The day dawned bright and fresh. I had just finished getting dressed when there was a knock on the hotel room door. I looked over at Cindy, still fast asleep in her bed and sighed.

"I guess I'm getting the door then..." I muttered grouchily. 

I peered through the peephole in the door and frowned. Why was the daroga here at...

(I checked my watch...) 6 am?

I unlocked the door and quickly shushed Nadir before he could speak.

He scowled. 

"Cindy is still sleeping." I explained quietly.

He smiled charmingly, "So is Erik. I actually came here for you."

"Oh?"

"Yes I believe it's high time we had a chat."

"I concur."

"Would you mind accompanying me to the market?"

I broke into a sweat looking down at the Hotel bathrobe. "Um... All I have for clothes is the costume we brought from the opera, and its pretty tattered..."

"I already thought of that." He replied, handing me a bundle of clothes. "I'll wait here while you change."

"Oh-Okay."

I closed the door again, and quickly pulled on the jeans. They were a bit big on me so I took a ribbon from the dress, and tied two of the belt loops together. I tossed on the black tee shirt and sighed. It hung off of me... oh well at least It'd be less conspicuous than the costume... Or the bathrobe. 

I quickly wrote and left a note for Cindy, telling her where I went, and left it on my neatly made bed.

And finally I grabbed my purse and joined Nadir in the hallway.

"Shall we?"

I nodded dumbly. I felt a bit like I'd been called to the principal's office. 

We took the elevator down to the lobby and exited the building.

A thought occurred to me, perhaps this had something to do with Cindy. 

Besides, as an investigative journalist I meant to find out all about these strange men as I could on this outing.

Nadir called a cab, and directed the man to take us to the nearest open air market.

"I don't suppose that this outing is an excuse for you to talk to me about Cindy is it?" I asked, crossing one leg over the other.

The tips of Nadir's ears turned red. "Actually no, I had other things in mind... But while we are on the subject-"

"-Has she talked to me about you?" I interjected, cocking my head to the side. 

Nadir nodded, suddenly very interested with the view out his window.

"She likes you. But she's skittish." I smiled. 

"Why is that?" Nadir asked, eyes widening. 

I sighed, "Because you pretty much dropped out of the sky... and to be truthful she doesn't trust Erik."

"She's right to feel that way... uh-about Erik."

"Why do you say that?" I probed. 

Nadir shot a suspicious look at the driver.

"You can tell me later. In the meanwhile. We need to talk."

"What about?"

"Well for starters where are you from?" I asked.

"Persia." Nadir responded.

"You're a long way from home." I smiled.

"That's the understatement of the century." He muttered grimly.

The taxi pulled to a stop at the end of a charming winding road with a smattering of street stalls. We had arrived at the open air market.

"Thank you sir." I smiled, as Nadir helped me out of the car and paid the man. I drank in the colors, as the cab drove off. Then I opened my mouth to speak.

"Wait," Nadir interrupted, "Before you continue interrogating me let me tell you a story. If you have any remaining questions when I finish, you're welcome to ask them then. "

I nodded. As Nadir spoke, leading me by the arm through the colorful fragrant stands.

"I must preface this story by telling you I cannot bring justice to what Erik had gone through as a child. You see he has always had a disfigured face. 

His mother despised him, would not even kiss him, could not look at him without his mask. 

And soon her hatred of him grew to the point that Erik ran away. He went to the circus in the hopes that they would accept him. But the ringmaster was a wicked man and only cared for the money..." Nadir took in a fury filled breath. 

"They called him the Devil's Child. He lived in a world of cruelty and that was all he knew until a lovely, kind, ballerina snuck him into the Opera. He lived there for years, made the place his playground. 

Until one day he fell in love, with a girl named Christine Daae. The girl was in love with someone else. Erik's heart was broken.

He traveled the world, always bound in a mask. Ever searching for a place to call home.

Now as for me, a few lifetimes ago. I once served as the chief of police in the court of the Shah of Persia. That was during the years when Erik was there. Anyways, Erik got himself into a bit of trouble. You see he was the Shah's favorite pet. 

Brilliant. 

Deadly. 

