Erik's POV

"What do you mean "You're moving out?!"

For nearly two weeks now, I had secretly moved my belongings to a flat on the other end of Coney Island. The bottom half of the house was abandoned, leaving me with my privacy and my own upstairs quarters. It cost me fortune, and yes, I would be broke for a while, but in the end it would all be worth it. I only let Madame Giry know of my move on the morning it was to occur. I was coming down the stairs with my final box of belongings, when she stopped me, and that's when I told her everything. Oh, she was anything but happy, but I didn't care. I needed my privacy, and therefore, I would have it.

"Locking yourself away isn't going to protect you from Christine!" she angrily snapped. "I know that's why you're moving out of here… She's been coming to us for meals."

"Good day, Madame," I snapped, moving my way outside. Free. I was finally free! What made me even happier was when I reached my new home. I stepped inside the condemned home and made my way up the makeshift stairs to my flat. The walls of my room consisted of decaying brick and the windows were old as well. Though, I didn't care. I approached my metal bed frame and threw some pillows over the springs before covering it with my patched up quilt. It would take a while for this place to become home, but it would be within time. I was lucky enough to find that my room came with a piano. That's all I needed in life to be happy. I had my music and that was enough for me. Besides the bed frame, the room also had a small kitchen area and a desk set beside the bay window of my flat. Oh, what a view it was! From that very window, I could see all of Coney Island and even the ocean. Home…Finally, after five years, this was home. I spent the remainder of the day unpacking my clothes and music scores, finding myself nearly exhausted by nightfall. I had work in the morning, which was why I decided to crawl into bed and drift off to sleep.

Usually, when I was at Madame Giry's home, I would know it was time to wake when I smelled breakfast cooking from downstairs. Though, it was harder to know what time it was now that I was on my own. After reaching out for my pocket watch that was sitting on the nightstand, I noticed that it was exactly six. For once, I didn't feel like waking, but I had no other choice. After rising to my feet, I relieved the urine from my bladder before changing the bandages on my aching wound. I was glad that there was only a few more weeks of summer left, for my job of being a freak on display would became easier in the winter. Instead of displaying myself to cruel people, I could shovel snow instead. After dressing and locking my door, I hurried off to work. The heat was already at its max, and the sun had just come up. I knew today would be brutal…

"Erik,"

I was heading towards my podium, when I heard the voice of my boss calling for me. I spun around to see him standing outside of his office door with a shovel in hand. Not only did he look angry, but he also had this evil gleam in his eye, the same gleam that always wound up humiliating me in some way, shape or form.

"What are you doing?" he curiously questioned.

"Going to work," I said.

Mr. Tilyou smiled and placed the shovel into my hands.

"Not on the podium, Erik," he spat. "You were late to work a few weeks back."

"Because I was hurt, sir…"

The evil man slapped me in the stomach; the same area that my wound was in, causing me to stumble backwards.

"Don't care, Erik… You were late and therefore, you know the punishment for being late. Off to the elephant tents you go…"

If there was one thing I hated more than Christine, it was my job and boss, Mr. Tilyou. If one of his employees were late, they were to suffer the entire day cleaning the elephant tents. Oh, it was a horrible job, one that no one particularly liked. Sweat beaded down my back as I stood inside the unbearably hot tents, shoveling the elephant droppings up with a shovel. I had wondered why Mr. Tilyou had waited so long to punish me for being late, and now, I knew why. He had wanted to wait until the hottest day of the summer arrived. I could hardly breathe as I stood there for hours shoveling elephant droppings and filling their bedding area with hay. When my lunchtime arrived, I exited the tent and headed towards the break area to get myself some water. My body was covered in filth, and I smelled terrible, but that didn't stop the heat from making me feel worse.

As I was standing against the railings of the boardwalk, I felt something strike my back. It hurt! Oh, so much….It brought back memories from when I was whipped…Whipped! I spun around to find my boss Mr. Tilyou standing there with a bull whip in hand. My blood ran red as he struck me in the back again, striking one of my scars and tearing it open. From so many years of abuse, it had weakened my flesh, so much that the tiniest touch would tear open my scars.

"Get back to work, Erik!" he barked. "Those tents aren't going to clean themselves, you know…"

I wanted to take that bullwhip and kill my boss, but I needed this job more than anything in the world. Therefore, I bit my tongue and went on with my work. At the end of the day, I headed home and bathed myself in my tub, rubbing my flesh raw. Afterwards, I found some ice and held it over my sore back as I worked on my music in peace. The sun had gone away, leaving me with darkness and a few candles. Suddenly, I heard my doorbell ringing from downstairs. Knowing that it was most likely Madame Giry, I growled and stood on my weary legs, heading downstairs to the door. Though, after pulling it open, there was no one….But there, on my doorstep was a basket covered in a white cloth of some sort. Curious, I moved aside the cloth to reveal a basket filled with a bottle of wine, some bread and a pound of cheese. I glanced up from the basket, but there was no one there. Only when I was back in my room did I notice the small letter sitting between the bottle of wine and bread.

"Angel,

Please accept this basket as a housewarming gift. I mean you no harm. Madame Giry has told me that you no longer occupy the attic bedroom of her home. If you wish for me to bother you no longer, then I shall do just that. But please, know that I never meant you any harm.

Welcome to the neighborhood,

Christine."

