Hopeful Soul: A Phantom Story

Chapter Seventeen.

CHRISTINE:

The night at Madame's home was long and tiring, for I couldn't sleep. I just stayed up all night thinking about him - about Erik. He made me promise to never see Raoul again, but I had to. The Bal Masque was approaching and it would be the perfect opportunity to find and speak to him.

Upon arriving back to the opera, and going backstage, Carlotta smirked at me and Messieurs Richard and Moncharmin pulled me aside. Was this about Erik - the opera ghost? Was my career going to end, "Mademoiselle," Monsieur Richard seemed very wary, "We have had a change of plans. You are to play the paigeboy tonight."

Erik had sent me back to play the Countess, but I had no courage to tell them. I assumed, with the disgusting smirk Carlotta gave me, that she had the role. I nodded at the managers and went into my dressing room to change into my paigeboy costume. Madame Giry was there to help me into the striped, linear corset and I smiled softly, staying silent until she spoke, "Nervous, are you?"

"He only sent me back to play the lead," I shivered as I stripped down to my slip and spread my arms for the corset shirt, "What is going to happen?"

"I have not an idea," she tightened the corset and I slipped on the white trousers, "I am sure you'll be safe."

"This isn't about me, Madame," I shook as she finally tied the strings on the corset and wrapped a white cummerbund around my waist - it was very odd to be dressing like a man, "Anything could happen. It could be the audience, it could be Raoul. I just... I'm so afraid."

"And you have good reason to be," she wrapped a white skirt around my waist, which was a part of the disguise for the paigeboy, and put a maid's cap on my head, "Be careful, my dear."

With a nod, I heard the overture to Il Muto and stayed backstage beside Carlotta - the Countess was mistress to the paigeboy. Meg stopped for moment beside me before a giving me a nod and heading to the stage. The curtains opened and I rushed off with Carlotta to the fake bed, hearing the audience applaud at our charade.

My stomach had tightened, knowing something very awful was going to happen today. I hoped that no one would be hurt. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, Carlotta had started her duet with Piangi - who acted as the Count. I stood quietly beside the bed and when he left stage right Carlotta turned to me singing, "Serrafino, away with this pretense."

With that, I threw off the maids cap and white shirt, standing proud, "And kiss me in my husband's absence."

Then her aria began and I walked around on the stage, looking around at the audience. The managers sat in box five to watch and that, in and of itself, was a disaster waiting to happen. I looked up at the catwalks and saw Buquet walking around the set pieces, but there was an ominous, black shadow several feet behind him that disappeared through an odd door. I had bad feelings about the shadow and saw the chandelier begin to slightly sway.

Carlotta was interrupted by his voice, "Did I not instruct that box five was to be kept empty?!"

I huddled beside Meg who nodded in confirmation, "I- it is the phantom!"

Evey member of the audience was frightened and I agreed with my friend, "It's him."

Even with his eerie voice, they decided to continue on with the performance. The chandelier swayed more aggressively and even a few audience members picked up on this, moving away from the decor lighting. There was a mad laughter and I knew he was behind this, "Behold! She is singing to bring down the chandelier!"

A single tear rolled down my cheek and I tightly clasped my hands. Meg moved closer to me and patted my shoulder in comfort. Carlotta still sang on until she made these horrible croaking noises - but it wasn't her... I knew that all too well. I looked up to box five and the managers moved quickly, the curtains closing. The mad laughter stopped and my friend consoled me, "It will be okay, Christine."

"There is so much more to this, Meg."

I heard Monsieur Richard's voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize. The performance will continue in ten minutes time when the role of the Countess will be played," I was thrown out on stage, the audience gazing happily at me, "by Mademoiselle Daaé."

Cheering - loud cheering and applause. As I rushed to my dressing room to quickly get into the Countess costume, I heard the ballet music begin. The paigeboy costume was easy to remove and Madame began to put me in pink, corseted gown. She guided me backstage where the ballet continued on, but then heard laughter - mad laughter. It was happening again!

The lights began to flicker on and off, audience members completely leaving the opera. The set drawing for forest rolled up and the lights stayed on to reveal Joseph Buquet's body hanging in the grasp of a lasso. I shrieked, tears rolling down my cheeks, and ran for the safety of my dressing room, slamming the door. I buried my face in the shield of my loveseat, but heard knocking at my door, "Go away!"

"It is only me."

It was Raoul. I couldn't be seen with him, but I had to speak with him. I glanced at the mirror, perfectly normal, and headed for the door to crack it open, "Raoul, I cannot be seen with you."

"Why not?"

I shook my head, feeling the urge to vomit after glanced at Buquet's dead body again, "I will explain later. Meet me tomorrow night at le Bal Masque. And please, do not speak to anyone. I am in danger and so are you."