A/N - I have a great fondess for horrible puns and I decided to incorporate that fondness into a few "drabbles".
All Hallow's Eve
It was All Hallows Eve, a night for moods and mysteries, ghosts and goblins. It was a night when he could walk freely in the world without anyone turning from him in fear or horror. It was the one night of the year Erik was certain God had created specially for him.
He had made his way through Paris streets crowded with masked people. He returned their smiles and sighs, knowing that had they seen the truth beneath the mask, they would have turned from him. Much as Christine had turned from him. But it was always their masks that haunted him. The masks that laughed at him, jeered at him, sobbed at him. So very many masks for one lifetime.
Erik found himself in a darkened park. He stood quietly at the edge of the woods, watching as the street urchins of Paris played their silly little games. He watched as a red ball rolled away from a group of girls, coming to rest at his feet. Erik picked up the ball, throwing it into the woods as a small child of no more than seven approached him.
"Have you lost your ball?" he asked.
She looked up at him with huge eyes that held no fear. "Yes. Did you see it?"
"It went into the woods."
The girl looked at the three paths that lead into the woods. "But how do I know where to find it?"
Erik pointed at the path to his left. "That path leads to a dragon's castle."
"I don't like dragons," the child replied.
Erik pointed to the path to his right. "And that path leads to an evil sorcerer."
The child put her finger to her mouth and shook her head no.
Erik moved aside, allowing the child access to the path by which he stood.
"Will that one get me my ball?"
"Yes," Erik told her, extending his hand, smiling when the child took it. "Come," he said as he drew her close. "I shall take you to get your ball."
"What path is this?" the child asked.
"This, my dear," Erik told her as he swept his cape around them, drawing her into the darkness, "this is the psycho path!"