A.N: Special thanks to: Savy, Twinkle22, Mini Nicka, DarkMoonLightBright, Kristina, LiltingBanshee, Carkeys, Lady Skywalker, Denise, Ashlee, Emma-J-Riddle, Rae and PhantomsGirl.
Erica ran through the streets of Paris terrified. Who was that scary looking man? was he going to hurt Mamma? Where was she supposed to go? She had to get help. She ran towards the old opera house, thankful now that unlike her classmates, she walked everyday to school and therefore knew her way. By the time she reached the Opera House she was gasping for breath and tears clouded her vision. In her panicked state of mind she couldn't remember which way Papa had brought them to his house. She'd always known her Papa had come from the Opera House and as soon as she saw him she knew who he was. She just knew he was the strange, sometimes frightening and 'masked' thing that had been missing from her and her mother's lives. Mamma! She had to find Papa quickly and get him to help. She dived through the small gap in the boarded up windows not even noticing when she tore her dress on a loose nail. How was she supposed to find him? The place was so large! "Papa!" she screamed "PAPA! PAPA! PAPA!" she ran around, in no particular direction; a lost child caught up in the frenzy of hysteria. When suddenly, whilst running and screaming backstage, she tripped and fell through a trapdoor. Suddenly everything went black and then Erica landed with a thump on a hard ground. The shock had sent her silent and Erica stood up to look around her. She was in a dark forest. Identical trees were all around her and she could see no path. Erica was frightened. She'd read stories about scary monsters living in forests and about what happened to those who got lost in the forest. Erica began to cry, SHE was lost! How would she ever escape? Who would find her or even think to look for her in a mysterious forest under the Paris Opera House? Would she ever see her Mamma or her Papa or anything she loved ever again? She sat down and cried despondently. She was doomed! Lost ALL ALONE in a scary forest FOREVER! She had no food or water and it felt like the forest was getting hotter by the moment. She continued to sob and cry hugging herself for comfort. "Papa!" she cried "Papa where are you? Papa come find me, please!"
Erik was pacing back and forth in his lair. He couldn't do anything constructive, he was too excited! Christine, HIS Christine was going to live with him, finally! And she was going to bring their child! HIS child! Who'd ever thought HE'D be able to create life! To create a child, a tiny little miracle; his darling daughter Erica. He would give her the world. Compose for her…a new piece for each birthday. She would learn to sing too and along with her mother she would fill the rest of his days with glorious, angelic music. Suddenly, he heard what sounded like crying. He'd been so caught up in his fantasy that he hadn't noticed it before. It was quite close. It sounded like a child…what was that?...Papa?...ERICA! Erica was hear somewhere and she was crying and she was calling for him! But where was she? "Erica?" he called out, his voice ringing throughout the caves "Where are you?"
Erica heard something and suddenly stopped her crying. It was Papa! He was coming to find her! "PAPA!" she screamed. He sounded like he was coming from over there, she ran into the woods determined to find him. But her path was blocked. She ran straight into a hard, invisible barrier, it felt like glass. She could see the forest all around her but all she felt was glass! Hot glass, making everything else hot too. She was sweating now and finding it harder to breath, but still she screamed. "PAPA!" She was confused and frightened. She ran in every direction only to keep banging into glass! Where was she? Was this Hell? It was hot enough.
Erik could hear her and tried to follow her voice, searching frantically. He heard a familiar banging and went white (well whiter) with dread. The torture chamber! She was in the torture chamber! Relieved he'd found her but horrified at what she'd been put through…what HIS invention had put her through. He ran to the door and yanked it open.
Erica barely registered light flowing into the room when suddenly strong arms embraced her, picking her up and carrying her away. At first she screamed and fought, perhaps this was one of the monsters. But when she looked up and saw the white mask she stopped. It was Papa! Papa had found her! She hugged him tightly and cried.
Erik held the sobbing child and tried to comfort her. She was hot and red in the face. He tried to stroke her brow and her hair with his cool hand. "Ssh!" he murmured "You're safe now, Papa's here." He liked the sound of that "nothing shall harm you."
This poignant scene was interrupted by a frenzied knocking on Erik's hidden door. Erik jumped up in alarm and quickly put Erica out of sight, then arming himself, he yanked open the door.
A bedraggled and bloody Christine stumbled through the entrance, glanced around, caught sight of Erik, breathed a sigh of relief and promptly passed out on the floor.