(I've introduced Erik aka Phantom of the Opera aka Opera Ghost, etc., etc. Hope it was alright! Enjoy, anyhow... :D)
Chapter 2
Erik
I was outside, with my black cloak swirling behind me in the wind. I was on my way back to my lair-the very one I had partly made and discovered when I was as young as twelve... tortured, beaten, and bruised, I'd come here, with the help of Antoinette-now called Madame Giry... she was in her early twenties-even then, she knew the place very well, and she led me into a tunnel that led to a small room. As I grew older, I'd made the room larger, and... the loneliness of no one-but Antoinette, even then, once in a few months... that had driven me to madness and as I got older-I'd gotten the title Phantom of the Opera or another-the Opera Ghost.
I'd made my presence known by sending letters to the managers of the business, through Antoinette, and it was my only way of communicating. For, I would never show my face, unless needed-even then with a mask.
Even today, dreams and memories of the past would haunt me. I would always remind myself-that I was not that tortured, beaten boy... Tonight, I had that same dream, where Father had beaten me to the point Mother would interfere, then get beaten, as well. Those were the times I had hated the most-the ones I still hated-that I would be the cause of Mother being hurt. See-Father was always handsome and seeing that he had a child-whose face was scarred and so ugly-he simply hated that. So, he made a mask for me. He never let me go outside, because he was so ashamed. One day, he made a room of mirrors... and whenever he got angry, he would trap me in there, without my mask to see how gruesome I truly was... and that was the worst punishment. He would trap me in there... sometimes for days and weeks, but he relented when Mother begged him to. He kept me there without any food or water. Only, Mother would send me a blanket, food, and water, secretly...
I tried to turn my thoughts from my past and I looked around to see where I was walking. I was near Madame Giry's home. I knew her home pretty well, because she had hidden me for a while there before she led me to the tunnel to my lair. I opened the door swiftly with a key. Everything was quiet-but then, I heard a little girl's cry. I followed it, out of curiosity. I swiftly and quietly moved past Meg-Little Giry and Madame Giry's room.
There was an innocent looking little girl, I suppose about Meg's age. There was a small desk and a candle lit. She had long, wavy auburn hair and pale white skin. She was weeping.
"Daddy... where are you? Daddy..." she sobbed, her small body trembling.
"Come back! I need you, Daddy... Where are you?" she quietly spoke, with despair in her voice.
"I'm so frightened... Daddy..." she whispered. I studied this girl carefully, why was she all alone?And where was her Father? How could he leave her like this? I felt something stirring inside me, compassion? I thought-no... Father-who had hated me for my ugliness-he had made me into the cold, cruel, mad monster I was. I watched the girl cry for a few more minutes and I was about to hurry back to my lair when she cried out, "Daddy, if you're not here... at least send me the Angel of Music... oh, please, Daddy..." she quieted down, wiping her tears, "Oh, Daddy... you always told me that when I am alone... the Angel would be watching over me, Daddy..." she pleaded. I looked at the child curiously.
She looks around-I wince, I haven't been careful. I walk back to my lair...