Sing Once More (A Phantom of the Opera Phan Fic)

Chapter 13

Erik took a strip of dirty cloth and wrapped it around Chip's head, covering his eyes. "There, you'll have to wear that until further notice."

Chip made a face, feeling his eyes. "What the heck did you put over my face? It sells like a sweaty gym sock!"

"Close enough..." Erik muttered, looking back over at Reagan who stared longingly out a window. "Are...you alright?" He asked with some care in his voice.

Reagan turned to look at Erik. "Huh...oh...yes, I'm fine. Just missing home..." She lowered her head, walking over to Chip and looking at him curiously. "I thought you said you could fix his eye sight?"

"This is the best I can do for now. He'll get his sight back. You just need to give it a bit of time." Erik reassured.

Reagan balled up her fists and scowled. "You lied about being able to cure him, didn't you?!" She barked at Erik, her eyes gleaming with hatred for this man she once long admired.

"I most certainly did not!" Erik protested, standing up for himself.

"Then heal his sight!" Reagan snarled.

Erik crossed his arms and cursed under his breath before shaking his head. "No. I will not help him with that attitude you seem to always conjure up. I am sick of it! You fell into my domain, bumped into me, ruined my sheet music, and dragged me back into this hell for another round of sorrow and bitter tears! I have no reason nor any desire to help you, or your sorry excuse for a friend. I don't like fan girls, or whatever the hell they are! I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE! PERIOD!" He screamed at her, his voice echoing throughout the room.

Reagan shuttered at the voice of her idol as it boomed around and carried like a thousand evil creatures. Tears came into her eyes. What she knew of the Phantom was a lie, if he meant what he was saying, and Reagan knew he meant every cold, cutting word. "You're...you're..." She started out, stuttering around for words.

"What?! An ugly pain in the neck who needs to die and whither up with his time period and burn in hell?! Was that what you were going to say?" Erik scowled, his eyes burning holes through Reagan.

The tears started to well bigger in Reagan's eyes. "NO! I...I wasn't going to say that at all!"

"THEN WHAT?! WHAT IS SO DAMN PRESSING THAT YOU HAVE TO TORTURE ME CONTINUOUSLY IN THIS CHILDISH MANNER?!" Erik yelled so loud that the candle sconces shuttered at the tone.

Reagan's face grew red and hot. "YOU'RE A LIAR AND NOTHING LIKE I PICTURED YOU. YOU HAVE A HEART OF STONE, AND YOU CAN'T GET OVER THE FACT THAT CHRISTINE WAS JUST SOME GIRL CAPTIVATED BY YOUR MUSIC. SHE'D NEVER LOVE YOU! NOT WITH THAT UGLY, DEFORMED HEART THAT YOU POSSESS. IT'S NOT YOUR STUPID FACE I CARE ABOUT. YOUR HEART IS THE PROBLEM!" She screamed at him, tears rushing down her rosy cheeks. "AND ANOTHER THING, I DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR BROKEN HEARTED PEOPLE WHEN THEY CAN'T SEE THAT PEOPLE ALL AROUND THEM ARE SHOWING THEM LOVE. YOU'RE JUST TOO BLIND AND STUPID TO SEE IT!"

With that, Reagan screamed at him and burst out the door, leaving Erik and Chip alone in one of the dressing rooms.

Chip stood silently, taking everything in. It sounded a lot worse when one couldn't see what was going on. "Wow...um..."

"Shut up." Erik growled at Chip.

"You know, Reagan's right. You're just a selfish pain in the butt who cares only about his own feelings. She's right on the fact that Christine didn't really care. But that really doesn't matter anymore, now does it. You don't love her...well, your old you doesn't at least. At least that's what Reagan says. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I don't care that you can't fix my sight. I'd rather go blind than look at your pathetic self image." Chip snapped, turning to try and find the door.

Erik grew red in the face, marching over to Chip and wrapping his muscular hands around Chip's scrawny neck. "So help me, child, you have broken my last nerve. My last chord has been severed with your annoying teenage temper. I have had enough of your nonsense, your adolescence, and your hormonal nagging. I have tried to love and love again, but no dame would dare look upon my face and give me a second chance. Do you recognize how difficult that is?! Nay! You do not! You with fair skin, even complexion, admirable traits, and compassionate humor. You have not a clue the pain I struggle with! No one does..."

With a half limp arm, Chip grabbed at Erik's wrists and tried to pry them from his jugular. "C-Can't...b-breathe..."

"Hm? Oh..." Erik dropped his grasp and let Chip fall to the floor breathless. "Damn this world. There is no place for a demon like me..."

Chip rubbed his throat and coughed, trying to gain use of his vocal chords. "You could always join the circus. They're always hiring." He replied in a raspy tone

Erik grew wide eyed and raised his hand to slap Chip, but just as he did everything wavered and turned a ghostly blue. Music played in the background, familiar tunes, Music of the Night played dramatically in the distance.

The two characters shot through space and time, careening several hundred years back and forth. Then, there was darkness, quite calmness.

Chip whispered, "Erik?"

"Master Charles?" Erik's voice returned. Then the were the faint flick of a match head lighting, and Erik's face come into view.

The music was playing strongly, very audibly and understandable. The two looked around, not sure where it was coming from.

"Do you hear the music too?" Chip asked, pulling the smelly rag from his eyes. He blinked, still finding everything black and eerie.

"I hear it." "OUCH!" Erik dropped the match as it nipped at his fingertips. "Damn matches." He hissed, taking Chip by the shoulder and leading him around. "I believe...I believe I have not a clue where we are."

"That's not a first." Chip said, wincing as Erik squeezed his shoulder uncomfortably.

Erik paused as he came to a wooden door, pushing it open slowly. "We're...oh!" He backed away from the light as three small chorus girls darted in front of the door. Their giggles echoed down the hall as they skipped.

"What was that?!" Chip asked, fear striking in him.

"Ballet rats..." Erik snipped, popping his head around the corner a second more. "Good heavens...Master Charles...we're...we're back!"