I groaned and crumpled the letter up within my grasp. Even now, as I sat in the comfort of my own home, I didn't have any privacy. Christine knew where I lived. But how? How had she acquired such information? Had she possibly followed me home? I wasn't sure, but took the food into my tiny kitchen and cracked open the bottle of wine. At least the alcohol would sooth my pain.

What I didn't know was that my life was about to change drastically. For the next morning, when I went into work, I didn't even make it to my podium. No, I was grabbed by two men once I entered the park. I tried to fight them off, but they were too strong for me. I was brought around back of my boss's office and tied to a nearby rail. I was clueless as to what was going on around me, but seconds later, my boss appeared from his office with his bullwhip in hand.

"There is my little thief!" he angrily spat.

"What are you talking about?"

"Where is my money!"

The bullwhip cracked against my flesh, causing me to scream. Money? What money was he talking about? I hadn't taken any money that belonged to him.

"You were the only one that was near my office yesterday, monster," he spat. "I had three hundred dollars stolen from me! Now, where is my money?!"

"I…I didn't take anything, I swear."

"All right then," he growled. "If I can't get the money out of you, I'll beat three hundred dollars worth of pain out of you."

Over and over again, my back was whipped with that evil contraption. My flesh burned as the whip came down over and over again. I cried several times before my flesh became numb. Blood splattered all over everything…And from that beating, I knew I would never sleep without nightmares again.

"Steal from me again," Mr. Tilyou warned. "And you'll be dead next time."

When I was set free, my body hurt so much, that I collapsed onto the ground. I wasn't sure how many of my scars had been torn open, but the smell and sight of rusty blood was enough to explain everything. I hated the world, and the world hated me. There was no doubt about that. I didn't work that day, for how could I do such a thing? I was covered in the substance, staggering around Luna Park as others screamed and shouted at the mere sight of me. I had told the truth, and yet it still got me hurt. I had not stolen from the man, and that was the God's honest truth. Deciding not to wallow home, I threw my cloak over my shoulders and took a seat on a nearby bench that was facing the ocean.

I had only been sitting there a few moments, when from out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone sitting down beside me.

"I thought I might find you here," came the familiar voice. "After asking Madame Giry, she told me where you worked. Though, when I approached the show, you were nowhere to be found."

I turned and faced Christine, who was sitting there beside me. She was smiling, but I was doing anything but. From beneath my cloak, I could feel the blood dripping down my aching back. I was in no mood, nor was I in the right state of mind for this. No, I simply staggered to my feet and headed towards the beach. My sight was blurry and my body was becoming weak, but I never stopped. Oh, the sun was beating down upon my shoulders as well, making me hot and exhausted. People were staring at me now as I continued to stagger towards the stairs of the boardwalk that would lead me down to the sand.

"Angel?" her words echoed and drifted away as each moment passed. And then, as I was standing on the first step of the stairs, my body lost balance and I went plummeting to the ground below. Bones cracked and my body met the hot sand….Crowds surrounded the rails of the boardwalk, gazing down upon me as Christine came rushing down every stair to get to me. The hood of my cloak had come undone, and now, I was laying there face to face with the world. Some screamed, others ran away…And then, the only one that was left at my side, was Christine. She had not run…but why? Why had she not run away from my hideous face? Everyone else had. Years ago, she had done the same thing…but now, she was kneeling at my side and calling my name. And then, I blacked out…

When I woke, I was laying on my stomach…My sight started to come back together and I was able to take notice that I was back in my room. I sighed and pressed my eyes closed again, feeling my mask against my distorted cheek. But wait…I had not been wearing my mask when I fell off the boardwalk. I softly groaned and attempted to shift my body, but found it nearly impossible, for my back was on fire.

"Hi," there was a soft, boyish voice speaking to me and when I turned my head, I spotted Christine's son sitting at my side. What in God's name was he doing here?! No…This couldn't be happening. I quickly shifted my body despite the pain, but collapsed once again.

"My mama said not to move. She needed to step out for a few moments. You have a bad booboo on your back mister…"

"Where am I?" I cringed.

"Mama said this is your home. It's icky and dark…"

I could feel my back covered in bandages, making it harder for me to move. When I had helped this boy find his mother, I never really took any time to look at him. But now that I was, I noticed that he looked exactly like Christine in every way. He had her brown hair, her nose, her eyes, even her smile. The child was absolutely beautiful. And then, my heart skipped a beat…Raoul! If the man caught me here, alive, I would surely be dead! No, I couldn't let this happen….

"Your…Your father," I gasped. "Where is he? He doesn't know that you're here, does he?"

"What are you talking about?" the child asked.

"Don't play dumb with me, boy!" I snapped. "Where is he? Where is that bastard?!"

"I…I don't know, mister,"

"He's with your mother, isn't he? They're both together right now, aren't they?"

"That's not possible," the child cried. "Mama told me that papa is in heaven with grandfather. He's been there forever…"

I calmed down the moment I heard him speak such words. Heaven? How was that possible? Had Raoul actually died? No…This child was lying to me. It had to be a lie. There was no other way of saying it. I had seen the both of them together just before the mob had gotten to me. How was it that Raoul had died? No…No, this couldn't be happening.

But now, I had bigger problems, for at that moment, I heard the door open.

"Oh, ange, you're awake…"

I would not speak to this woman, nor would I treat her like I used to. I had to be strong, I had to be firm. Christine was not welcome in my home, and therefore, I would send her away for good. Both her and her sorry excuse for a child…They would be out of my life for good, I would see to it. I would be her angel no longer…

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