That Wall That Surrounds Your Heart

I could have cried right then when I heard him say those words. I gave one last gaze at the picture in my hands and then handed it back to him. He took it from me and placed it back on the top of the organ. There was an awkward silence then that passed between us. I didn't know what to say. It was funny because when we were younger we would talk for hours nonstop. Of course, that was when he knew who I was. His voice startled me when he finally spoke.

"We should begin your lesson, since that is the reason you are here. The performance is in two days, so we don't have much time to prepare. I want you to sing part of Poor Fool He Makes Me Laugh. Begin at the part that you know." I was suddenly nervous. Even though he had heard me sing all of those times at rehearsals and the audition, I just didn't feel comfortable singing around him now. I guess my hesitation showed because he reached over and turned my face towards his.

"I said sing! I need to hear you to know where we need to improve." His voice was almost harsh, as if he were impatient towards me. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm my nerves. It is just Erik. You didn't use to be so nervous around him. Why now? Is it because he's now the Phantom? I stood up and walked down the steps. I looked up at him and took another deep breath, this time to sing.

"Poor Fool he makes me laugh, hah hah hah hah hah

Hah hah hah, hah hah hah, hah hah, hah, hah, hah.

Poor Fool he does not know, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh..."

I hadn't finished yet, but he interrupted me. He stood up from the bench and walked down to where I was. I just stood there waiting to see what I had done wrong.

"You have a very high voice which is good for hitting the high notes. You need to control how you do the laughing, though. It sounds more like you are screaming. Try to pretend as if you are laughing when you sing that part. Once again, please." I sang it again, this time trying to pretend as if I were laughing. When I finished, he gave me a smile that said I had succeeded.

"Bravo, child. You will do fine if you remember to pretend you are laughing as you sing. Now, let us practice your scales. You may begin."

We practiced for what seemed like and hour. Fatigue was starting to take over my body. The Phantom saw this and walked over to me.

"I think that is enough practice for today. Why don't you go and rest. I have an extra bed in that room over there." He pointed to a room that was over to the left of the organ. I walked over to it and sat down. It was shaped like a swan and had beautiful satin sheets covering it. I wanted to resist but I was too tired. I laid back and drew the sheets up over me. I'll just shut my eyes for a minute and then tell him I have to return to my room. Sleep over took me before I could do any of that.

I woke up to the sound of Erik's organ. I opened my eyes to see a black curtain surrounding me. That's odd. I guess Erik must have done it. I saw a sash that was connected to the curtain, so I pulled it. It slowly rose to reveal a music box. It had a monkey on it that was playing the symbols. I reached out and gently touched it with my fingertips. I could feel a small smile appear on my lips. I got out of the bed and walked over to the door. It was slightly closed and when I opened it up, I saw that the once candle lit home was now almost pitch black. I saw Erik at the organ. He had two candles lit and that was all. I felt my way around until I was behind the organ. I carefully went up the steps and stood directly behind Erik. He didn't seem to notice I was there until I reached out and touched his shoulder. He twirled around so suddenly that I would have fallen off of the stage had he not grabbed both my arms. The look in his eyes reminded me of a deer that had been found by a hunter.

"Don't you ever, EVER sneak up on me like that again! Do you understand me!" I couldn't understand why that had bothered him so much. His grip was going to leave bruises, I could tell. What has happened to you, Erik! You're not like you used to be when we were younger. I want the old Erik back! I tried to break free from his grip, but he just held on.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you. It won't happen again, I promise!" This seemed to break him out of his thoughts because he released me at once. He turned away, as if he were ashamed of what the had just done. I started to tremble uncontrollably, so I sat down on the organ bench. I watched as Erik walked over to retrieve his cloak and then put it on. He looked at me with those same sad, longing eyes that I was starting to become used to. I had calmed down a little since his sudden outburst.

"Come, we must return. They will be wondering where you are." I followed him over to the boat and stepped in. Once he saw that I was seated, he began to row us back down the lake. The candles along the wall lit themselves once again as we flowed along the cold, dark water. The same eery silence welcomed our presence again. We reached the end and he helped me out of the boat onto the shore. He led me back a different way this time, though. We went down another dark tunnel up a few more stairs. We reached what looked like the other side of a mirror. As we drew closer, I could make out all of the items in my bedroom. My bedroom? How can that...THE MIRROR! So that is why it is so large. He slid back the glass and gently pushed me into my room. Before he closed it, though, he whispered me a warning.

