Baby Clifford

Meeting a Phantom

Melody stood and shook, hug, and thanked multiple people for her performance as Christine Daaé. She was relieved and saddened that Melody could no longer live the experience, because it was lived.

What felt like twenty years later, the lined of the audience that wanted to see the show ended. Next came along the pictures and hugs of the cast, crew, and directors. Melody felt lost when she couldn't find Mr. Jacobs. She wandered around in her dress from the performance still, looking for him.

Then, as she walked up the theatre steps a little boy that must have been younger than seven dressed as the Phantom of the Opera, he even had the mask and slicked back hair, even though his was brown compared to the Phantom's black. "Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in.
To the power of the music that I write
the power of the music of the night." He sang and for a little boy, he was wonderful, even in a quieter voice. Melody got onto her knees, "Hello Phantom," she smiled at him. The little boy giggled and hugged her. When they released, he took her hand. "Christine, what's your real name?" The little boy asked. "My real name is Melody." She answered him. "Are you looking for your parents?" She asked him. "No, their talking outside. I'm supposed to stay in this aisle." The boy replied.

"Alright, I'm going to go look for my director. You stay here, you sneaky phantom." She informed him before standing up. "Is director Daddy?" The miniature phantom asked. "Who's your dad? What's his name?" Melody asked him. "Andrew Jacobs." He answered.

"The Phantom of the Opera is here!" Mr. Jacobs sang as he entered the theater. The little boy ran over, almost tripping on his cape, to Mr. Jacobs and hugged his leg. Mr. Jacobs picked him up and walked over to Melody. "Melody, this is Erik, he's my son." Mr. Jacobs introduced her. "After all these years, I finally get to meet Prince Erik." Melody remarked and Erik took her hand, kissing it. "You have a little lady's catcher." She added with a smile. "Yeah, he is. What was your favorite part of the show?" Mr. Jacobs spoke. "All of it!" Erik announced with a dramatic voice and his arms spread.

"Daddy," Erik started, "can I give Christine a kiss?" He asked with hope. "How could I deny a kiss from the most handsome phantom?" Melody answered. Erik smiled as his dad put him down and Melody got back in her knees, allowing the boy to kiss her cheek. "Erik Jackson, time to go." A woman with dirty blonde hair and a thin and curved body exclaimed with demand at the entrance of the hallway to leave the theatre. Mr. Jacobs face turned into a frown and almost darkened. "Mommy, I'm talking to Christine. Please, a few more minutes." Erik begged to the woman. "Okay," she sighed and walked over to them. "You must be Melody," she said. "Yes ma'am." Melody replied. "You made a wonderful performance. My son couldn't let his eyes come off you during the whole thing. I'm glad Andrew," she spoke Mr. Jacobs name like poison, "had chosen you to perform." She stated. "Janelle, he's my-" "No," she stated, cutting off Mr. Jacobs. 

Erik took Melody's hand and started to back up from the adults. "They used to be like Christine and Raoul. Now their like Phantom and Raoul." He whispered. Melody didn't really know what to say.

"I got something for you." He said before going over to the seats and taking something out of a bag. He held it behind his back. "Close your eyes," he said. Melody obeyed and Erik walked closer to her and placed the object in her lap. "You cam open them now." He said, shyly. Melody looked down in her lap and noticed an envelope with a chocolate rose with black bow around the stem. She automatically awed at it before she opened up the envelope. Inside was a piece of paper with neat handwriting in pen, leading her to believe that his mum had written it.

Dear Christine Daaé,

I think you are beautiful and have a pretty voice. I'm glad you got picked to play her. I hope you and I can be friends. My daddy says you're nice. Ms. Daaé, I hope you like me, even if I am the Phantom.

Erik Jacobs

Melody could tell that he wrote his name based off of the extremely uneven size of letters and how it wasn't as easy to read. "Erik," the little boy had a glowing blush across his half uncovered face. "This is the sweetest letter that I have ever gotten and it is definitely my favorite!" She remarked and admitted to him. Then kissed his cheek.

"Erik, it is definitely time to go now."  His mother demanded. Erik frowned deeply and a little tears formed in his green irises that were identical to Mr. Jacobs's. Erik took one more hug from her and his father. Then, Erik waved goodbye with tears going down the uncovered face. "Goodbye my little phantom." He whispered. She made a sad wave too.

"That's definitely not the first or last time I watch her walk away with our son without giving him a proper goodbye." He mentioned as he watched them leave. Mr. Jacobs then turned to her. "I think that's why I admired you so much, Melody. It did happen around your freshman year. You were someone to-" "Make the pain go away." She finished. "Yes," he agreed.

"Melody, whatever you do in this life, be happy doing it. I hope to see you again, Melody." He said before leaving. "Mr. Jacobs!" Melody cried out at the entry of the theatre. Melody couldn't find him, he vanished. She didn't know what to do. She walked back to the dressing room and cried as she changed. "Wishing you were somehow here again." She lightly sang. One of the last songs he taught her.

He was her hero.

She was going to live on his legend of being the best teacher and person to look up to.