Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 51: Choices

"Congrats kid," Some men, laughed, clapping the young man on the back, others shook their head and swore at him.

"I didn't mean to!" The young man cried fixing his vest, his brown eyes looking pleadingly and innocently to anyone who would listen, "I didn't mean to hit him!"

Slowly the crowds dissipated, the youth felt as if he had talked to every officer alive.

"Anabel?" he called out into the empty theater after many hours, finally escaping the crowds.

He had been about to leave when he felt a rope entangle around his neck and slam him back against the wall.

"Hold it!" The you man screamed, "Stop!"

Erik's eyes stared back into the youths, dark and threatening.

"Did you shoot my son."

"Y-Your son?" The man stuttered putting one hand to his neck, "The kid with the face, ye high?!"

He placed a hand to the height about his abdomen and then gestured madly across his face int the shape of Elis scar.

Erik nodded tightening the rope.

"I didn't mean to hit him I swear," The man gasped. "My wife needed me to help him, I'd do anything for my wife sir, I'm quite scared of her- I was trying to help."

Eriks hesitated, something he wouldn't have considered ten years ago. Could he take this man from a wife?

"Please sir," The man choked, his vision growing faint along with his hope, "Please sir I have a child."

Before he could make his choice another voice emerged from behind him.

"Erik stop!" It cried desperately, "My god Erik, please!"

Erik turned his head and frowned temporarily losing his focus, "Anabel?" 

The man broke free from the rope in those short seconds, rushing to his wife, "Anabel you shouldn't be here, you shouldn't be here!"

"She's your wife?" Erik spat. Betrayal, what else could he feel, utterly and ruthless betrayed once again, and by none other than the one he had taught.

"Erik this man speaks the truth, he speaks true," Anabel plead desperately.

"Explain yourself," Erik spoke starkly as the man stepped in front of his wife protectively.

"A man was aiming to shoot, to kill the boy, I set my pistol to shoot the gun for his hand, I missed, I-" The man broke into tears, "I was trying to save him I was-"

"No more words boy." Eriks sighed closing his eyes in a tired pain his heart could not bear. "Say no more

"Erik," Anabel said approaching him slowly, leaving her husband's hand behind, "Erik I love him, please, show mercy."

He turned to face her adoring eyes, their youthful innocence speaking nothing but the truth.

"Anabel-" her husband stammered, "How do you know this man?"

"Follow me," Anabel stated sadly, taking his hand and drawing him closer to Erik, "We're going to fix this."

Erik eyed the man warily, but Anabel's pleading eyes convinced him to lead the couple through the catacombs and into his home.

Erik's white mask reflected in the candlelight sending chills down the young man's spine.

He felt as if he were already a part of this, an eerie reminder of his past, of his future, as if all of this had happened before, or was to happen again. How had his wife come to know this Ghost?! Who did she come here with as a child? She had told him stories, stories of the boy in the mazes, the man of music, but never had to be believed her.