Love Persists

Chapter 13

Mandie's POV:
I sat in shock, trying to comprehend what Erik was telling me, "y-you are from the 1800's?"

He nodded in response, "I know it seems strange, well it is strange, and honestly I have no idea how it is possible. One day my friend and I just woke up 130 years in the future."

"Well, I do suppose you look good for being over 130 years old," I smiled, trying to hide my confusion with humor. "So how is the future treating you, Erik?"

"I suppose that is very similar to the time I came from. There are many new advances, but I am still discriminated against for my mask, although I suppose that will never change."
I bit my lip, hesitant to ask the question I wished to, "Erik, why do wear a mask?"

"I suppose I knew this day was coming," he sighed in response. "I was born with a hideous deformity, so much so that my mother wanted me dead the moment she first saw me. I was kept hidden from the public eye as a child, never leaving my house even for church. She forced me to wear a mask so that she would not have to look upon the monstrosity that I have in place of a face."

"Oh Erik, that's terrible," I breathed, unable to believe that a mother could ever be so cruel. "Your mother should have loved you no matter what, is that not the job of a parent? I can't believe that you had to go through that as a child."

"I deserved it," he replied, solemnly, unable to meet my eye. "In her place, I would have reacted the same, no parent should be forced to raise a monster as a child."

"You are no monster, no matter what your face looks like. What you look like on the outside has no affect on determining whether you a good or bad person."

"Let us see how you feel after you actually see how hideous it really is," he warned as he reached up to remove his mask.

I subconsciously became more alert, realizing that I would finally get to see Erik's real face, something that I had hoped to catch a glimpse of since the first time we met. As his mask was pulled away, I gasped in shock. It was unlike anything I was expecting, something that seemed to fit in a horror film. The skin was twisted and marred, parts of it rubbed raw from contact with the mask. There were even a few chunks of skin missing here and there, revealing the skull that lay beneath it. The right edge of his lips were puffed up and pulled slightly upwards in a style reminiscent of that of the Joker.

At first, I simply sat there in shock, unable to respond. I was unsure quite how I was feeling. While it was quite repulsive, my brain refused to recognize that it was actually his face and not another mask or something. After an uncomfortable amount of silence, Erik rescued his mask and turned away from me, as though in shame.

"I-I am sorry for showing you, I am sure that you will have nightmares about it for the next few weeks," he spoke, sounding hollow and almost heartbroken.

He began to get up from the bench, but I stopped him by grabbing his wrist, "no, Erik, please do not leave."

"You wish to stay with such a monster, even after having seen the horrors I hide?"

"Yes, this doesn't change the way I feel about you. I know that it may take a while for me to get fully comfortable with it, but I stand by what I said before. It is not what's on the outside that matters, but what's on the inside that counts."