Chapter 1: Is Over Now...

By: PittsBurghFuzz

"...The Music of the, Night!" Erik sang. Our poor Phantom dropped Christine's wedding veil and sat upon his throne. Looking at his lair one last time, Erik covered himself with his black cloak, and hid from the coming mob.

As Erik disapeared, Meg Giry was the first to enter the Phantom's lair. She walked towards the throne, which seemed to make a strange movement. Cautiously, Meg removed the cloak, and saw nothing, nothing except a white half mask.

Meg lifted the mask with her small hand and looked at it.

The police looked "everywhere", but could not find an Opera Ghost. Meg waited for the police to leave and little Meg did some investigating herself.

Meg saw that the lair was filled several different trinkets, busts, and sketches of sorts. Most of the sketches were of Christine, which didn't surprise Meg. However, what shocked Meg was that why would the Phantom desire someone as bland as Christine. Granted, Meg thought, Christine was beautiful and had and equally achieving voice, but overall, she was a frightened little girl.

Meg then saw the Phantom's closet of wardrobe. It was filled with several masks, cloaks and suits. Meg even saw the Red Death costume. The Death's head grin was creeping Meg out. Meg picked up a cut rope. It has been said that the rope was called "The Punjab Lasso". Meg dropped the lasso as soon as she heard the voice of her mother yell, "Meg!"

"What is it mother?" Meg asked.

"Why are you still down here?" Madame Giry asked.

"Well I..."

"Are you looking for the Phantom?" Madame Giry asked.

"And what if I am?" Meg said with an attitude.

"Oh God, Erik doesn't wish to be disturbed..."

"Oh, so his name is Erik?" Meg asked.

Madame Giry sighed. "Yes Meg, his name is Erik."

"Why aren't we looking for him?" Meg asked.

"Because we have other matters to attend to. Now come one, do you want the police to suspect something?"

"I want to find him." Meg admitted.

"Why? Let him be Meg, Erik does not wish to be disturbed."

Meg rolled her eyes. "But mother, he'll probably kill himself!"

"Maybe that's what he wants Meg. I wouldn't put it pass Erik to do something like that." Madame Giry told Meg.

"I'm going through that throne." Meg said.

"And what? Find him and expect all is well? No Meg! We must leave now! We can't possibly hope to help Erik now!"

Meg disobeyed her mother and examined the throne. Meg found a trigger which opened the back. Meg went through and found herself in a long tunnel.

The closer to the end of the tunnel Meg went, the louder the Phantom's yells were. Then, Meg finally saw the Phantom. Erik had his back turned and was sobbing.

"Oh Christine," he cried, "if only I could hear you sing again! Then I would die a happy man!"

Meg gulped as she walked towards unhappy Erik, hoping not to get killed.

Then, Meg tapped Erik on the shoulder. Erik turned around and saw Meg.

"What do you want? Can't I be left in peace without anyone interfering with my grief?" Erik asked.

Erik seized Meg's small hand and stared at her with great anger.

"You should have stayed away young Giry!" Erik grinned

"Please don't! I only wanted to help!" Meg begged.

"Help? Ha! What help can a ditzy little girl do for me?"

"I can at least try and help you escape the mob."

Erik rolled his eyes and released his grip on Meg.

"Get back to your mother, now! Before, you get killed along with me."

Meg left the Phantom, to wallow in his grief.

However, Meg arrived out of the throne and found the persian music box still playing. There was something strange about it. Meg noticed something odd. Underneath the music box, there were papers. Meg lifted the music box, and saw they were labeled. "Phantasma".