The History of the Phantom

A New Person In My Audience

I was getting ready for a show at the carnival in my bedroom. I slipped my legs into my tiny wrinkled shorts. The fabric was so rough, it irritated my skin as I put them on. I threw on a baggy t-shirt with several holes in them. It was such a ragged top, you would have thought I was shirtless if you didn't look close enough since it matched my skin color. This was what I usually wore for my beatings. I was technically playing as the devil's child so I had to dress the part.

When I glanced into my mirror, I saw that I looked like I literally just crawled out of hell to Earth. Not only did my deformity bring out the demonic appearance in my face, but my little bony body  wearing the shabby outfit was terrifying. The image reminded me of a homeless anorexic.

As I walked downstairs, I covered my face with my hand. I didn't have my mask on since I had to show people at the performance my deformity. I was too insecure for anybody to see it. I searched around the hall for anyone who might have been staring as I walked very briskly. When I finally entered in the room, the tall man opened the cage door for me. Another guy was waiting inside who was smiling in a great excitement.

I sat on the ground as the tall man put a dirty bag on my head with eye holes for me to see through as the other one tied me up. I heard a group of people down the hall gasping with awe. They couldn't see me, but the other performers were doing some unique stunts. I closed my eyes tighter and tighter with fear as their sounds got louder. It seemed as if every show was the same story. I trembled with terror as the audience walks closer to my cage which seemed like forever.

Finally, the crowd walks to my cage. They huddle near me, curious to see what was holding in place for them. I looked at the people and instead of putting my head down like I usually did, there was someone in the audience that caught my eye. Someone familiar. My heart started to pound roughly and loudly. An overwhelming amount of panic washed over me. I never wanted to sprint out of a room more than I did at this moment. Gustave was here.

Gustave didn't recognize me at first since I had the bag over my face. I knew once it was off, he would be able to tell who I was. That was the part that was the scariest to me. The guy suddenly rips the sack off me and threw it onto the ground. I got startled when he grabbed my hair so abruptly. The crowd roared and cheered.

I stared at Gustave with tears in my eyes. I saw his eyes widen with shock once the realization hit him. The guy hit me with the wooden stick so hard, it made a giant red mark on my body. Gustave turned his head away with disgust.

"Sickening. What a monster," I heard him mutter under his breath. The fear of the man who I viewed as an older brother turning on me became a reality, or so I thought. I felt every piece of my heart shatter as he refused to look back at me. I did something I never did in any of my shows at this moment. I screamed. I screamed in rage and pain. This made the hitting more fun for the guy and the sight more exciting to the audience. However, it made Gustave clench his hands into fists as he turns into an angry mad man.

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!!!" He shouted at the guy beating me.

"Damn right he is," Someone joked because he thought Gustave was talking about me.

"YOU'RE A MONSTER TOO!!! YOU ALL ARE!!! THIS IS AN INNOCENT CHILD!!! GOD YOU ALL GIVE HUMAN RACE A DISGUSTING NAME!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!"

Everyone stood in silence speechless. I was so relieved when he said that. I never saw him this mad before. I didn't even know he was capable of being this angry because he always seemed like a humorous and gentle person.

"YOU CALL HIM A DEVIL CHILD?!?! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM FOR CHRIST SAKE!!! I GUARANTEE YOU THAT YOU ARE ALL MORE SATANIC THAT HIM!!! LOOK AT YOURSELVES!!!"

Then the tall man walked in the room to calm him down, but Gustave punched him in the face so hard it knocked the guy out cold. Everyone gasped very surprised. They all became horrified of him except for me. I smiled with so much joy at the fact he saved me from this one particular beating. He looked at me again which turned his violence into gentleness. He demanded the guy to untie me and let me go. Once I was free from the cage, I ran into Gustave's arms which held me so tightly. Even my mask didn't give me this sense of protection and security.