"If you tell anyone about what you've just seen, that same injury that happened to Carlotta could also happen to you just as easily." With that, he closed the mirror and vanished into the darkness behind it. Oh, Erik. If only I could help you somehow. I don't know what happened to you after you were taken away, but I'm still your friend no matter what. I looked up at my clock to find that it was almost seven. Rehearsals! I'm going to be late. I quickly opened my door and locked it behind me. I ran as fast as I could down the hallway and up the steps to the stage. Everyone was already there and when I entered they all turned to look at me. I must have looked a sight, too! My hair was wild with curls from sleeping on it, my dress was all wrinkled and it was the same one I had worn to yesterday's rehearsals. I could here snickering all around me and could feel myself beginning to blush. Madame Giry came to my rescue, though.

"Okay, everyone back to rehearsals! We cannot get anything done just standing here, now can we?" She put her arm around my shoulders and gave me a knowing glare.

"Were you with him, child?" How does she know all of this! It is as if she's acquaintances wit him. Could she be?

"Was I with who, madame?" I know, I'm playing innocent.

"You know who I am talking about, Rachel. Were you with him?" How could I lie again?

"Yes, madame, I was with him." I suddenly remembered his warning to me. "You mustn't tell anyone about him, madame! He told me never to tell, but I have just told you! Please, do not tell anyone!"

"Calm down, child, I'm not going to tell anyone. The Phantom and I have already met. That is why I know so much about him." I knew there must have been some reason as to why she kept warning me about him. Maybe I can get some information about him from her.

"Has he always been here? Did he have a life before all of this?" Madame Giry looked around her and then whispered in my ear, "Come to my room after rehearsals and we shall talk." I followed her back to the stage and started singing Poor Fool He Makes Me Laugh. I remembered to pretend I was laughing, just as Erik had told me to.

After rehearsals, I followed Madame Giry down the hallway to her room. She unlocked the door and we stepped inside. Her's looked very similar to mine except mine had the mirror. She locked the door behind us and brought a chair up for me to sit in. She sat in one across from me.

"Alright, what is it that you want to know about the Phantom of the Opera?"

"Has he always been here at the Paris Opera House?" She looked away for a minute at a picture on her vanity. It looked like a picture of a young woman, probably around 23. She turned her gaze back to mine, but it appeared as if she were looking at the past instead.

"I was learning to be a dancer here at the Opera House when I was around twenty-two or twenty-three. One day, they took us to a circus in the city. I thought it would be a lot of fun, since I had never been to a circus before. Everything was innocent enough until we arrived at one certain exhibit. The man said, 'Come see the devil's child! A terribly distorted face that only the devil can look upon.' We all went over to look, since it sounded so interesting. In a large cage was a young boy, probably around twelve or so. Part of his face was normal but the other part was terribly scarred. I guess it had been that way since birth. The other dancers thought it was the funniest thing. I just stood there, staring at the poor boy. The man whipped him to make him stand up. The boy had red marks all over his back from previous whippings. I had to turn away as the man continued to whip him. Soon it was time to leave and we all walked out of the tent. I gave one final look at the boy, but he had his back to me. When we were about to leave, I realized that I had forgotten my purse. I looked all over the circus ground searching for it. The only place I hadn't looked was the tent with the devil's child. I slowly walked inside. I saw my purse on the ground by the cage. I was about to walk over and retrieve it, but I heard voices from the back. I watched as two men walked over to the boy and starting poking him with sharp sticks. He pulled away each time and tried to kick at them. He had actually managed to grab one man's throat and was cutting off his air. The other man, seeing what was happening to his friend, grabbed a shovel and hit the boy over the head with it. The boy slumped down into an unconscious heap. As soon as the men had left, I went over to the wall and got the key ring. I tried each key until I found the one that worked. I unlocked the cage and helped the boy out. He was slowly coming around, but still seemed a little out of it. I half helped, half carried him over to the Opera House. I slid him through a window that led to the basement of the Opera House. I went through the front door and made my own way down into the basement. I found him sitting on the ground. I took care of him from then on. I brought him food and clothes. He told me he didn't know who he was or where he had come from. I guess the blow from the shovel had give him amnesia. So, he has been living under the Opera House ever since then. I'm sorry to say it, but he has become more violent now than he used to be. I don't think he was ever really shown love, or he might have been but can't remember." Oh, he was shown love. I loved him as much as a friend could. Erik, now it all makes sense. That is why you were so strange acting towards me today. I had heard all that I wanted to hear. I stood up from my seat and walked towards the door. Madame Giry followed me and unlocked the door.

"If you ever want to know anything else, just come to me and we can talk. Never talk outside of this room, though. He hears and sees everything."

"Thank you, Madame Giry. I will be careful from now on. Goodnight." I heard the door shut behind me as I walked towards the hall that my room was on. I'll just have to make you remember me, Erik. If you can't, then I'll just be a friend to you all over again. I'm going to tear down that wall that has surrounded your heart.

(Author's Note: I hope you guys like this chapter because it took me all day to write it! I'm tired now! Oh, by the way, Galasriniel, yes you can write on your fic 'You must read this'. Thanks!)