Feel the Music

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO: Strange Child

ERIK POV

I was watching over the rehearsal from the catwalk when I noticed Antoinette talking to a young woman who was accompanied by Meg and Christine. And what was even more strange is that the little girl in the strange woman's arms had her hands on Antoinette's face. Never in all my years had I seen such a curious sight. And I was extremely shocked that Antoinette allowed it.

Then when I noticed Monsieur Reyer stopped the rehearsal it made my blood boil. How dare this woman come into my Opera House and interrupt a vital rehearsal for II Mutto?!?! The show was only a month away and it was in beyond terrible shape as it is! And then Andre insisted the small child wait in my box! There is no living with these morons! Has the world gone insane?!?! I just left a life threatening note on their desks this very morning and they are already ignoring me! Not to mention the fact that my beloved Christine was cast as the damned silent role of the page boy! Unbelievable!!!

So in order to make my point very clear, I went through a secret passage that led to my box. Once I was there I slipped out of the secret passage quietly and concealed myself in the shadows. The young woman was doing something into the child's palm. Then the little girl nodded as if she was given an order. This made the young woman smile and peck the child's forehead lovingly. By the way this woman acted I assumed she was the girl's mother. I then felt a pain within my soul. My own mother would not even look at me. And if she did then her face became twisted with horror and disgust.

When the mother was gone and the door was shut, I smirked. I then used my ventriloquism skills to make it sound as if I was by her side,"What do you think you are doing in my box?"

And what she did left me flabbergasted. She did nothing! Absolutely nothing! As if I wasn't even there!!!

"Hello?!," I shouted only loud enough to make sure she would hear me. And still nothing. Then I had an idea.

I silently walked behind the velvet seat and got close to her ear to whisper. My breath blowing on her flesh,"Boo."

This caused the girl to jump to her feet abruptly. She looked as though she was ready to bolt out the door, but as she took her first step she tripped on the plush Persian rug. She had fallen flat on her face with a sound thump. Then the child sat up crying incoherently and her cries were hardly audible. She had blood gushing from her nose and I instantly felt horrible for what I had done.

I pulled out my hankerchief and knelt down beside the child's sobbing form. I tilted her head upwards and held the cloth to her nose. Trying to stop the bleeding. As soon as the blood stopped, I wiped off her upper lip clean of blood. Then she held out her palm towards me. I just stared at her small hand. I didn't have the slightest idea what she expected me to do. That's when I looked into her eyes. They were green and glazed over slightly with a milky white layer. She was blind!

"She wants you to tell her your name," I quickly darted to my feet and spun around to the child's mother in the doorway.

"What the hell are you talking about?!," I snapped while pulling my hood down lower.

"She wants you to tell her who you are," the woman walked into the box and I took a step back in response.

"What do you mean?"

"She is deaf and blind," she answered. That's why the child was feeling Antoinette's face. That's why she did not respond to my voice. She couldn't hear or see me, but she felt my breath and that's what alerted her of my presence. I had frightened an innocent child. At moments like these I tend to see why Christine shunned me.

"What's your name?," the woman asked.

"That is none of your business!"

"Well it is since you helped my little sister."

"Sister?" I echoed. I thought she was the child's mother because of how she cared for her.

"Yes. That's my little sister, Sorcha-Vega."

"And you are?"

"Phoebe," she said sweetly," Phoebe-Iona Callahan."

"Phoebe," I echoed. Testing how it sounded as it escaped my lips in a whisper.

"I am quite sure this is the part where you introduce yourself. That being the polite thing and all," Phoebe said rather awkwardly. She was quite the eager character.

"......Erik," was all I said in response.

"That's a nice name. It seems to suit you."

Did I just get a...... compliment ? This girl was full of surprises. Maybe I should ask her what her purpose here is. So I know what I should keep an eye out for. Such as ways for her to improve in her position at the Opera House. She seemed fit to be a dancer. And that would be a plausable reason why she conversed with Antoinette.

"Thank you.....I guess.....," I paused. Looking for the right words. And it had to make a good impression, but instead I blurted out," Why have you come to the Opera Populaire?"

Nice Erik. Really smooth.

"I am the new sign language interpreter for the Opera," as soon as she said sign language I knew I could never be sure if she was doing her job right.

"I am guessing you don't know how to sign. Or even the slightest bit of the Deaf culture," she added with a knowing tone in her voice. That was when I noticed her speech was slightly.......abnormal.

"No. I am afraid and actually quite embarrassed to say I am uneducated on the subject. Nor do I speak the language," I explained.

"Well maybe you'll pick up a few things from watching me. And I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have," she smiled brightly. She was being kind and polite to me. No one had ever done that. Especially as if I was a normal human being.

"Thank you. And I am quite certain I will have quite a few questions, Mademoiselle Callahan."

"Well I should be taking Sorcha to our new room. We have some unpacking to do," Phoebe then walked over and picked up Sorcha. Then she turned to me,"It was lovely meeting you Monsieur Erik. And please call me Phoebe."

"Likewise. Until we meet again.....Phoebe," I gazed at her in awe as she exited the box. She was unlike anyone I have ever met. She was a puzzle to me. One I was determined to solve.