After the Fire

Chapter 2

It was a slow and painful journey for the both of them. They had to walk because taking a carriage would be too much of a risk. While Amelie was a strong ballerina, her short stature could barely support the tall, muscular man she was helping.

Erik on the other hand was suffering physically and emotionally. He had wanted it to be over, but now this woman was determined that he lived. His heart was broken; his head ached; his limbs on the right were useless at the moment. Fitting, he realized. They match my useless face on that side too.

"Just a little farther. Should we take a break?"

Without an answer, Erik nearly collapsed onto a tree from exhaustion.

Amelie helped him to sit down as he panted for air, "It's okay... It will be at least. I won't let anything happen to you."

Tears of emotional and physical pain hadn't stopped falling from Erik's eyes since Amelie had found him.

"I'm Amelie by the way. I don't think I ever introduced myself," she laughed a little, "I wish I knew your name."

Erik focused as hard as he could, "Eh...Eh..."

"Hey, that's pretty good! Maybe, I can guess... Hmm... starts with an eh sound..."

Erik let out a chuckle.

"Wow, I got a laugh out of you! That must mean I'm okay!"

Another chuckle.

His laughter was feeding Amelie's comedic nature, "Alrighty... Let me guess your name... Hmm... Egbert?"

Chuckle.

"Eduardo?"

Chuckle.

"Elroy?"

Chuckle.

Amelie smiled at him. It was the most relaxed she has seen him since she found him. "Okay... I'm serious now. I want to know your name... Edgar?"

He shook his head.

"Erik?"

Erik nodded slowly.

"Erik! What a lovely name... for a lovely fellow."

Oh, God... if she only knew... he thought.

Amelie felt his eyes lowering shamefully. "Look, I can guess what you're thinking by that look. Yes, you weren't always in the right, but those people weren't either. You fascinate me, monsieur."

There was a quiet lull.

"We should keep moving if you're able. We're not very far away."

Erik nodded and they began hobbling the rest of the way to Amelie's sister's home.

Finally, with great relief, they stumbled onto a front porch. Amelie knocked on the door and a woman who appeared to be a slightly older version of Amelie appeared at the door.

"Amelie! I'm so glad you're okay! I heard there was a fire at the opera! The..." she trailed off as Amelie shot her a look.

"Ettie, we need in like now. I'm dying here!"

Collette, affectionately nicknamed Ettie, helped the two stumble into the house. With the women on either side of him, Erik stumbled to a sofa where he laid down and felt peace for a moment.

That was until a cute little girl with bouncing blonde curls came over to him and poked a gash on his heads. He hissed in pain.

"Fifi!" Collette scolded, "I'm sorry, monsieur."

"Hi, Fifi," Amelie said to her niece. The little girl offered her Auntie Amelie a hug and then walked away.

"She's still not talking," Collette said to Amelie.

Amelie watched her five year old niece go into the other room, "It's traumatizing for a kid to lose their father, especially in the way that she did."

Little Fifi had witnessed her father's death when he was trampled by horses. From that moment, she went from being a talkative little girl to going completely mute. She hadn't spoken now for almost three months.

"Well, what have we here?" Collette asked.

Erik mumbled inaudibly.

"I think he's had a stroke. He's had quite the night." Amelie sat down next to him.

"Let me medicate him. What's his name?"

"Erik," Amelie replied.

"Erik, is it okay if we help you?"

Erik hesitated for a moment. He wanted the pain to be over, but something deep in his heart forced him to give a single nod.