A Phantom and His Family

Chapter 20: Playing Doctor

Osmand's POV

"I'm scared, Ozzie." Tia whispered to me as the mean men took us away from Mommy and Daddy.

We were being carried to a big tent where a bunch of other kids sat, their sad eyes staring into ours in fear. Just then, we heard something crack and the other kids whimpering as two men stepped into the tent, one who was small and skinny and the other was a big, fat man with a huge black piece of rope in his hand.

"Shut up you little brats!" The skinny one spoke, 'There's no use in crying for your Mamas and Papas 'cause they ain't gonna save you. All of you are our slaves now. Some of you will be working with certain people with errands while the rest of you will be used helping around the camp. Don't try any funny business, or else there'll be a good whipping for you."

With that, the big man cracked the rope again, making us shake with fear. He then began to walk around the tent, yanking kids left and right and telling them what they were doing. He kept on doing this until he got to me and my sister.

"Ah, the unholy spawn of the Living Corpse." The big man sneered to the skinny one, "Honestly, why must we spare them instead of wiping his spawn off the face of the earth. "

"I couldn't agree more. But you know that Javert ordered us to keep these two alive. I still can't fathom that any woman would ever want to lay with that monster. He must have paid her every night in order to get two children out of it. Hell, I wouldn't blame him. A woman as beautiful as that wench is sure to drive that man to distraction. I wouldn't mind taking a round off of her myself."

"HEY! You can't talk about our Mommy and Daddy that way!" I exclaimed, getting so mad that I had kicked at the skinny man's shin.

"YEOW! You little brat! I ought to have Tio here whip the skin off of your Gorgio hide!"

Just as he reached for us, a new, yet familiar voice called out to them.

"Don't hit them. I need two children to help me with my remedies." A woman in a long, gray, hooded cloak had said as she headed for us.

The other adults looked at her, suspicious of this stranger.

"Who are you?" The skinny man asked in a mean voice.

"Um... my name is Madame Fortuna." She hesitated.

'"She's lying." Octavia whispered to me as the two men got closer to her.

"I've never heard that name before. Which part of the camp are you from?"

"Well, uh, I am new here."

The men were silent. Then, the big one gave a laugh before pushing us towards her.

"You two brats are lucky that she wants you. Now get out of my sight and get to work!"

With that, the woman took our arms and pulled us outside the tent, with us crying and screaming until we were pulled near a familiar-looking carriage that had suitcases and blankets that looked just like ours. Suddenly, the woman took off her hood, showing us her old, wrinkled face.

"Miss Madeleine?"

She nodded, putting a finger to her lips to signal us to be quiet.

"Where are your parents?" She asked, looking around us and noticing that Mommy and Daddy were missing.

"We don't know. The mean men took us away and we were stuck in that tent with other kids. I think Daddy is still in that cage." Tia said.

Miss Madeleine looked around us and then went towards the men and began to speak to them. After a moment, she came back, took our hands and we were lead into another tent.

Evangeline's POV

After getting dressed, I watched as the other young women huddled themselves together in the flimsy tent. Some were crying while others were silent as if they were mentally preparing for whatever horror that they were to face today. I, however, stood up, ready to fight if necessary.

Suddenly, the two men came in, making the girls squeal in fear. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't afraid of them at that moment, but I didn't make a noise, only studied their movements.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Devil's Whore?" One of the men cackled as they came closer to where I stood.

I said nothing as I continued to watch them carefully. It was at this moment when one of them decided to grab me oh so dangerously close to my stomach,missing where the baby was by a few centimeters. At this point, I keep a brave, stoic face regardless of the fact that in my mind, I am having a full-fledged panic attack.

"You're a pretty little thing, I must confess. Javert will have a fun time with you. Of course, he wouldn't mind the two of us getting a little taste of what that monster of yours was enjoying."

The man holding onto my waist was squeezing onto my hips so hard I thought he was going to crush them, had not a familiar voice stopped them.

"Excuse me, messieurs, but I have need for that girl in your arms."

It was the voice of an old woman. I turned to see an old lady and, to my surprise, my children who are standing beside her.  I wanted to rush over to them and make sure they were alright, but the man's grip was too strong for me to break free.

"For what purpose?"The man holding me asked as he looked her up and down.

The woman paused for a second. Then she replied, " I am a new physician here and I have some new remedies that needs to be tested. She seems like a strong specimen to test my new medicines on."

The two men looked at each other, preplexed and suspicious until she pulled a small bag out of her cloak and tossed it to them. With a thud, I fell bottom first on the ground as they grabbed the money and threw me outside the tent.

"Just bring her back in one piece, ya hear?"
" Yeah, we still wanna have fun with her."

With that, the tent flap closed and the woman offered her hand to help me up. Still dazed, I was pulled up and my kids grabbed on my waist and hugged me, their tears soaking through the thin clothing I was wearing.

"Mommy! We were so scared!" Tia cried.

"Yeah. We thought they were gonna hurt us." Ozzie added.

"But Miss Madeleine save us from being hit by the bad men."

I stood in shock as the woman removed her hood. Just as the kids said, Miss Madeleine was there, in the flesh and actually helping us. A million thoughts swirled around my head and I was filled with the feelings of anger, surprise, and gratitude. Erik's mother said nothing as she lead us to where our carriage was.

"I have no time to explain. Where is Erik?"

"Caged up in a tent on the farside of the camp." I answered automatically.

She sighed, but then her face lit up.

"I have an idea to save him, but, I am going to need you all to trust me. I understand that such a thing is too much to ask for, but in order for Erik to escape, you must trust me."

The three of us looked at her for a moment. Then, I pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you." I said quietly.

With that, she sat us down and told us her plan to get my husband back.

A/N: Hello my fellow Phantom Phans. 😊

I am SOOOO sorry for the sudden 5  month hiatus! I didn't mean to abandon you guys! 😭

Thank you guys so much for the 19.9k views, the 1.52k votes and all of your comments.

Well, well, well. Miss Madeleine has freed Mama Bear and cubs and has a plan to bust out Papa Bear.

What exactly does she have in mind?

Will they succeed with helping Erik go free?

Vote, Comment, and Share anx I'll see y'all next time!

M'kay, bye! 💗