Finding the Beauty Underneath

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There was a shortpause before I said, "Erik? Why do you hide in the opera house yetwalk about freely out here?"

"Ah, goodquestion. It is because I hide down there that I am able towalk about freely out here." Erik saw the confused look on my faceand chuckled. "Let me explain. Because I hide and the fact that Irarely show my face to anyone, nobody knows what the Opera Ghostlooks like. So, I can walk out here freely and no one would thinktwice about me being the Opera Ghost."

"So clever!" Igiggled.

We walked a littlemore, engrossed in our own conversation, until we abruptly bumpedinto a man wearing a hat and had a large coat on who walked with hishead down.

"Ah, terriblysorry, Monsieur!" said Erik.

The man kept hishead down and grumbled, "It's alright."

He started walkingaway until I cried out, "Wait!" The man halted, yet did not faceus. "Do you happen to have the time, Monsieur?" He did not movenor say a word. Erik and I exchanged puzzled looks. I went up to theman and asked, "Are you alright?"

"I know thatvoice," he muttered to himself.

"I beg yourpardon?"

Erik quickly walkedup to me. "I think we should go." he said firmly. "I apologizeagain, Sir. Come on, Emilie." Erik grabbed my hand and started topull me away.

"Emilie?" Theman lifted his head. I stopped walking.

"Let's go,Emilie." Erik said more sternly. "This man could be dangerous,"Erik whispered to me.

"Don't be socynical." I said to Erik.

The man then turnedand faces us, looking unbelievably furious. I could feel my face paleand my eyes grow wide.

Father.

Father ran up to meand seized my wrist, pulling me away from Erik.

"I knew our pathswould cross again! You little viper!"

Erik quicklystepped between us. "I suggest you let go of her right now,Monsieur." he said in a low voice.

"Don't tell mewhat to do!" Father barked. "This here is my daughter! I'll dowhat I want with her! Now get the hell out of here!"

Erik's eyesnarrowed. "And who's going to make me?" he challenged. "Youdon't know who you're dealing with, Monsieur."

A small grin cameupon Father's face. He reached into his coat pocket with his freehand and slowly pulled out a long knife. My breath caught in mythroat. Since when did Father keep a knife in his pocket? Since theincident in the alley on the day of my audition? Father tugged metowards him by my wrist and held me against himself with my back tohis front. He held a tight grip on my arm as he pressed the knifeagainst my throat. My eyes widened and my chest tightened in fear.

"Don't you daremove." he hissed in my ear. "As for you," he said,referring to Erik, "get the hell out of here. I'll kill her rightnow if you don't."

Erik stoodcompletely still. He looked furious. If he was scared in any way, hedidn't show it. "You're bluffing." Erik said.

"Erik!" Ishrieked, the fear evident in my voice. "Don't test him, please!"I begged. "Just do what he says!" I was very close to crying.Erik never took his eyes off of Father.

"Turn around."commanded Father to Erik Erik paused and risked a glance at me. Icould see him ever so slowly reaching for his back pocket. It took mea moment to realize what he was reaching for. The Punjab lasso.I pleaded to him with my eyes. I slightly shook my head. I couldn'tlet Erik kill my father. Not only would Father probably cut my throatin the struggle, but he was my father. I couldn't let himdie like that.

Erik then narrowedhis eyes and slowly obeyed Father's command. He turned around andfaced the opposite direction.

"Good." saidFather. "Now start walking, boy." Erik complied. Once he was agood thirty or forty yards away from us, Father chuckled. "Youthought you could get away from me, eh?" How could nobody see whatwas happening? Father faced us in the opposite direction that Erikwas walking in and hissed, "Walk." I obeyed immediately.

We walked insilence with Father closely behind me with the blade still against myneck. Whenever Father saw someone approaching us as we made our waythrough the town, he'd keep an extremely firm grip on my wrist andpoint the tip of the knife on the small of my back. He would putenough pressure against my back for it to hurt, but not enough todraw blood. Once the person had passed, the knife would be against mythroat once more. I was always far too afraid to call out for help.

Why did Father evencarry that knife? Was it specifically for me? What was he going to dowith me? Would Erik somehow help me? My heart was pounding inhumanlyfast out of fear and I could barely think as I was so afraid. Wouldmy father actually kill me? Why did he even want to take me away fromErik like that?

After what feltlike an infinite amount of walking, I soon realized where Father andI were headed. Home. I knew I had been there just a few short daysago, but it felt like an eternity since my life had been nothing butme and Father in that small house.

The familiar treesand stones came into view as we rounded the last corner. We walked upthe path and finally made our way to the big wooden front door. "It'sunlocked." said Father. "Go in." I put my hand on the latch andopened the door slowly, dreading what would happen when we enteredthe house. Dozens of scenarios ran through my head of things Fatherwould do to me behind that door.

Father took theblade away from my throat and forcefully pushed me inside the house.I fell to my hands and knees as I heard Father slam the door shut andlock it. Father kicked me in the side and I cried out as I fell ontomy back. Father had fire in his eyes.

"You littlesalope! How could you betray me like that?" he screamed. Helooked more terrifying than usual with the long knife in his hand.

"Papa, I—" Hekicked me in the side again and I cried out in pain. He slipped theknife in his belt and reached down and grabbed me by the shoulders. Iwas crying.

"You are soungrateful and obsolete!" he yelled.

"Then-Then whydid you take me b-back?" I choked out between loud sobs.

"Because youdon't deserve to be frolicking about with some boy! You deserve to bepunished! Don't think that I forgot about you stealing my violin!"I received a stinging smack to my face. "You wretched thing!"

He was still angryabout his violin? Was that what this was about?

Father hauled meup, then punched across the face. I stumbled backward, but he quicklysteadied me then gave me another blow. I could feel the warm bloodtrickle down my face. I fell to the ground again. Father beat me forseveral minutes until he was satisfied. My screams of protest andattempts of defending myself were completely useless against hiswrath. Once he was finished, Father dragged me up and pushed me downthe hall and into the closet, leaving a bloody trail behind us. Hegave me a shove and I fell into the darkness. The closet became evendarker when Father slammed the door shut and locked it.

I sobbed for a longtime. I cried until I felt like I couldn't breathe. I didn't botherlooking for a source of light like a candle because I knew for a factthat there wasn't any in here. How could Erik ever find me in here? Isighed as I realized I shouldn't be so dependent on Erik. Though itwas too dark to see, I knew my pretty white dress was a bloody mess.

Once I ran out oftears, I lied down and wrapped my arms around myself. All of this hadhappened because I wanted to take Father's violin and play at thataudition?