Erik and Christine: Loves Secret (A Phantom of the Opera Story)

Chapter 23

Christine takes a deep breath and moves slightly as she tries to answer the question. "I mean I don't want to say anything that might upset you and get you mad at me," Christine replied.

"I will only be upset if you don't tell me," Ralph implied.

Christine shuts her eyes then takes another deep breath as she explains, "Alright. Your son. Raoul...he's changed somehow after the Opera House caught on fire. He's not the same man that I fell in love with. It's like he's tormented by what happened at the Opera House and as you said how he wants control of everything after something that caused him so much pain. The reason why I believe this is because he doesn't want to lose me again."

"Again?" Ralph asks.

"I was in love with another person. I was in love with the Phantom of the Opera," she mumbled as she confessed to Ralph that she was in love with another man. Ralph not only was confused on who was this "Phantom of the Opera", but he was confused on why. "The Phantom?" asked Ralph. Christine notices Ralph's facial expression and feels awkward and that she told him her biggest secret. She looks away and decides to continue on with what she was going to say. "I'm sorry. Maybe I should just finish what I have to say," she apologized.

"No. Tell me about this "Phantom of the Opera." I think it would help me understand more," said Ralph. Christine looked at Ralph; noticing that he implores her to tell him everything. To which in her heart, she knows that for him to understand why he must know everything. About who Erik is, why he is called "The Phantom"; everything. "Alright. I guess the best way to start is to tell you why people call him that. For you see, people call him that because they believe that he's a ghost. But what people don't know is who he is because they don't see him. They only know the rumors about him."

"So who is he?" Ralph asks.

"His name is Erik Destler. When she was five years old, his mother sold him to gypsies that traveled from place to place and used him as their favorite freak show. They called him "The Devil's Child."

"The Devil's Child?"

"Yes."

"Why did they call him that?"

"When he was born everyone including his mother, saw him as a monster. For he was born with only half of a face."

"That's awful."

"Yes, it is. Even though, Erik was born everyone including his mother saw him as a monster. His mother decided to give him a name."

"That must be confusing for him. I mean why would a mother give him a name but sell him to be in a freak show. It must have been difficult."

"I guess. But when Erik was fifteen, he escaped by killing a man who was in charge of his station because he couldn't take it anymore."

"He murdered a gypsy? A man?"

"Yes. He did it because he wanted to be free and not be laughed at anymore and when Erik found the Opera House. He felt as though that it was a place where he could be who he wanted to be and what he wanted to do."

"So when did people start calling him "The Phantom of the Opera?"

"Probably after he started getting involved with the Opera. I'm not sure. I honestly wasn't paying attention to what rumors. I thought that Erik was my Angel of Music."

"Angel of Music?" Ralph asked.

"Yes. I know it sounds strange, but after my father died, I was brought to the Opera House since I had nowhere else to go. When I would light a candle for my father, sometimes I would sing. I'll never forget the very first time I heard his voice. I was celebrating my father's birthday a few months after I came to the Opera House," Christine added.