The Man Behind the Monster: Phantom of the Opera Story

18: Child of the Wilderness

"What? No! You can't!", I exclaimed.

"I can, and I will. I'm tired of those three getting in my way.", he said. His eyes stared straight ahead, directing the horse.

"Erik, where are you taking me?", I said with a panic.

"Don't worry. We'll be there shortly.", he responded.

Complete silence fell over us.

Snow had started to slowly fall. Shivers coursed through my body. I leaned into his chest to try and warm myself up. I brought my freezing cold hands up to my mouth and blew on them, trying to keep them warm. He must have noticed my discomfort because he removed his black gloves from his hands and gave them to me.

"Thank you.", I quietly said, as I slipped the gloves onto my hands.

I hadn't a clue as to where we were. I don't even know how much time has passed since we departed. But, a few moments later, he brought the horse to a halt. I picked my head up to see where we were and the sight almost took my breath away.

We came to a clearing in the forest and, in the middle of the clearing, was a snow-covered lake. Snow covered every branch of the bare trees. I saw a beautiful deer off in the distance, but it was startled when it saw us and turned away.

He dismounted from the horse, before helping me down. He stepped away from me and turned to look at the scenery.

"Why have you brought me here? I should return...", I questioned , but he interrupted.

"This... this is my place of freedom. No one is around to see me.", he said quietly. "No one is around to judge me, to torment me. I'm a child of the wilderness."

"It's beautiful here.", I softly said, as I came to stand next to him. "I used to escape into the woods myself, when I was a child, especially after father passed. I felt so lost."

"The world is so cruel. There is no place for someone like me.", he softly mumbled, as he took a seat in the snow. I knelt down next to him. His gaze still fixed on the scene in front of us. "Why Elizabeth, why haven't you fled from this cursed face? You could have decided against coming with me, but you didn't. Why?"

His question took me by surprise.

"This haunted face holds no horror for me now. What others see as a cruel and loathsome monster, I see as a man who is dying for the smallest bit of sympathy and love.", I said, taking his hand into mine. "They don't see you the way I do. I want to try and make them understand why you've done what you've done. I'm just still so scared to tell them."

My voice tapered off towards the end, as I looked down to the ground. I shut my eyes as I tried to push those horrifying thought out of my head-- his unwanted hands all over my body. I still have nightmares of that night. That is, until I was saved, saved by the man who sits in front of me. "I'm afraid no one will believe me."

I could tell he knew what was going on in my head during that moment. He reached a hand up to delicately touched my face. I slowly opened my eyes to be greeted by his warm and welcoming blue ones.

"No more talk of darkness. Forget those wide-eyed fears. As long as I'm here, nothing will harm you. I promised you, Elizabeth, that night that I would always protect you. I will never, for as long as I live, let anything happen to you. I will always keep you safe", he delicately spoke, as he brushed his thumb across my cheek.

"What did you mean earlier, when you said 'If it's war they want, then it's war they'll get'"?, I

softly spoke.