A Song In The Dark

Friends, New and Old

Erik opened his eyes slowly he felt like he had been hit with a cannonball it was hard for him to breath, slowly he rose giving a cry of pain. He tried to move his left arm but couldn't squeezing his eyes shut biting his lip trying to cover the pain. He stumbled out of the room adjusting his wig and mask.
"Who are you?" Erik growled panting as he walked into the main room. Denis looked up from a book meeting Erik's blazing blue eyes, slowly he stood up placing the book that he was reading on the endtable.
"Erik," Ada interrupted, "this is my brother, Denis."
"And you brought him here?" He spit sneering his malformed lip.
"You would have died if I didnt."
"And you should have let me die."
Ada's lip trembled as she shook her head. "No, dont say that!"
Erik watched her his blood boiling who was she to interfere with his life, and bring others to his hell.

Ada moved towards him slowly she reached her thin hand to the unmasked side of his face, he jumped and threw her to the ground gasping in pain and gripping the injury.

Denis was at his sister's side helping her up. "Ada lets go, he can wallow in his self pity by himself." Denis hissed his blazing blue eyes meeting Erik.
"No," Ada shook her head and watched Erik turn away.

Erik raced to the makeshift kitchen and rummaged through the cupboards, "Where is it?! Where is my morphine?" He screamed throwing stuff every which way in a blind rage. Ada looked at her brother who just stared at the pitiful creature who lived in this darkness. "I threw it out." he voiced a tint of fear in his tone. Erik froze for a moment then exploded, lunging toward Denis, Denis moved out of the way as Erik fell to the ground.
Ada shot an angry glance at her brother and knelt down beside the Opera Ghost who was now in a ball crying in pain and misery. "Erik... please, we're only trying to help." Erik softened laying on the ground staring at the painting in the next room.
"I know you miss her." She sighed looking at the portrait of Christine. "But you have so much to live for, so much you could do for this world."
Denis shut his eyes what did his little sister see in this pitiful creature? "I was there for Don Juan." Denis voiced Ada looked up shocked. "I was courting a dancer that was in the opera." Erik sat up wincing, his mood changed from outraged to soft and gentle. "Your music made me feel alive."

"The fire, you saw... Everything." Erik whispered lowering his head recalling the night. "Christine, the chandelier... me." Dennis shook his head, "I saw fire and passion I didn't know much of the opera ghost but I saw them hunt down a genius like a wild animal."

Erik sighed "I am a dangerous animal." Erik stood up slowly, "Its time you go." Denis put his hand on his sister's shoulder and guided her out. "Thank you." Erik added his rich voice trembling.

Ada and Denis emerged from the tunnels into box five. "You never went to the opera." Ada stated as she closed the door. Denis shrugged "He needed a push, to be inspired to keep living. it wasn't a full lie I did stop to listen to it outside."
Ada smiled but it quickly faded, "Are you going to turn him in?"
"No, I'll try and help him. But if he snaps or hurts you I will."

Ada hugged her brother, "Thank you."

Denis guided his beloved sister back home he had been fascinated by the thought of an opera ghost for all these years but he wasn't how he pictured him.
Ada went up to bed and Denis sat in the parlor with his father, "Where were you today?" His father asked him pouring him a bit of brandy. Denis though a moment, he couldn't tell anyone about the man in the cellars, "I took Ada to see the work that we are doing on the Opera."

"Someone reported a gunshot across the street." His father bluntly stated taking a drink.
Denis shuttered, "There were no shots, Something must have just fallen. Excuse Me father, I'm turning in for the night."

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Erik sat in his chair once Ada and her brother left he sat twirling a glass of wine watching the red liquid spin creating a whirlpool in the glass. He sat alone once again his entire life he hated and at the same time loved being alone at the same time but now he didn't know what he was feeling. Erik clutched the injured side of his chest as he rose from his seat, slowly he made his way to the organ and with his good hand he played the song Ada had played.

"You're still here? After all these years." A deep voice with a persian accent questioned from behind him. Erik gritted his teeth, "You're getting sloppy old man I could hear you a mile away." Erik joked his face straight and eyes distant. "I snuck up on you and you know it." The deep voice responded with a slight laugh. "Are you trying a new type of music Erik? It sounds happier than your others."

"I didnt write it." he growled Slamming the lid down.
"Well its good to see you again." The man told him sarcastically.

"Daroga, you led him to me." Erik sighed thinking back to the dreadful night five years ago.
Erik turned to face a Persian man dressed in a suit his face showed age it was dark and leathered his once black hair was now like salt and pepper.

"And you tried to kill me so I think we're even. Erik, who smuggled you out of persia and brought you back to this place?" The persian sighed helping himself to a glass of wine.

"And you should have let me stay in Persia."

"You haven't changed a bit have you? I thought you would have moved on, Erik she is gone!"

Erik wanted to lash out at the old man but quickly decided not to when his shoulder screamed in agony. "I could never get over her, now please enlighten me on what you have come here for and then I bid you farewell."

"I came to see if you still lived and to say that I am in charge of the reconstruction of the opera house. If you have any recommendations I'm sure you can get ahold of me." The daroga turned and left Erik alone again. The daroga has helped him through the darkest nights, Erik took several years while living at the opera and traveled to persia, he became the Shah's master mason building torture chambers and castles. The daroga smuggled him out of persia when the shah's mother ordered him to be executed.

Erik could here the daroga whistle to himself down the tunnel.

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Ada woke up to the sound of hammers pounding on the opera house and men yelling at eachother. The sun was warm shining on her face slowly she sat up rubbing her eyes. A gentle tap sounded on the door, "Its open Denis." she sighed swinging out of bed and wrapping her robe around herself.
"Do you want to get dressed? Im going to the opera house do you want to come?" Ada smiled and nodded he brothers eyes sparkled in the morning sunlight. "I'll be right down." She exclaimed racing behind her changing screen. Denis laughed and left the room. Ada lept down the stairs and ran to the kitchen she grabbed a handful of cookies and some meat and bread. "That was going to be our dinner!" Denis yeled poking his head into the kitchen.
"Well my dear brother it will be mine and Erik's if you would like to join us you may." She snickered walking past him a smile stretched across her face.

She snuck past the workers and made her way to box 5 and pulled open the hidden door. "Erik," she called as she approached his lair, she saw a dark form sit up from the couch. "I'm so sorry did I wake you?" Erik grunted standing up. "You have to be sleeping to be woken."
Ada placed her basket on the counter, "How are you feeling?" She asked him reaching her hand to the bandage. "I'll survive, you idiot brother didn't get the bullet out did he?"
Ada shook her head and began untying the bandage. "Well thats going to be a drag." He mumbled to himself. "Will you regain use in your arm?" Erik watched her lips move as she spoke but quickly shook any potential thoughts away.
"I should, it will hurt like hell though."