-*- ** - - ** - - ** - - ** - - ** - - ** - - ** - Inside My Mind - ** - - ** - - ** - - ** - ** - ** - ** -*-

I stood before the curtains, running my hand on the hypnotising, dark red felt. The gold curls of the hem swirled before my eyes, like wisps of smoke. It transfixed me. The endless world that took place after it lifted. It filled me with a sense of joy. Joy unlike any you could imagine. That was why I moved.

I used to live in the country side. But, nothing ever appealed to me there, other than dancing out in the field, before being called back to care for the crops. But Paris, the Paris Opera, to be specific, had always appealed to me. So there was me, little ol' me, leaving everything I ever knew, behind to purse a world of stage lights and dramatic head sopranos (I think we all know what I'm referring to there).

I felt the curtain beneath my fingertips, disturbed and then smoothed as my hand caressed its simple lining. A curtain that made me, usually, peaceful, but for this one moment, I wished nothing more than to run far away.

It was the first show I had ever been a part of as a stage crew, and it had been a disaster. You may have known of the show. It was called Don Juan Triumphant. It had overly forced singing, and was cut short by a dead male lead and a kidnaped female lead. And it had just transpired tonight. Our Don Juan has been taken to his family and the poor soprano was still yet to be found, however our theatre's dance instructor has returned from taking our patron, Monsieur Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, to find the unfortunate woman.

So I stood here. Contemplating everything, while feeling the lining of the curtain that concealed the true disaster that had transpired a mere few hours ago.

Restlessness got the better of me, and I found myself at a strange door. It appeared to be the door to the dressing room of one Christine Daae, our poor lead female. Even from outside, I could hear that no one was inside. Mustering up my courage, I eased the door open. It was fairly simple. A dressing table, a rack of costumes for what would've been this night's performance. I, feeling uncomfortable, and vulnerable in this room, turned around, and left the room.

Instead of leaving the Opera Populairè, I my legs, appearing to have a mind of their own, took me deeper into the bowels of the building, 'til I came across a lake, a boat and the heavenly call of what sounded like a siren. In the distance, I saw a light. In the darkness, the light looked so appealing, that I found that I had no other choice, but to clamber aboard the boat and row across the vast, glassy lake, towards it.

As I closed in to what look like a house, swirling mist, began to curl around me, encapsulating me in cloudy grey.

I practically shot off the boat, racing inside, stumbling forward a slight. I stared around me, making my way to the organ that stood, lonely in the centre of the room. Beside the organ sat a grand chair, which seated… my god! Sat a figure, covered by a black cape. Tentatively, I shuffled toward the figure. Is this what became of the unfortunate soprano, Christine Daae? Was she the body beneath the cape? Was she afraid? Was she… was she even alive at all? Slowly I reached out and whipped the cape away…

And the figure disappeared.

Up in smoke, as though he had never been there in the first place.

I balled the cape up, in my hands and tossed it aside, as I stared down at the small, glinting, white mass that stared back up at me. I wrapped my fingers around it, bringing it closer, for inspection.

It was a mask.

A pure, glossy white mask shaped like half a man's face, as though he only wanted to hide half of himself. Curiosity, and a strange feeling of dread welled in the pit my stomach. I couldn't bear to stare at it any longer, but my eyes wouldn't look away. Beyond any reason, beyond any stage curtain, any glittering costume, it encapsulated me. I had never been so fascinated… or so scared.

A growling sound erupted behind me.

"Little vermin!" it cried, "You are not her! Leave me in piece."

Shaking, I turned and what stood before my eyes, was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. His face was half man, half horror. Before I could even utter a cry, I was speeding away. Away from that… that demon. I was shooting towards the exit of the building, before being caught by a man, worry etched on his face.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" He asked, gently. I looked up… it was the Vicomte. Raoul De Chagny. I nodded my head slowly, peeling myself out of his grip.

"I'm fine…" I said shakily. The Vicomte led me to a seat outside Ms Daae's room. Raoul knelt in front of me.

"You gave me a quite a fright, kid," he chuckled, "You looked like you'd seen a ghost."

Raoul was dressed in a white shirt, rolled up to his sleeves, and simple pants. He was sweating, and had an angry red line around his neck. Without thinking, I reached out, to examine the wound. The Vicomte jerked backwards. I whipped my hand back, embarrassed.

"S-sorry." I muttered. The man before me smiled.

"It's fine," he murmured. "You're one of the new stage crew, aren't you? You seem like a sweet girl. Who in their right mind would want to frighten you so badly?"

I laughed lightly, a smile cracking its way onto my face. I opened my mouth to tell him what I saw, but something in my mind told me, that what I saw was not something to be shared.

"I was looking around the lower parts of the theatre…" I said quietly, as the Vicomte stiffened, "Something… something made a sound… maybe a rat… I think (Raoul eased)… gave me a fright."

Raoul smiled, softly. "There is nothing here to harm you," he said gently, "I promise you. But, I best be going. My fiancé and I are leaving town for a few months."

My smile faltered. Even though I had only spent a few minutes with the man in front of me, I already felt safe around him. If that thing were to come after me, I hoped, prayed, Raoul would be there to look after and protect me.

Raoul then stood, and went inside Christine's room, emerging, moments later, with a woman (Christine) trailing behind him. Raoul turned to me.

"I hope to see you again…" He trailed off, searching for my name.

"Victoria," I said, "I'm Victoria Albus."

Raoul took in a breath, "Well, see you again, Victoria." And with that, he and Christine disappeared.

And with that, my life had changed forever…

I just didn't know it yet.