Disclaimer: I do not own books, musical, or the movie of Phantom of the Opera, wish I did though.

Author's Note: Here's Chapter One, hope you enjoy it! Please do review! It really does inspire the writer. I want to thank all of my reviewers and readers, you guys are wonderful! Thank you all, and please forgive my last AN's, they were a bit out of control. I thank my beta, Siren of the Rose, for editing this for me, that means a lot! Now onto Chapter One!

The cage door slammed open and brought life into the sleeping man. He slowly opened his eyes up, and looked around. It was still dark for the sun had not yet begun to rise. He closed his eyes once more, but that was a mistake. He had been too tired to realize that his cage door had opened. The force did wake him, but he couldn't find the strength to glance at the source. He already knew what awaited him this day. His death. He would die today. He didn't wish to live another second of this miserable life style, like he had for the past decade. He needed to end it as soon as possible, he wanted freedom - he wanted death. Oh how sweet that word rolled off his tongue like water. It felt so serene and beautiful, but as usual his dreams never lasted long.

He was roughly thrown to the ground, finally free of the wretched chains, but not from the bastard of Hell. He rolled over, refusing to open his eyes. His right hand covered his disfigurement. Gustavio laughed as he kicked Erik in the stomach earning a grunt in response, but nothing else. He frowned.

Erik laid his head down and stilled. This was a routine that they went through every morning, for Gustavio to beat him senseless so he would be all bloody and bruised for the coming morning crowd and the next three after that. They always liked their freak dressed in hanging flesh and blood covered. It paid more, and plus he still got more abuse during the show and afterwards. He wondered if he was to count all his scars, if he wouldn't lose track of them. He tried once, but gave up, but at the moment it had been entertaining.

He was pulled back to reality as another kick came from behind and punctured his gashed rib side, drawing the clotted blood to run again. He cursed so as not to let Gustavio hear, or he would be encouraged all the more to keep up his activity.

He didn't dare look up into those eyes; they would just mock him and continue on. As another round of kicks made score with every bruise, cut, and gash, he still kept silent, he would not give in. He wouldn't give him the pleasure of his pain; he had learned to somehow keep it in. Well apparently Gustavio was in a mood for some more exciting torture. He had a drink this morning, which meant more abuse for the freak. Although Erik did thank the wife for sometimes she would come out and stop Gustavio and give him some bread from the early morning meal, but that was very rare, she never really cared much for him, and as she did for that child of theirs. Oh, how that child drove him to insanity, every chance he got, he did everything his father did, but the little brat was still asleep thank goodness.

He inhaled quickly as he was forced to stand. He opened his eyes. He shouldn't have done that. He saw a fist coming towards him at full speed, promising to leave a dark bruise behind. He quickly shut them, and the impact came. It threw him to the ground, and rounds of more punches came after. He tried to look up, but he could barely open his eyes. He then realized it was quiet, too quiet. He began to shake, he knew what was going to happen next, but it was too early for that! His eyes begun to sting, no he wouldn't cry! Not yet. He heard the big man slowly walk from his shed, whistling a horribly off tuned song. That just made the fear rise up into his throat, oh how he hated this part.

Fear got the best of him. He jumped up and tried to make a run for it, but was too slow. His master was a big man and much faster than Erik, for that he caught him easily.

"Well now did ja think you could escape me so easily? Hmm?" He laughed out loud as he heard the whip crack in the open air, telling it's wicked story. He twisted wildly in his grasp but to no avail. Before he knew it, he was bound to a post, with his hands and feet tied tightly to the stake, him facing the post. He bit his lip as he heard it crack again. He was warming up, trying to indulge more fear into the poor boy; that was his job. Erik tried so hard not to cry out, when the leather whip met his torn flesh. He might have been able to stop himself from crying at night, but to not scream as the lashes of fire that came for hours on end to his wounded back, he could not hold in.

He screamed out all his pain for the past years. He screamed as he thought of how he would never be loved. He screamed for the loneliness that was only brought to him. He screamed for the angel that left him, and never came back. He screamed till he could no more. He screamed for death.

He felt the ropes come undone, as he fell to the ground exhausted. If he thought yesterday was bad, today was much worse. Pain was everywhere, he couldn't move. He just laid there. He knew one more thing was to happen before he was able to follow out with his plan, but he shook as he knew what was to happen next, the worst of the worst.

Fire.

He began to sob; he hated it when this happened. He clenched his fists and brought them under his chin, hoping to warm his numb body.

"Well boy it's time. Now get up."

Erik didn't get up.

"I said get up!" Erik shook his head; he wouldn't do it.

Gustavio stomped over to where the boy laid, and roughly took him by the hair. He yelped, but didn't open his eyes.

"I said get up boy, and you didn't, for that you will be punished greatly!" He growled out through clenched teeth.

He threw Erik to the stake post, and he made a run for it, but before Gustavio had a chance to catch him, the cage did.

Erik had been blindly running, not caring what he ran into. He couldn't see, but he had forgotten about the cage. He had accidentally run into his trapped cage. Before he could turn around and get out, Gustavio had jumped to the entrance first and slammed it shut. He shivered as he heard him chuckling quietly to himself. He had had too much to drink and whatever he did, he didn't know of.

He began to laugh out loud.

"Well boy I guess you finally are going to learn what real torture is." He smiled wickedly. He held up the burning torch and motioned down to where Erik stood.

Erik looked down and saw straw. He didn't quite get it. Till he realized just exactly what Gustavio was going to do. He shook with fear and before he could shut his mouth, he let the words out.

"You can't do that! I'll die!" He desperately said, but the man just laughed. He was going to kill him; he was going to burn him alive! He backed away, as he slowly lowered the torch down to the blood covered straw. He smiled and waved.

