The History of the Phantom

Dear Old Friend

"Erik?" His voice was the same crisp, comforting sound I heard when I was a young boy. However, he was a bit older, and he wheezed a bit through his delicate throat.

"Gustave, how did you find me?" I asked in shock.

"Rumors have been going around Paris that there was a phantom haunting this place with a white mask covering his face. It wasn't too hard figuring it out it was you," he told me. That still doesn't quite answer how he found my hidden passage.

As if he read my mind he said," the clean spotless mirror in the abandoned dusty dressing room was a little suspicious until I discovered it was a sliding glass door. That's what brought me down here." I probably should throw a few dust particles on the mirror so that it blends in the room a bit more.

I looked at Gustave as he slowly kneeled in front of the chair while grasping on the arms. He let his butt fall in the seat as the only strength in his body, which were his hands, clenched onto the chair with all the tightness in the world. He grunted out with pain once he finally settled into the seat. He was completely out of breath. I narrow my eyes at him, wondering why such little action is using up so much energy.

"Are you okay? Also, why are you here?" My voice sounded just as desperate as I was concerned.

"Son, we need to talk," he started as he leaned forward me.

"We are talking."

"First, why are down here?"

I was secretly hoping he wasn't going to ask that question. "It's... It's a long story," was all I could say to him.

"When you get to my point in life, Erik, you pretty much have all the time in the world."

I sighed deeply and rolled my eyes before I explained the story with Daroga.

"You surely don't get to meet a policeman like that everyday," he laughed.

"Tell me about it." I kind of liked how this was going. So far, it was almost like the good old days. Just me and him. Kind of like those music lessons he used to give me which felt like a million years ago.

Then it dawned on me that I had asked him something when he first arrived. "But, you still haven't answered my question."

"Which was?"

"Why are you here?"

"That was the second thing I wanted to talk to you about..." His voice faded into the misty air that lived in the basement with me. I had an awful gut wrenching feeling about this.

"Listen, Erik, this is really hard for me to say. Since the first day I found out you were dragged out of my house, I've been trying to find you. But initially all I wanted was to bring you back home. Unfortunately, it's so much more complicated now." He sighed deeply as he closed his eyes, preparing to tell me what is so wrong. I could hear my the thumping of my heart which was about as loud as thunder. He didn't have to tell me the bad news because I already knew exactly what it was. Although, a sliver of hope in me was still praying that it wasn't true.

"There is no way to sugar coat this, so I'm just going to be straight forward. I'm dying."

I sat still as a statue as I went completely numb with heartbreak. Everything felt like it was going by so fast, I couldn't process what was going on. Seconds later, I forgot how to breathe correctly. My lungs refused to allow oxygen into my symptom. I panicked loudly in silence as I felt myself going dizzy.

"Erik..." The name he gave me when I was a kid escaped his lips. His voice was barely audible. As for mine, it was sealed shut so I couldn't say anything.

"I didn't want this to happen. I wish I could say I was fine. Unfortunately, this is the destiny God chose for me."

"How?" My voice cracked. That was all I could manage to get out.

He sighed deeply again and then said," I went to the doctor a few months ago. My test results said I have cancer."

"A few months?! Your last day is right around the corner at this point!!"

"I know." What if I escaped Daroga's idea and went back to him that day. Maybe he wouldn't be sick now. This might be all my fault.

"There's more we need to discuss," he told me quietly.

"WHAT?! WHAT MORE BAD NEWS CAN YOU GIVE ME?!" I scream as I burry my fingers into my scalp. Tears poor down my face like buckets of water.

"There's no bad news anymore. All I wanted to say is that Christine is a huge fan of music, just like you. She says she remembers a little boy singing to her. She says it was only a dream, but I know it was real. It's so cute because her first memory for her was as clear as the light of day." Just like mine.

He continued," I told her I was going to send the angel of music to her the day I passed. She knows about my illness. I intend to achieve that promise I made her. My friend Antoinette Giry is going to bring Christine to the opera house for her to be a part of the ensemble for the shows. I haven't finished my lessons with her, but I have with you. I want you to watch over her and complete my unfinished work."

I turned my head to him. My eyes felt like they were on fire.

"I promise I will protect Christine," was all I could think of saying.

"I know you will. You're part of the family, Eriggy. You're like a baby brother to me."

"You're using Christine's nickname for me?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I can." I laughed and so did he.

Then we were cut off from our laughter once Gustave started to choke aggressively. Even after a good ten seconds later, he did not stop. I grabbed onto his shoulder as I felt his body grow even weaker on me.

"Gustave, look at me! Stay with me! Not now! It's too soon!"

His hacking started to slow down, but he was still losing strength. His skin was going paler by the minute.

"GUSTAVE!!!!!"

"I love you, my brother."

"I love you too. You were the only person in my entire life to have seen any slight of good in me. You gave me hope for myself. You changed my life. Please don't die now. I'm so so sorry for all the trouble I might have caused you."

I could have kept on talking, but it wouldn't have made any difference. He already died right before me eyes in the middle of my speech. I hug onto his body as I felt my heart physically shatter into tiny little fractions. I hold onto him tightly as if it was the only way to revive him back to life. I had a gut feeling knew he did hear my entire speech even though he was gone before I finished.

"I will take care of Christine."