Come into the Light

The Opera is Over

Chapter One

The Opera is over

1873

My heart finally calms down as I make it to the doorway of my home. I can feel the ash of the fire in my hair and my hands are shaking slightly, the almost encounter with death still very present in my mind.

How could he do this? What lunacy overcame him?

I entered my home and I saw my Mother stand up quickly from the blue,upholstered chair in a fright. She rushed toward me and embraced me tightly, almost leaving me breathless. I was surprised to see my Mother react this way, she wasn't one to show affection this easily.

"Are you all right, Meg?" she pushed me back slightly and moved my blonde hair away from my face to check if I was hurt.

"I am all right, Mother. But what happened? Where's Erik? Is he all right?" Before I left the disaster scene of where the Opera Populaire burned down I was able to see Christine and Raoul. They were exiting from the underground dungeons where I know Erik took Christine but Raoul didn't let her even say a word to me. They just kept running, leaving the burning building behind in one of Raul's carriages.

"Yes, he is here. He arrived about an hour ago but he is hurt."

"What! Why!? What is wrong?"

"Be calm, Meg. He has a few minor burns. I tried to tend to him but he would not let me. There's something wrong with him, he is... quiet. I thought he would be mad with rage."

"I will go talk to him."

"Meg, no!" My mother took my arm and pulled me back slightly.

"He is not himself. I do not know what he might do."

"I am not afraid of him, Mother." I pulled my hand away and went into the kitchen to find some balm and medicine for his burns.

"Meg, be careful." My Mother warned me before I entered the bedroom and I just nodded. We have always had a spare room for him, in case something like this ever happened. For as long as I can remember my Mother always had a spare room no matter where we moved. It was only when I was thirteen that I finally understood why. I will never forget that night, the night I first met him, the ghost that haunted my Mother's steps and the man who changed my life forever.

...

I entered Erik's room and it was completely darkened, not even a candle was lit to be able to see where I was going. I let the light from outside flood in through the darkness and as soon as I was able to see the bedside table I put down the medicine and lit the candle. The light let me finally see Erik's figure on his bed; he was asleep with his white shirt half-opened and his black trousers a little broken and torn. His mask was missing and his long, black cape was nowhere to be seen. In this light, he almost seemed peaceful and I didn't dare wake him. I sometimes thought the poor man only found peace when he was asleep or when he was composing his music.

I decided to let him sleep and take advantage of his peaceful state and try to heal his wounds. I sat down beside the bed and started to slowly put balm on the burns in his arms. I have lost count the amount of times I have done this; I have seriously been considering becoming a nurse as my profession. Taking care of the "Phantom of the Opera" gave me enough experience to learn how to do many things. I opened up his shirt a little more to be able to put balm on the burns in his chest and I swallowed hard. I tried not to linger too much on his pale yet toned chest but I couldn't help myself. Erik rarely let anyone touch him, let alone be near him. Even though I longed with every fiber of my being to be able to do so... if only he'd let me.