. Isabelle followed him incase he needed her. He walked outside and felt the bliss, cool, air as it circled him.
" It's beautiful out here," he whispered, " I could live here."
He walked through the gardens and smelt the wonderful smells of the winter blossoms, that inhabitant the garden. Erik's mind was freed here and he felt he could rest with ease and without judgment.
" Where is Madame today?" Erik asked
" She's seeing to Monsieur Colville's business, since his death Madame has worked to keep her husband's business alive," Isabelle said
Erik nodded and walked to the river that ran behind the Château. He knelt down and touched the water and smiled. He cupped his hand and tasted the fresh water and gave a settle sigh. A cool breeze blew and some petals fell into the water and Erik looked at the red petals. He was intrigued by their blood red beauty and yet he could feel only slight discomforted by them. Erik stood and looked beyond the Château's reaches feeling an untouched land.
" What is beyond the Château?" Erik asked
" Land, that Madame Colville owns, I do not know Monsieur," Isabelle replied
Erik nodded and walked back towards the veranda of the estate. He wished to explore more of the Château because curiosity got the best of him. Erik rummaged through old papers and found something strange.
" Who is this?" Erik asked
" It appears that it's the young master's birth certificate," Isabelle said
Erik ran his hand over it and traced the name upon it, the birth date and the parents' name. Erik could only become more curious to this piece of paper. Erik looked at more pictures of the young boy and Monsieur Colville. His face is what made Erik fall into thought, but there was something more. Erik looked at his right hand and found a scar, which he had received fixing an organ at the church. Erik looked closely at the boy's hand and found no scar. He relaxed, but it seemed he had become involved with this mysterious boy's disappearance.
Later, Erik rested feeling a little under the weather, he slept, but as he slept he dreamt.
Hands rested on Erik's shoulder and gently shook him. He moaned shoeing, the person shaking him, away. The hands continued and Erik turned on his side and pulled the blankets tighter around him.
" Erik, Erik," the voice said
" Leave me alone," Erik moaned
It was then that Erik felt one side of the bed sink and the hands shook him. Erik swatted at the hands and pushed them away. There was thump and and a voice which exclaimed 'ow'. Erik turned on his other side and then felt hands trace his disfigurement.
" Erik, your just like me," the voice said
Erik's eyes opened and looked at the boy that stood there, he sat up suddenly scaring the boy. The little boy fell back and muttered the word 'ow' again.
" You sure didn't have to scare me," the boy said rubbing his sore bottom
" Who are you?" he questioned
The little boy stopped and pointed to himself.
" Who me?" he questioned
" No, the little boy behind you," Erik replied
The boy turned around and looked at Erik with a confused look.
" Yes, I mean you," Erik replied
" Oh, I live here with my aunt and uncle," the boy said
Erik looked at the boy and said, " What year is it?"
" It's 1840," the boy said
" Your lying, it's 1870," Erik said
The boy scratched his head and climbed up into Erik's bed and sat there.
" I'm 5 years old and even I know it's 1840," the boy said, " You must have hit your head a little to hard Monsieur. Your really funny, come on I'll show you around."
Erik looked at the boy and got out of bed, the boy grabbed his hand and led him around the Château. Erik watched as the Château's light vanished into darkness and he could only feel uncomfortable.
" Erik, your pretty old…are you married?" the boy asked
" Excuse me?" Erik hissed
" Well, you are, my uncle married when he was 20," the boy said, " You don't even wear a wedding band…you must still be searching for that perfect person."
" For a 5 year old you talk a lot," Erik said
The boy smiled and continued to guide him through the estate, when a cool breeze blew through. Erik looked around and the boy stopped and looked straight ahead, Erik turned to him unsure why he stopped.
The walls of the Château vanished and Erik looked around in fear.
" Come this way Erik," the boy said
Erik followed the boy and without a warning shackles and cuffs were placed around Erik's arms and legs. The boy as well and they were thrown to the ground.
" What is this!" Erik shouted
The boy shouted for help calling his aunt and uncle and Erik looked at the boy. Erik stood, but then fell to his knees and blacked out.
Suddenly, Erik sat up breathing deep and looking around.
" Are you alright Monsieur?" Isabelle's voice came
" It was a dream," Erik gasped
" Lay back Monsieur you had a fainting spell," she said
Erik laid back and a cool cloth was placed on his head, Isabelle covered him with the light sheet on his bed. She sat down beside him and Erik closed his eyes as he fell faint again.
" Thank you doctor," Madame Colville's voice touched Erik's ears
He opened his eyes and looked at the older woman, she was dressed in a black dress and her hair was down.
" What is wrong with me Madame?" Erik asked
She looked at him and sat down beside him and touched his face.
" Shh, it's just a fainting spell, your lucky Monsieur, Isabelle was close," she said, " I'll bring you some hot soup and tea."
She got up and Erik looked at the older woman. He saw a look in her eyes that suggested something, but he did not know.
" There is something in this very estate, in the frame work that scares me," Erik thought
Madame Colville returned with some soup and tea and she sat down beside him. She poured him the hot tea and handed it to him.
" Madame, this Château, how old is it?" Erik asked
" It's about 36 years, my husband built it for our future childern, sadly we only had one," Madame Colville answered, " but when our nephew was born we had finished, we found he was not like any ordinary boy. He was special and my husband told his parents he would gladly take him and raise him, but my idiot brother and his wife said they wouldn't part from the boy. My brother fled, but still remained in control and never saw his son once, but his wife said he would grow up to be an outcast and trained him to be alone. I'm afraid my husband suggested other wise and we took him in. In fact we named him, we named him Gustave. So, he became our half son half nephew."
Tears fell from her face and Erik looked at the woman and sat up.
" Please, don't cry," he said, " it hides the beauty within."
" I'm sorry," she whispered, " I just keep thinking about that."
" Madame, have you searched beyond France, perhaps Belgium or England?" Erik questioned
" It's no use, he must be dead by now," Madame Colville whispered
Erik sighed and patted the woman's hand.
" Please, Madame I must return to Paris," Erik said, " Tomorrow I will leave…can I borrow a horse?"
" Your not well though, you've had a fainting spell, you won't be able to make it past the woods in your condition," she said
" I beg of you let me go, I will return," Erik said, " Just send for me."
She sighed and nodded and patted his hand.
" Then I will let you go," she said, " I shall pack you some clothing for your journey."
Erik nodded and looked out the window, there the eeriness grew. What was this gut feeling that he had?
