From Present to Past (Phantom of the Opera)

Chapter 2

(Sarah's POV)

I took a seat on the ground and began peeling and cutting on the potatoes and vegetables. "Um...it's a bit of a long story... And, I would prefer you not think me insane." I stole a quick glance at Erik.

He nodded and looked up from the fire. "You don't have to tell me." I shrugged and dropped a few things into the pot. "But, you do deserve to know." I took a deep breath and asked, "One quick thing before I tell you, is this the middle of the 1850s?"

He nodded in agreement. He did deserve to know. "Yes, it is." he said as he looked at me strangely. "I think you've been on earth long enough to know that." I laughed and tossed a potato peel at him playfully. "Yes, I have been on earth that long. Just, not in this century."

He ignored the peel that hit him and looked at me. "Century?"

"Yes, we're not from this particular century. We are from about 160 odd years in the future." I said as I finished up with the vegetables and tossed them in a pot I found.

He looked at me, confused. "Maybe it wasn't just Nadir that drunk the contaminated water." I laughed again and shook my head. "No, I believe he was the only one. It's very hard to explain, I doubt I can, but you're going to have to believe me, Erik."

He sighed and looked at me. He could already tell by the way I was acting that I was telling the truth. "I do." He whispered.

"Thank you! That does make this all a lot easier." I poured some water in with the vegetables. "Now, about knowing your name...this will come, I fear, as quite a shock to you but in our time you are quite famous."

"Famous?" He asked. "For what?"

"Well, you became known as the Phantom of the Opera later in your life. Most people are familiar with that." I wondered if it was right tell him what was going to happen in his future but I kind of wondered if it really would happen since we had arrived. That did change things.

"The Phantom of the Opera." He repeated. "Well," he said as he sat down near the fire. "I do enjoy operas."

I sat down Indian style and smiled. "To become the Phantom you would have to." I set my elbows on my knees and balanced my chin in my hands. "I know this is all very strange but I promise it's true."

"It doesn't sound all that strange to me." he said as he looked over at me. "It's going to be my life after all."

"I suppose." I stared into the flames for a moment. "By the way, I'm afraid we've never been properly introduced though we both probably know the other's name. I'm Sarah Teubner." I held out my hand to him.

He look my hand and shook it lightly. "I'm Erik." He stated as he released my hand. "Pleased to meet you." I replied with a grin and stirred the soup, silently pleading with it to heat faster.

"Pleased to meet you as well." He said as he watched the soup. "So, you and your friend are both doctors?" I nodded. "Yep, we both graduated last year from school and have been working at an ER. That's like a hospital." I said, clarifying it.

He nodded. "I'm sure she is doing a good job healing Nadir then."

"She's very good. Much better than me. She'll have him patched up in no time." I looked back at the tent. He looked back as well. "He has to get better. He has a son to take care of." He then looked at me. "You probably already knew that."

I nodded. "Yep, I did. His son's name is Reza." I didn't want to tell him what would happen to Nadir's son. After all, that truly broke my heart. "That's right." He nodded as he added more wood to the fire.