Chapter Six: The Old Woman in the Opera House


Two mismatched eyes fluttered open to come to focus on darkness. Somehow, as dreams are odd in that way, his mind told him that he was closed up in whatever it was that held him. Erik felt his breath hitch.

"It's only a dream."

He shoved as hard as he could at the lid and felt himself stumble out. An upright coffin stared back at him and the bars of a cage surrounded him.

"It's only a dream."

His breath came quickly, in gulps. Panic set in as wild eyes darted from corner to corner, seeing people pointing, laughing, mocking, and jeering. Everything seemed o swim.

"It's only a-"

"Dream," Javert's mocking voice echoed as the people seemed to fade. "Only a dream and only a nightmare. Tell me, little corpse, what will happen when the nightmare turns to reality and reality turns to the nightmare?" He chuckled at the younger man's fearful expression and everything seemed to explode into red. Blood red. It fell down he walls. Washed through the cage bars. It swallowed him. Suffocating him. Pulling it down into it's depths and drowning him…


"Erik please! Wake up!"

Christine's voice met his ears as he came to, his eyes blinking in confusion. He took in a shaky breath and reached an unsteady hand up to her face. She took it in her own instantly, pulling it to her face and leaning into it.

"Please don't hide anymore, Erik," she murmured, kissing the palm of his hand. Her lips moved down the long scar that snaked from his palm to his wrist, tears mixing with kisses. "Please."

His breathes were sill coming in near gasps and his eyes were wide and staring at her. They seem to loose focus as he seemed to relax and she feared he might pass out. He did not, however, but began to speak. "I told you that I had been taken by the Gypsies. The took my mask and I found myself on show, though I wouldn't show my face. Javert – yes, my dear, the same that the old witch spoke of – tied me up so that I could no hide. He strung me up to the bars with my hands out…" Erik shuddered, looking away from his wife. "Not a time I look fondly upon, Christine."

"You killed him," Christine stated quietly.

"I had no choice."

"You were nine, Erik." Her voice was sad and as she turned her eyes toward him he saw the unshed tears. She had cried too much lately and he felt responsible. She wrapped her arms around him with such a fierce passion that he fell back from where he'd been sitting. "You were nine! What horrors did you see and live through to cause you to take another man's life a nine?"

"I wasn't nine," he answered. "I was twelve."

A new bout of anguish seemed to wash over her. "Three years in that place? What happened, Erik?"

Erik glared down at the floor, his entire body shaking. "Please, love… Not that. I swear to you I shall tell you anything but what caused me to kill that man. No lady should hear it."

"I am not just some lady, but your wife," Christine said sternly.

"I beg of you…"

Her lips were suddenly pressed against his, silencing his plea. It didn't matter if it hurt him so. If she never found out, if she never knew, it simply wouldn't matter.


"Madame! I must ask you to leave! You are frightening our guests and our performers. Madame! Do you hear me?" Firmin roared at last.

The old Gypsy woman turned to him, dark eyes looking no more than hollows in the strange lighting. "I shall not leave 'till I see him!"

"See who?" Andre demanded.

"Erik."

"Who's Erik?"

"Erik is Erik."

"Madame."

The three people turned to see Madame Giry sanding with her head held high and what looked like a walking stick in her hand. Her eyes were narrowed. "Most that are wise leave him be, Madame."

"Then you know Erik!" the old witch howled.

"I know him well enough that he would like his past to rest and he will do what he needs to have that done. Will you join the shah that died a few months back because he brought about Erik's past?"

"The Shah!" Firmin gasped. "You mean this Erik is the Opera Ghost?"

"Hush, Monsieur!" Madame Giry hissed, putting one aging finger to her lips.

"Take me to him!" the old hag demanded. "Take me to Erik."

"Perhaps you should be kinder to the woman you make demands of," a voice boomed all around.

The managers looked about, trying to find the source of the voice they were sure was the opera ghosts'. Erik stepped from he shadows at last, his eyes blazing beneath his porcelain mask. "It is not polite," he said lowly, "to enter one's home and demand that they make an appearance. You will find I am not a social person."

"You!" the witch gasped. "Javert's murderer!"

"Who?" Andre questioned.

"None of your concern."

The old lady cackled. "You look unwell, Erik. You look as if you have slept little. Do the dreams haunt you still? Do they chase sleep away? Not even that lovely lady can help that, can she, try as she might! Christine will-"

"I will no hear her name from your lips!" Erik roared.

A twisted smile crossed the haggard features. "Christine will not help you this time. Men always want a chance to destroy what they don't understand." She reached out her hand, closed palm turned downward. When her gnarled fingers opened and explosion let forth and sparks leapt from the floor. She was gone.

"Where…?" Andre and Firmin gasped, looking around and at each other in fear. "What kind of magic is this?"

"None at all," Erik answered easily. "Tricks. Very simple tricks. Good evening, gentlemen."

"You! Erik!" Firmin shouted.

Erik turned on his heals, eyes blazing in anger. He watched the two managers shrink back in fear. "You would do well, monsieurs, to forget that name."

"Then Phantom," Firmin pressed on, fear still edging his voice. "Mademoiselle Daaè… when will she be returning?"

"Soon enough." Then he was gone.


LostSchizophrenic: Glad to hear you like the interaction. I plan to bring Nadir in here pretty soon. :huggles Nadir: He's so great!

Gonden Lyre: Now is that good or bad about Mcbeth? I raher liked the play (haven't actually seen it performed, sadly enough, but read the script and loved it) Oh that's no fun! Read it at nigh with haunting music in the background! The Phantom theme music at the VERY least! HEhe...

IndiaPyro: I introduced Erik's mother in "Ghosts of the Past". They had a lovely little fight, or several. Hehe Enjoy.