Why So Silent? (POTO Fanfic)

Chapter One

Celestina's POV

"CELESTINAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" My sister, Carlotta, yelled. I groaned as I walked from my small, cramped room in the opera house to her large, decorative room.

"Yes?" I asked. What could she possibly want now?

"My shoes need polishing." She waved her hand at me as she applied her stage makeup. We were rehearsing today.

"Sì." (Yes) I replied, taking her shoes and the small pot of polish. As I scrubbed at the toes, my mind began to wander.

The crowds stood up as I approached the foot of the stage, their voices cheering and hands clapping for me. I curtsied multiple times, even hearing some yell out "encore!" It was amazing as they yelled my name. Celestina, Celestina, Celestina, Celest-

"Celestina!" I heard my older sister's shrill voice cut through my thoughts. "Hurry up! You need to brush my doggies, too." I looked over at her two poodles.

Both of them loathed me and would try to bite me the second I touched them.

"Make sure to put the ribbons in their hair, too." Carlotta said.

"Sì." I said again, following my sister's orders.

Time Skip

My hands stung as I followed my sister out to the stage. Both dogs tried to practically tear my hands to shreds when I brushed them, and when I came near them with the ribbon, I think they tried to rip them off completely. My hands were wrapped in bandages.

"Places, places!" The director called out. "I have a couple announcements." He began to talk about the new owners, who introduced themselves.

I instantly zoned out. It took a lot for me to pay attention to these kinds of things. I looked around the theatre. This opera is beautiful. It's eerie, too. As if a ghost lived here.

My mind then wandered to when I'd passed by a group of young ballerinas being told the story of the opera ghost by the stagehand.

Ugh, how I hated him. Always smelling of liquor and peeking into my dressing room. He always told the dancers about the opera ghost and his stories of hanging the past stagehands.

The girls asked me if he was real, and, of course, I said no, but I wasn't very certain. I've felt as if someone had been watching me the second I walked into this theatre. I felt it especially as I practiced the spare music sheets I'd snagged.

I love writing music. It is my passion and so is singing. I could never sing around Carlotta, though. Her rule was that I can't steal her spotlight.

I finally paid attention when the pianist started playing a couple notes and my sister began to sing. She had a... lovely voice. I looked into the audience to see two of the workers putting cotton into their ears, making me chuckle.

I turned my attention back to my sister, and I could see the new owners cringing as she sang.

Then, the unexpected happened. A piece of set fell from the ceiling, right on top of my sister.

"Sorella!" (Sister) I cried out, trying my best to lift the set. As I looked up, I saw a silhouette. When I blinked, it was gone.

"These things... do happen." One of the new owners tried to calm down my sister. Big mistake. She began yelling and throwing a hissy fit. She grabbed my wrist.

"We're leaving!" She yelled.

"Sorella, please!" I exclaimed. "I want to stay at the theatre!" Carlotta's face hardened.

"Why would you want to stay here?" She spat. "Just so you can stay backstage and watch? Fine! Stay here!" She stomped away, leaving me to sigh.

Freedom. I thought to myself. Madame Giry put her hand on my shoulder.

"Come." She said. "I shall give you a proper room."

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I hoped the first chapter was good!

-Andi