Phantom of the Opera

Sing for Me

The poor child falls asleep in my arms. My mind is still trying to process what just happened.

Grabbing my opera from underneath the bench cushion, I carry Fantine up the stairs. I notice that she is unhealthily light.

The door is still moved from when Raoul came back up. Stepping up into Fantine's room, I hurry out of the room and down the dark hallways. There is an open car outside with no one by it. I lay the sleeping child inside and go back to get some of her belongings that she might need. I've gone through Christine's dressing room enough to know the basics of what Fantine needs.

I grab the darkest color dresses she has and other things and pack them into a case. I then write a simple note for Christine on Fantine's behalf. That simply says: I love you Mom

There is a voice yelling. It is Christine, "Why did you do that, Raoul? She is the only daughter that I have! I don't care if you don't love her! What happened to you?" She is crying, "What if she kills herself, Raoul? You come home drunk and yell at her so much that she hides from you! I love her, Raoul. I need to go see her and make sure she is okay," Christine opens the door just as I walk away. The house seems calm now in the darkness. I get in the back with Fantine. The car starts to move.

"Fantine! Don't leave! Come back! Don't leave me here alone!" Christine comes out of the front doors just as we pull onto the road. Five minutes down the road one of the wheels hit a rock and jolts the car. The sharp movement wakes Fantine up.

"Where are we?" Fantine sits up, "A car! Where are we going?" Fantine seems pleased and excited. Her face looks much better now except the blood that had dried in mid-drip. It looks like she had been crying blood.

"We are going to a friend of mine's old house. We'll stay there for a while so I can make some arrangements. I have a business in America that I think you'll enjoy," I tell her, "It won't take long to get there," She smiles and looks out the window. Her smile slowly fades.

"What's wrong Fantine?" I ask, moving to sit closer to her. She lays her head on my shoulder.

"It's just....um.....It's my birthday today. I'm turning 16," She says. Sixteen seems like a familiar number to me, "My brother said he had a surprise for me. And what a present my dad gave me...and my mom she said that we would spend some quality time together....just the two of us," Fantine almost whispers. I don't know what to say.

"You told me that you like to sing. Would you like to sing for me?" I say this after a couple moments. Fantine's eyes brighten as she looks at me.

"I'd be honored to sing for a very talented composer like you," she clears her throat and starts to sing:

Who knows when love begins

Who knows what makes it start

One day it's simply there

Alive inside your heart

It slips into your thoughts

It infiltrates your soul

It takes you by surprise

Then seizes full control

Try to deny it

And try to protest

But love won't let you go

Once you've been possessed

Love never dies

Love never falters

Once it has spoken

Love is yours

Love never fades

Love never alters

Hearts may get broken

Love endures

Hearts may get broken

Love endures

And soon as you submit

Surrender flesh and bone

That love takes on a life

Much bigger than your own

It uses you at whim

And drives you to despair

And forces you to feel

More joy than you can bear

Love gives you pleasure

And love brings you pain

And yet when both are gone

Love will still remain

Once it has spoken

Love is yours

Love never dies

Love never alters

Hearts may get broken

Love endures

Hearts may get broken

Love never dies

Love will continue

Love keeps on beating

When you're gone

Love never dies

Once it is in you

Life may be fleeting

Love lives on

Life may be fleeting

Love lives on