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Erik walked down the dark dim-lit streets of Paris, France, after retreating from the angry mob who discovered his secret lair deep within the opera house. They only discovered his mask that Erik had carelessly left behind, but still continued on with their searching, trying to hunt him down. But luckily for Erik, he had gotten a head start, and fled far away from the opera house, and away from the angry mob.
But Erik could care less about the hordes of people who wanted him dead, for he felt that a part of him had already died when Christine had chosen to be with Raoul instead of him.
Erik continued walking down the lonely streets, as he replayed his final moments with Christine in his mind. Each time he did, he felt as though his heart was shattering into pieces from within him. Over and over again, until he finally collapsed to his knees. He was exhausted, tired, and most of all, heartbroken.
Erik clutched a hand to his chest to where his heart was, as he began to sob softly. His head held down as he did so. There were no musical lyrics poetic enough to describe what he was feeling in this moment. Everything that he’d ever worked hard for, and everything that he’d ever hoped for, it was all gone from him now.
The intense feeling of despair filling him from the inside, and darkness washed over him from the outside. There was nothing left for him to do now. Except...
That’s when Erik looked up and noticed a nearby bridge, built over a river. “Maybe the river currents are strong enough to wash away the pain. To wash away everything...” Erik had thought to himself. He stood back up, before he began to slowly make his way over to the large crossing bridge. He felt no need to rush what was coming to him. He wanted everything to feel as natural as possible, for he was about to let nature consume what was left of him.
Erik, now standing on one side of the bridge, pressing his stomach into the railing, as he leaned over to stare down into the calm river waves. He glanced up at the sky. The moon was full and high, and shinning its bright spotlight down upon him, while the stars served as an audience watching him during his final moments. Everything seemed to be so calm and peaceful to Erik in that moment. Probably the most peaceful he’s ever felt in his entire life. Erik couldn’t help but chuckle a little, as he lowered his head for a moment to gather himself again, before staring up at the moon once more, at started singing...
“Soaked to the bone,
sink like a stone.
Walk home alone...
It's not the first time,
It's not the worst crime,
Your soul will be ok.”
“And you've had enough,
Searching for love...
And you miss the touch,
of someone new...”
Erik sang the first and second chorus, before he turned around and moved from his spot, as he began to move along to the rhythm of the song he was singing. Before he began continued on with the first verse.
“Burned by your dreams,
It's never how it seems.
Cold crushed esteem...
Take shelter and hide forever,
your soul will be ok.”
“And you've had enough,
Searching for love...
And you miss the touch,
Of someone new...”
Erik swayed to the music that played in his mind, unfastening the ties to his cape, before swiftly swinging it off his shoulders and throwing it to the ground.
“And you've had enough,
Searching for love...
And you miss the touch,
Of someone new...”
Erik sang the second verse one last time, with so much power and emotion, before turning back to face the spot on the bridge where he was standing at earlier. He started making his way back over to it as he sang the first chorus of the song one last time.
“Soaked to the bone,
sink like a stone.
I will take you home.
It's not the first time,
It's not the worst crime,
our souls will be okay...”
His words and music faded out, as Erik climbed his way over to the other side of the bridge railing. His arms and hands holding a tight grip on the railing, before he closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. But just as he was about to jump, he heard a small innocent voice call out to him.
“Hey, mister! What are you doing on the other side of the bridge? Don’t you think it’s a little late to be going for a swim?”
Erik turned his head to the direction of where the voice was coming from. And stepping into the spotlight of a nearby street light, was a little girl of at least seven years old. Erik knew that she couldn’t see his face, for he was hidden in the one of the shadowy parts of the street. The girl appeared to be wearing a party dress, and held a basket in her hands as she looked at Erik curiously for a long moment.
“I can ask you the same thing. Don’t you think that it’s a little late for someone like you to be out here by yourself?”
Erik questioned her, with a rude tone to his voice. Hoping that the girl would go away if he treated her with disrespect. Not that he wanted to, but because he wanted to continue on with what he was trying to do. The girl didn’t seem to be bothered by it, but instead grew interested in this mysterious man, and decided to walk up closer to him, stepping onto the bridge as she did so.
