Scars of the Soul

A Promise

It took three hours to convince the managers that I had the talent they needed. By the time I had pulled it off, I had to swear not to make any contact with the so-called phantom of the opera.

   "Anne! How'd it go?" Adrik asked, as he greeted me on the steps of the opera house.

  "It went pretty well!" I smiled. "Took a while for the managers to hire me but that's alright."

  "I knew you could do it," Adrik smiled. "But in the meantime, I found this letter in the front pocket of one of your bags. It looks like it's from him."

  He handed me a yellowed envelope with my name in large cursive letters.

  "Let's go inside. I don't want to read it out here," I sighed, stepping back inside the opera house, Adrik following me.

  Once we were inside the lobby, we ducked away to a private corner before opening the letter.

  "Dearest Annette," I begin reading in a whisper. "I was so distraught when I heard you were moving so far away from me. My little nightingale, you can't get away from me. You are forever mine. Edward Blanche."

  "I thought we were going to get away from him? You know, now that we've traveled so far?"

  I shook my head, sighing. "I don't know what it will take. But I promise you, little brother, I'll take care of you."

  "Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! I have been looking for you!"

   Both of us turned our heads to find a woman who looked like she was trying way too hard to look younger than she already was. She spoke with a thick Italian accent.

  "La Morte! How charming of you to join the Opera-yes no! No, because your time has passed, my Piangi is dead!"

   I tilted my head, confused. "I'm not sure what that has to do with me?"

  The woman tutted, and opened her mouth again.

   "Ah you better pack and leave, no?"

  Adrik frowned. "My sister has as much right to work here as you do. What is wrong with her working here?"

  "Ah ha ha, you brutta, brutta, brutta!" She cackled, an ugly high pitched tune that hurt my ears.

  "My brother is not ugly!" I exclaimed, louder than I anticipated.

   The heads of everyone in the lobby turned to us then, much to the delight of the stranger.

   She made several more comments, mostly in Italian, but most of them were directed at my brother.

   I knew he was strong, but the slight tremble in his lip told me he was nearing his breaking point.

Wordlessly, I grabbed his hand and dragged him away, tuning out the world as we traveled deeper into the opera house.

  The only time we stopped was when we had entered one of the many boxes in the opera house; box number five.

In there, at least, it was quiet.

I glanced back at my brother, and nearly gasped in horror. Sometime during our flight, someone had yanked off my brother's mask.

  Now I knew why he was hiding his face in his hands. But I had seen his scars a thousand times and gently touched his shoulder.

   "Adrik, you're safe here. We're alone, and I've seen your face a thousand times. It's alright."

  He sighed and looked up at me, tears pooling over in his eyes. His scars started at his forehead and traveled down the left side of his face, ending at the top of his neck.

  If the Blackburn reputation didn't deter managers from hiring him, the scars definitely would.

   "Who dares enter box number five?"

  Instinctively, I threw my coat over Adrik's face, covering up his scarring.

  "Only to seek refuge. My brother's mask was pulled away earlier."

  The figure moved to a spot where I could sort of see them, but really all I got to see was the stark whiteness of his mask.

   "You are the new musician." It was less of a question and more of a statement.

  "I am, monsieur. And I suppose you are the infamous opera ghost I've heard so much about?"

  The mask dipped down and up, in a slow, small nod. "And you the figurehead of some of theater's greatest tragedies?"

  "Only because I was there, sir, and I never directly or intentionally caused them."

  He laughed, a stifled, almost forced laugh that made me wonder if the phantom had ever truly laughed before.

  "I see now why those fools who run my opera house didn't want you having any contact with me."

  "You knew that, and still started a conversation with me?" I exclaimed, remembering the terms to which I'd been hired.

  "Correction, I knew the terms meant the phantom of the opera who causes death and destruction. Not the opera ghost who has nothing worthwhile to pursue."

  "Annette, where are we going to stay?"

  I glanced back at Adrik, who kept his face carefully hidden from view. "I believe I'll stay at the dorms with the other musicians but I'm not sure about you."

   "Do you not have a place to stay?"

   "No, sir. My brother and I just arrived here not four hours ago and I barely have enough to pay for a simple meal, much less a home."

    Adrik turned to the stranger. "Why do you ask? Were you offering?"

  "Adrik, he's a stranger. Besides, I wasn't even aware you'd even consider that option considering your appearance."

  "Whatever your brother looks like, I doubt it will shock me."
 
  "That's what most people say about me. Needless to say they all eat their words."

  Quickly jumping up, I was glad to stop a useless argument before it started.

  "Both if you have faces that make society turn away in fear. I get it. But it's really not worth debating who has the more frightful face."

  The two of them shared a look before turning at me.

  "So where are you going to live?" The Phantom asked.

  "Pardon me asking, but why are you being so friendly? You are the dreaded opera ghost, surely you mean to drive us out of your box."

   "Simply put, I know of your reputation and the risks involved with hiring you. If anything happens to my opera house while you're here, I will drive you out."

  I gulped and nodded. "I can't make any promises, but I'll try."

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YEAH two chapters out without a huge gap!

I just watched the 2004 movie again so my inspiration be spiking.

So from now on Carlotta's nicknames for the twins will be Morte and Brutta and shout-out to Google translate for helping me with my Italian ig I don't speak Italian but Carlotta does sooooo