Hopeful Soul: A Phantom Story

Chapter Six.

CHRISTINE:

The first thing I did after leaving Madame's office was open my letter from the ghost. The red skull always frightened me, but I pulled out the parchment anyway. His handwriting was very unique and I had never seen anything like it. I read on:

I shakily put the letter into the envelope and went down to the dormitories with the other ballerinas. I found Meg sitting at her bed, which was always beside mine. She glanced down at the envelope and gasped, "Oh, Christine. You have a note from the opera ghost?"

I nodded, setting it with my bouquet underneath my bed, "You must tell me, Christine. What was in that letter?"

"You wouldn't understand, Meg."

"Come on, now," she smiled, playfully hitting my arm, "I'm not that daft, Christine."

I sighed and cautiously handed her the letter. Everyone else had to get dressed for the day, but not everyone had waken up. Meg pulled the parchment out of the envelope and mouthed through the whole thing. I could tell by her face that she was shocked. With a soft giggle, she said, "I think you may have trouble ahead of you."

"Meg, please. I'm frightened enough. Don't make it worse."

"Sorry."

I sighed and went back up to the backstage area where I bumped into a man with a very odd hat. He had bronze skin and green eyes and I backed up a bit in fear of his intimating appearance, "I- I am sorry, Monsieur. Please, it won't happen again."

"That's alright, young lady," he stared at me with a look a curiosity that I had never yet seen, "Pardon me, but what is your name?"

"Christine. Christine Daaé."

There was shock, but I didn't understand why. I wasn't at all popular and really no one knew my name. He gulped after a quick glance at the catwalks and began to shake like a madman, "I must be off. Watch over yourself, dear."

I wondered what he meant by that, but felt no more need to investigate. Out on the stage, which was empty and dim, I felt inclined to stand in the center. There was a soft breeze coming from the catwalk which was several feet above my head, but I continued to admire the stage. I imagined myself as the lead soprano, singing all of the Garnier's best productions of Faust, Roméo et Julliete, Il Auto - it all seemed so much fun to be singing the leads.

I felt a strong gust of wind and looked up to find Meg behind me, "Meg!"

"I swear, Christine. That wasn't me."

"Then it was..."

Each of us looked up to box five and I felt goosebumps cover my arms. I took a deep breatg and heard a soft meow before a dead mouse fell on the stage. With a shriek, I stepped back and looked again at box five. Meg started at the mouse for a moment, then drew her attention back to me and softly laughed, "Go on, Christine. Sing for your phantom!"

"Meg!"

"Have a little fun. I'm sure the ghost would like to hear you, anyway," she looked up at box five, "Did you hear me, ghost? The precious Christine Daaé wants to sing for you!" she laughed and pushed me towards the box, "Go on, Christine."

I glanced up at the box and saw nothing but darkness. I looked all around me and remembered that the managers would be gone until tomorrow, so there was no pressure - only from the high demands of the ghost. I faced the box and began to sing Je veux vivre from Roméo et Juliette. Something I remembered was the ghost's love for Gounod's operas and I tried him with it. At the height of my song, I noticed a pair of cold, yellow eyes and felt the cool ground on my cheek before I could stop myself from fainting.

I woke up in my bed with Meg and Madame Giry by my side. Madame sighed in relief, "Thank goodness."

"Madame," I rubbed my head as I sat up, feeling a tiny bump at the side of my jaw, "I am going to be alright?"

"You'll be fine, Christine. But I want both of you to stop playing with ghost, alright? This thing is nothing to be toyed with."

"Sorry, mother."

"I am sorry, Madame."

"Alright. Stay out of trouble."