“My big sister was throwing a party, and I was the only one of my own age there. I got bored and left. But I carried a bunch of cookies with me, would you like one? Mister?”
The girl asked, before stopping in her tracks to reach into her basket to extract a delectable treat out for him. That was until Erik quickly stopped her from doing so.
“No. I do not want any of your sweets. Now. Go away! Go back home to your sister. I’m sure she’s worried sick about you right about now.”
Erik said harshly. Hoping that this time the girl would go away for sure. But instead she just continued on walked towards him, now less than half ways away from where he was.
“No, she’s not. She has her stupid friends to keep her distracted. And why must you be so rude? I’m just trying to be nice, and I'm not sure if I should be concerned for you or not...”
The young girl said. Now standing just inches away from the bridge railing, with Erik’s back facing her. She tilted her head to the side, wondering who this mysterious man was.
“Y-You wouldn’t... You wouldn’t understand, child...”
Erik said, as he stared off into the distance. Contemplating whether or not he should just turn around to face the girl, knowing that if she’d seen his face, she’ll go running away screaming. Just like all of the others did...
“Yes, I would. Just give me a chance, won’t you?”
The girl asked politely. As she reached her hand out, and carefully placing it on Erik’s arm. Trying to be somewhat reassuring to him.
“A chance... A chance is all I ever wanted in life. Well, if you want a chance... Then I’ll give you a chance!”
Erik said, before he quickly turned around, and climbed up and over to the safe grounded side of the railing. This made the girl take a few steps back, for the sudden action had startled her. Erik began to walk towards her and into the light. She continued to take steps backwards, as Erik was now charging towards her, until she fell down onto the brick ground, not taking her eyes off of the mysterious shadow of a man. That was until Erik had finally revealed himself into the spotlight to her. His deformed facial features resembling a skull; with a crookedly upturned nose, jagged teeth, black stringy hair, and his eyes dark and sunken. The little girl gasped silently as she took in every detail of his angry, and disturbed face. But this girl. This girl in particular knew better than to just run away screaming. She felt that-that was the last thing this poor person needed. She could sense that he’d been hurt before.
The girl took a deep breath as she kept her eyes locked with his, before saying-
“W-Who-Who hurt you?”
She asked him. This made Erik soften up his angry expression, to just look at the child in wonder. “Why isn’t she running away from me...? She can’t possibly be blind... I don’t understand it at all...” Erik thought to himself, before actually speaking up, and asking her.
“Y-you’re-You're not... Afraid of me?”
He asked the girl, to which she just shook her head, no.
“No. Why, s-should I be?”
The girl stammered out nervously, not because of his appearance, but because she was still a bit shaken up from his advances towards her. Erik could tell this, and took a couple of steps back away from her to give her some space.
“No... You shouldn’t. You really shouldn’t...”
He said, before turning away from her, hiding his face in his hand as he felt himself on the verge of tears. The girl stood up and brushed off the skirt of her dress, before grabbing her basket and followed after him, and yanked at his sleeve. Erik just turned around and was met with girl’s concerned looking face. Her eyes were large and full of innocence, her hair short, and full of unruly dark curls. The girl reached into her basket before pulling out a heart shaped cookie, and held it out for him to take. Erik was hesitant at first and just stared at it curiously, before taking it, and just examined it for a moment. He looked back down at the girl to see her smiling up at him.
“Just thought you could use a little love, and a little compassion. Everyone’s deserving of love.”
The girl smiled sweetly up at him. And Erik couldn’t help but form a small smile on his disfigured face, for no one in his life had shown him as much kindness as this little girl did on this night. The same night when he was about to end it all, that was until this tiny angel saved him.
Erik got down on one knee to level with the girl, carefully grabbing ahold of her small hand, and placing his hand over on top of it. Before asking her-
“What’s your name, child?”
He smiled politely at her.
“Erika. Erika Nightley. What’s yours?”
She asked, a tear running down Erik’s face, as he felt a strange feeling of happiness start to fill his heart.
“Erik. Erik Destler.”