"Well boy, it was nice knowing you." He laughed out loud again and began to unbuckle the cage from the house. The fire caught the first straw that came near it as the wind blew passed him, encouraging the fire to grow. He let the wagon roll to the other side and watched it as the fire burned with hunger. He went back inside, only to be greeted by his enraged wife, but he just slapped her and made his way to bed. He knew the boy would die, but it was time he got a new freak anyway. He was getting less and less money. Erik was getting older, and stronger. That was not good, so he planned to end the boy's life. He knew nobody would save him…or so he thought.

Erikbacked away, as the hungry flames devoured the straw in front of him. They licked at his feet, and he jumped up, and started to scream for help.

"Somebody help me! Please! Anybody, if you're there, please come and help me! Please, I beg of you!" He stretched out his hands and reached out in between the bars, and clawed at the open air, hoping to grab freedom.

With all of his strength he finally cried out his last word as the fire caught his body.

"ANGEL!"

Then all went black.

She ran.

She had to get away. She couldn't be caught.

She found a place that was called "The Devil's Child." She didn't think much of it, so she hid in the brush and fell asleep.

She had woken up to the sound of screaming. She looked around but did not find the source, and it frightened her. The sound was painful, and she couldn't take it, so she ran. While she was running, Christine was being followed. She dropped down to her knees to rest then started back up again. Her locks flew in the wind as she passed by many trees, not caring as twists dug into her flesh, destroying her flawless skin.

As she stopped to rest again, her delicate ears heard a voice. The same voice from last night. Fear came and she darted towards the darkness, but a hand caught her.

"No, let me go! I didn't mean to, I really didn't!" She whimpered, but the hand held tight.

It whispered again.

She looked up, but could not see the figure clearly.

"What?" She asked confused.

"He needs you. Go save his soul, before it's too late." The voice said again.

"Save who? Who can I save, I can save no one!" Her eyes glanced around, and still could not find the owner of the voice. The hand had let go, but the voice had not left.

"He needs you, he will die, go save him, before it's too late."

"Save who?" Her worried eyes finally caught sight of the figure. As she stepped closer, she came to realize just exactly who it was.

The blond hair and soft brown eyes gazed down at the brunette.

Shocked beyond believe, she found her voice.

"Mother?" Before she could say another word, she silenced the girl.

"Go save him, Christine." With that, the angel disappeared into the darkness.

"Save who, momma, save whom?" She then remembered the sign and the screams.

Then it clicked.

The Devil's Child.

With every burst of energy she ran to her destination, hoping for faith to be her one companion.

He couldn't breathe, the fire licked his skin, it was raging now, and he had already been burned severely. He lay down in the fire, and screamed till he could no more. He closed his eyes, death was waiting. Just a little bit more, and he would be free.

She smelled smoke. She saw the cage and she heard the screams. She couldn't believe at what was happening. With a new energy she never thought she had, Christine ran to the pump and got a bucket of water. She went towards the burning cage, and poured the cool water over the raging fire, but it did little to help. She seen something…someone was in there! She hurried, hoping it whoever it was, would make it.

She gasped.

She had little time. She hoped it was not too late!

After several attempts to slow the angry fire, she finally succeeded.

He looked up and saw rain. It was raining? He was too sore to move. So he just enjoyed the way it felt against his burnt skin. Then without warning a flood of water came through the bars, he coughed and saw that the fire was dying, but he couldn't move. He looked down. He had been burned severely, but was still alive. He wondered if Gustavio had finally realized what he had done.

He turned his head, and forgot to breathe.

She threw the bucket to the side, and looked through the bars. She saw him; he was still alive, but badly burned. She was crying for him. He was covered with burns and what looked to be whip lashes. Gashes and bruises were everywhere. What had happened to this poor man?

"Good mercy, who did this to you! How can I get you out of here? I need to tend to your wounds; do you know where the key is?" She pleaded for him to answer. He just seemed content to just stare at her with wide eyes, then within a flash he covered the right side of his face, for a moment he had forgotten just exactly what he was. She had not seen it, but she thought it was a burn of some sort. He rolled over and backed away, ignoring the burning sensation, still staring at her with wide eyes.

He began to shake, she noticed. So she took the matters in her own hands. She looked around for something to break open the door of the cage with. She found a hammer and began to tear it apart. Finally after half an hour it came loose.

"Come here and take my hand, I'm going to help you." She held her hand out, but he did not take it.

She looked at him and realized he was in no condition to move. She now had a clearer view of him, his hand still protecting the right side of his face. She climbed in and took hold of his arm gently.

"Please, we must go before someone finds you are gone." She pleaded once more. He finally came out of his trance, and she helped him to stand. It took a couple of minutes for him to get to the steps of the cage, for he was leaning on her, ruining her dress and cloak. After they got passed the lot and to the edge of the forest, they stopped.

"Here, put this on, and keep leaning on me. When we get to a rest stop I will tend to your wounds, okay. So please stay awake, I cannot carry you." She handed him her cloak, and carefully put it on him, careful as to not disturb his wounds. The sight was sickening to look at, and she knew she needed to get him patched up before they got really infected.

They walked for another hour and then stopped. He turned around and he let his first words to her slip out.

"Who are you and why did you save me?" His questioning gaze moved her, and she lowered her eyes. He was still leaning on her, for such a small girl, she had the strength to half carry a wounded man. Amazing.

"I was told by an angel to save you. I saw you a couple of nights ago, but I could do nothing. This morning I heard your screams. I'm so sorry I wish I could have prevented what has happened." Without warning she hugged him.

What he did next surprised her beyond shock.

Well there's chapter one. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review! And thanks to my beta! Chapter two should be out soon, so watch out for that installment!

God Bless

Alaina Ruth