Erik's early life in the Opera House and how he established his reputation as the Obedient Servant O.G.
Chapter One: Arrival
She led me down the dark hallway; the cloth still clung to my face. I wondered where I was. This strange place that I had entered startled and confused me. I felt her hand grasping mine. I was curious, who was this young girl, this first person who had ever show me kindness? I gathered my courage and asked. "What is your name?"
"My name is Ann—" the girl began when a voice interrupted her.
"Madamselle Giry! Where are you?" the dance instructor called from down the hall. I ducked into a dark part of the walkway. I didn't want anyone to see me. They always stared at me, and laughed at my ugly face!
"What am I to do?" I asked.
"I don't know," Little Ann said. "I don't even know your name."
"My name is…" I trailed off. Did I even have a name? My mother didn't even love me enough to give me a name. I'd picked one up on my travels with the old man who beat me and made me take off my mask so others could laugh at me and pay him his money. I remembered the name one of the gypsies gave me. "My name," I paused for a moment, "is Erik."
"Erik, hide in the empty dormitory, to the right. There hasn't been anyone in there for a long time. I'll come find you when it's safe." She then moved away from me and headed in the direction of the woman's voice.
I nodded and ducked into the room. It was a bare room, empty except for a very large mirror. I was curious. I had never seen a mirror. Mirrors weren't something that I'd ever heard of. I stepped toward it. I could see my reflection in the glass. There I was, in threadbare clothes and a cloth covering my face, except for my eye slits. I wanted to know exactly why men laughed and women gasped in horror at my face. I slowly removed the covering and stared at my face for the first time.
I gazed upon my own face and I knew the truth. It looked as if something had eaten my face way. My face looked like a stray dog had attacked me; I began to cry; now I knew why I was mistreated. I started again. I noticed that the left side of my face was normal. If I had a mask that could cover my ugliness maybe someone would love me. I covered the right side of my face my right hand, and looked again.
I looked somewhat better, I almost appeared normal, if I could wear a mask, and then I would look…well I don't know how they'd think I'd look, but no one would be able to see how ugly I was. I began to wonder about my surroundings. It was a very large place, my new home, I wondered if I could sneak out of the room. Anne had gone to see whoever had called her, and I was alone. No one knew I was here except her, and the place was so large that I could probably find plenty of places to hide.
I crept out of the door and remembered which room I had left. I began to wonder down the halls and eventually found a strange staircase. Intrigued; I climbed up the stairway and wondered above the auditorium. I looked down and saw all the seats below and the broad stage. I was in awe, I had barely heard of a theater, only in brief mentions by people passing through the traveling fairs.
I saw people standing on the stage; I was amazed at the costumes and clothes. I had never seen anyone dressed in such strange and fantastic things in my life. I could only watch in awe as the people below me began to talk and sing.
"Come now, little Ann, it is time for you to dance." I smiled broadly as I saw my newfound friend begin to perform a ballet. It was wonderful; I had never known such joy or felt this kind of happiness. I watched until it was over, then I suddenly remembered I had to go back to the room.
I snuck back to my room, easily slipping inside before anyone could see me. I waited in my room for Ann Giry to return. She soon appeared with a plate of food. "It was all I could get that no one would notice." She handed me the plate. She may have thought it wasn't much but I thought it was a feast. My cruel master had never given me much to eat, this was Heaven, and I hoped there would be many meals like this. I devoured it ravenously, savoring every bit of it.
"Thank you," I told her politely.
"You're welcome," she replied. "I must go before they notice I've been gone," she said. "I'll come back soon. Don't let anyone see you or they might throw you out."
"They will never see me," I promised. She left the room and left me. I wandered over to the mirror and began poking around. I began to move the mirror, just to see if there was anything behind it. I was shocked to find a secret passageway. Now I know why she told me to come here! There was a way for me to go from place to place without being seen!
I crept down the hall and made my way down until I reached another door. I opened it and stepped through. I thought I heard someone singing. I had never heard such beautiful music and the words themselves haunted me.
Kyrie Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Christe Eleison
I listened and heard. I felt compelled to join in. I did not know anything about singing. I just knew that if I could mimic the sounds, I could sing. I opened my mouth and began to sing, if not whisper, Kyr-ie Elei-son, as I began to correctly pronounce the words the tune came easier.
Kyrie Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Christe Eleison
Suddenly, the singing stopped. Why did she stop? I was frightened, maybe she had heard me, maybe she would tell someone she had heard a voice singing.
"Erik?" the voice asked. "Is that you?" I knew that voice; it was Ann Giry.
"Yes, it is me."
"It is I," she corrected. "How did you learn how to sing?" she asked through the wall.
"I heard you sing, and so I imitated you."
"I've never heard a beautiful voice. Who taught you how to sing?"
"No one, I used to sing by myself. No one has ever heard me sing before, except you."
"You have the voice of an angel."
"If only I could look like one," I said sadly.
"Oh, nonsense Erik," she replied. "If anyone hears you, they will think you are an angel."
"Thank you," I answered. No one had ever told me anything nice. They always laughed at me. I crept back to my room and shut the mirror. I saw Ann walk in with a blanket and a pillow.
"These are for you," she whispered. "Good night, Erik."
"Good night," I said. I curled up in the blanket. I grabbed my mask, and placed it over my face, just in case anyone saw me. I drifted to sleep and dreamed of angels and music. I had escaped to Heaven and I was an Angel of Music there.
The next day I awoke when Ann shook me awake. "Erik! Erik! Wake up!" I opened my eyes to see the blonde haired girl with a plate of food. I took it and eagerly ate. She pulled out a pair of clothes.
"For me?" I asked in awe. No one had ever given me something before. Not in my entire life.
"These are your clothes. I also found this," she removed a mask. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. It would hide me from the world and make me look handsome. I was a way for me to become someone else.
"A mask? Why?"
"If someone sees you, they will think you are a part of the Opera House and they will think you are a performer."
"Oh," I understood. "They will think I live here."
"Yes, and you do live here."
I placed the mask over my face and looked in the mirror. Now I looked like an actor, for what role I had no clue, but I felt like I belonged there. Ann looked at me.
"I must go," she said.
"I know."
I then got dressed in my clothes. Black pants and a dark shirt to go with it. I examined my appearance and felt for the first time, a sense of pride. I had never looked this well in all my life. I began to wander around until I found the prop room.
I had never seen so many different objects. I knew that some of them weren't real, but I as fascinated by the simple things. I began to look through the clothes until I found a dark cloak. A dark cape that I wrapped around my shoulders. I looked in the mirror and thought about how I looked. Now I was a mysterious person, a shadow that no one would see. I snuck back to my room and shut the door. I would wait for my companion to return. In the meantime I would sneak out to watch the ballet and hear the singing.