She used his genius to create torture chambers and other mechanical wonders for a bit of fun. Until she came to the conclusion that he could not be allowed to leave. Lest his genius be a help to one of her enemies. She ordered him to be executed.

I took pity on Erik and made sure that did not happen. I had some friends dress up a corpse in Erik's clothes. We threw it in the sea and it washed up on the shore. When news of his escape reached the Shah. She exiled me. It was a long time before I saw Erik again. He had made a living in Coney island. It was there that Christine died. I never had the pleasure of meeting her, but he has told me of her...

 Endlessly.

It was now 1908 and Erik and I were becoming old men. Living peaceably with each other, as the things we had been through had made us become brothers. But our peace did not last long.

The carnival had come to town. Erik loathed the place as it reminded him of his unfortunate youth. And I in respect of this did not go. 

But it seemed fated that the circus would come to us. 

A gypsy woman met us one day as we were out for a walk. She asked to read our fortunes for free. We declined but the woman was determined and soon we were sitting in her tent having our fortunes told. 

Much to Erik's chagrin. 

But the woman was no ordinary gypsy. She was a mother. A mother of a son that had slighted the Shah. A mother of a son killed by Erik. So she cursed us. She rose form her seat and spat in our faces.

"May your guilt show on your face, may you never have the rest of death. May you live forever in your shame." And so we have. 

We returned to Paris, and now whenever Erik kills, his face gets worse." Nadir finished his monologue and looked at my face in concern. 

I knew I was gaping like a fish out of water, but I could not help it.

"Are you okay Alex?" he asked.

"uh... that- that's a lot to process... I uh..." I shook my head, "So TLDR you're cursed?"

"TLDR?" he snorted. 

"Too long didn't read."

"Hey!" He spluttered. 

"Sorry no offence... just, wow."

"Do you have any questions?"

I nodded slowly. "Did you ever see the gypsy again?"

"Yes actually a few weeks after we'd been cursed. I went to find her again. I'm ashamed to say that it was to beg for my own life, and not Erik's."  Nadir's face heated. 

"Go on." I encouraged.

"I begged her to release me from my curse, she replied by saying that the curse was merely mirror, it only showed what was inside. She told me that my fate was entangled with his. I was just as guilty of murdering her son as he was in her eyes. Because as a man of the Law I did not let justice have her way." 

"Wow that's rough." I empathized. 

"Tell me about it."

"So you've been alive for..." There was no way I was doing that math. I looked to Nadir for help.

"Centuries." he shrugged. 

I felt a weight land on me. The burden of this secret.

The world felt hazy, out of focus. The chatter from the market a buzz in my ears. 

"Are you alright?"

"I think I'm gunna be ill..." I murmured. 

"Do you need to sit down?"

I nodded as Nadir led me away from the crowd, towards a park bench.

I sat down hard and put my head in by hands.

"Look I know this is a lot to take in... But could you consider not telling Cindy?" he asked. 

"That's out of the question. She's my best friend and she deserves to know that she's fallen for a... an immortal police chief..."

Nadir laughed. "Well good luck with her believing you."

"She does like you, me on the other hand... I'm still wary."

Nadir met my eyes.

"This is the first time I've felt this way since my wife died."

I could almost taste his sincerity. 

"I'm sorry for your loss." I replied. 

"It was centuries ago. I still remember her face..." Nadir looked off in the crowd, his eyes glazing over.

*Ring ring.*

I pulled my phone out of my purse and glanced at the caller.

"Hello."

"Hey, I was just thinking maybe you should pick up the makeup while you're out." Cindy chirped.

I guess her sleep went well. 

"That's a grand idea. I'll do just that." I replied. 

"Oh and um... say hi to Nadir for me." Cindy babbled. 

"We'll be back soon..." I smirked.

Nadir looked at me, his eyes lighting up.

"Was that Cindy?" He asked. 

"Yup. She says Hi."

He grinned.

I looked at my phone, "She also is texting me a list of makeup."

"Makeup?" Nadir exclaimed.

"For Erik. It's not like he can wear his mask as we travel." I replied, skimming the list on my phone.

"Ah, good point. Shall we?" he asked, standing and extending a hand to help me up.

"We shall." I smiled.