The Shadow's Melody || The Phantom of the Opera || Book One

7. Playing With The Shadow

Chapter Seven || Playing With The Shadow

Our late night suppers became quite frequent after that. If he had tried to miss one I made sure I scolded him enough so he wouldn't try to sneak out of one again.

Eventually, as the weeks passed, I noticed his clothes fit a little tighter. It felt gratifying knowing my attempts at re-nourishing him were paying off.

I noticed a change in his face as well. It looked wider, his prominent cheekbones no longer razor sharp, his eyes no longer hollow. He almost looked younger. More like the man I had first seen when I was a child.

"They work you too hard."

I squealed at the voice from the shadows, "Erik! I told you not to do that!"

"Why are you angry whispering? There's no one here but you and I," he stepped out of the shadows and examined some of the spider webs.

"I'm 'angry whispering' because you startled me half to death," I picked up the broom I dropped. "I cannot understand why you find that so amusing."

"Well, I am the Opera Ghost. Aren't ghosts notorious for scaring people?"

I laughed, "I suppose so. I merely thought you would refrain from frightening the person who feeds you. If I have a heart attack and die you would go back to being a living skeleton."

I did my best to push the dirt into a pile, my hair falling out of my bun and tickling my nose.

"You don't have to do that you know," his voice was low and quiet.

I stopped to redo my bun, "Do what? Sweep? If I don't sweep I'll get fired. I thought you were the genius out of the two of us."

He almost gave a small smile, "No, I meant feeding me."

I took a deep breath and tried to relieve my aching back, "Did you not see how you looked when you went years without me feeding you?"

His lips twitched again, still not giving in to a full smile, "I don't deserve your kindness."

I gazed up at him, his green eyes refusing to meet mine. I gently spoke, "Everyone deserves some kindness, Erik. You of all people would know that."

When his eyes finally looked into mine my breath caught. Before I swooned I said, "What doesn't deserve kindness is that spider on your shoulder."

His eyes grew wide and he frantically clawed at his cape.

My broom fell again as I doubled over laughing, "It appears that ghosts are not the only ones who enjoy scaring people."

I held onto the railing of the walkway so I wouldn't accidentally plummet down to the stage below. My sides were sore from laughing so hard.

"Mél? What are you laughing at?"

I quickly pulled myself together at the sound of Violette's voice. Erik had retreated back into the shadows by the time Violette's red hair appeared.

"Vi. I just thought of something funny, that's all," I gave her a breathy smile, pushing away a strand of hair that had already escaped my hair pins.

She looked around, searching for something I hoped she wouldn't find, "If you say so, Mél. Eva's dress ripped again."

"Oh," I leaned my broom against the railing, "Alright. I'll be down in a minute."

Violette searched once more before turning to leave, "Okay. Don't be long."

"I won't," I let out another tired breath.