Author note-I wasn't going to update today but there is a storm going on and the roads are closed so no going anywhere for me and I'm afraid we will loose power soon. How often should I update? id like to keep going as I am just because I have such great plans for this story but what do you all think?
Now the story takes flight!
Please let me know what you think, I love reading the reviews.
The preacher and Eric walked to the window of Eric's room. "Thank you again Eric." The preacher said turning to the masked boy. The mask looked down and nodded ever so slightly.
The old man opened the board window, "I'll see you later Eric" He said as the boy climbed through the window.
"So where have you been?" a wicked voice said behind Eric as he hid the evidence of the broken boards after the man left. Eric froze feeling sick, "Are you going to answer me Monster?" his mother said cruelly. "Did you think you could really live a normal life? You are nothing, its far time you learned that."
Eric couldn't answer; he felt a sting of pain race through his shoulder as the woman's nails grabbed his shoulder tearing him around to face her. "Answer me demon!" she said her hand crashing across Eric's thin cheek.
Eric blew up his face hot and red. "Don't ever touch me again woman." he screamed pushing her away. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he ran out the basement and sprinted up the stairs.
Eric could hear his mother's drunken footsteps behind him, he ran into the living room suddenly a strong heavy arm wrapped around his neck and another around his waist. Eric thrashed at the strong grip attempting to get out of the hold. "Let me go!" Eric cried his anger covering up his fear.
The arms tried to readjust their grip, and Eric took that opportunity to wiggle out. Eric burst out the door and jumped down the stairs. A great impact came upon Eric crashing him to the ground. His mask flew off; Eric lay on the ground defeated his hands covering his deformed face.
A firm grip on Eric's wrist pulled him up. His mother's cruel voice came from behind Eric "I'm sorry about that monsieur I didn't think the monster would run from me." Eric looked up at the arms who grabbed him. The man was Middle Eastern dressed in odd robes his beady eyes watched the unmasked boy, but showed no fear of the distorted face.
"I'm sure the boy will cause no more trouble for me, thank you madam. The Shah will be quite pleased." The Middle Eastern man said looking at Eric.
Eric concluded that the man was well educated, his French was flawless. He looked to be in his twenties. "I'm Nadir Khan the daroga, chef of the Persian police." Eric was unamused at the man "Do they not have enough crime in your country to keep you busy Monsieur Daroga?" Eric asked still quite shaken. The Persian seemed amused at Eric's dark sense of humor.
"I was asked to fetch a young French genius for the Shah, although I was not expecting him to be this young. I didn't trust anyone to bring you back; you wouldn't have come out in one piece if anyone else takes you." Eric glared at the strange man. "And what makes you think I will go with you Daroga?" Eric asked his voice lowered. "Well, you don't have an option your intelligence is far beyond anything the Shah can pass up he commands you to go."
"Monsieur Khan" Eric's mother's voice cruelly rang. "Would you please take the monster and go I never want to see the wretched face again."
Nadir looked at Eric as tears weld up in the boys eyes. The man guided Eric to a small black carriage and pulled him in. Eric and Nadir sat in silence. The carriage passed the chapel Christine was sitting out in the grass playing with a little grey kitten, she looked up and noticed Eric peering through the window excitedly she began waving and called his name. The boy buried his hands in his face the mask felt cold and lifeless to him.
"Was that a friend?" the Persian asked; His sudden comment making Eric jump but he didn't answer.
Christine was running her fingers through the grass letting her little kitten chase them around. She was lonely in this town without her papa. The only friend she had was Raoul but he only came once a year during the summer. Christine looked up at the sound of a carriage driving down the quite pathway. In it was the lonely face of her new friend. "Eric!" she called "Come play with me and my kitten!" she so wanted someone to be her friend.
The half masked face in the carriage looked down sadly her heart sunk. There was something wrong he was a sad person but this morning his eyes lightened every time he looked at her. The preacher came out the chapel door and called Christine. The girl scooped up the kitten and ran over to the man.
"Uncle William! I just saw Eric driving in a carriage. What do you think he was doing?" Christine asked the preacher. William looked worried, "Christine, are you sure?" Christine nodded. "Come with me." He said trotting down the stairs.
The preacher sped walked to Eric's old home; Christine wasn't too far behind nearly jogging to keep up with the man. The preacher leapt up the stairs losing his normal calm and collected way about him, the man banged on the door. Christine got worried at the way her uncle was acting. "Madam!" he yelled pounding his fist on the thick wooden door. Christine heard a cruel voice swear at the preacher as the door swung open. "What!?" The woman asked. Christine was horrified at the way Eric's mother presented herself "Where is Eric?" William growled at the woman.
She laughed evilly, "The Demon you mean preacher?" Christine was sick. "He is not a Demon!" She cried shoving herself between her uncle and the drunken woman. The woman laughed, Christine was disgusted at the alcohol on her breath. Straightening up to make herself look bigger Christine scolded the woman
"He is a beautiful person who deserves all the loving kindness in the world, I feel sorry that you are too much of monster to see it yourself!" Christine could feel her face get hot. "Well Monster lover" the woman said laughing "How can you be so sure? Have you seen his demon infested face?"
Christine stuck her little fists on her waist. "I don't care what he looks like! It's who he is underneath that makes him a beautiful person."
The woman was silent for a moment staring at the little girl her eyes cold. "You will never see the monster again; I've sold him to the Shah of Persia." Christine's jaw dropped but the preacher spoke first; "You sold him?" She nodded smiling.
Christine ran off crying how could this be? He was such a special person that deserved the world, not this.
Christine was crying on her bed when her uncle came home. "Christine?" He said knocking on her door carefully. The little girl sat up wiping her tears away, "Yes Uncle." The man walked in holding rolls of paper. "What is that?" Christine asked pulling her curls over her shoulder. The man smiled, "We are going to make Eric's dream come true, we will submit his opera house plans." He said laying Eric's drawings on Christine's desk. Christine rolled off her bed, gasping at the beautiful drawings with even what style and brand of carpets are to be used. This boy was truly a genius.
Good job standing up for Eric Christine! I can't wait to see what the future holds for these two.
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