Disclaimer: I don't own the POTO characters. But Madeleine and others are mine.
POV-Madeleine
And for once it might be grand
To have someone understand
I want so much more than they have planned
The words from my favorite fairy tale floated back to me. I never realized how much these words would relate to my life at the moment. Rather that thinking of the present, I allowed my mind to wander to a happy memory from the past.
"Papa!" I ran to him as he came through the door from work. He smiled and hugged me, but I tried to wiggle away. "Papa! Listen! Mrs. Rioytt said I need to have the words memorized to my recital song! Will you help me?" I always got excited when I talked about my voice lessons. Papa gave me a tired smile; I knew he had had a long day at work. But he looked into my pleading blue eyes and nodded. I squealed with joy as I led him into the living room.
We popped in "The Beauty and the Beast" and fast-forwarded it to the song called "Belle Reprise." But I simply called it "Belle's Song." Papa and I watched the part when Belle ran into the field singing over and over again. After we had watched it more times then we could count, Papa turned the T.V. off and announced it was time for me to go to bed.
"Oh Papa! Do I have to? I almost have it!" I said, looking up mournfully at him.
Papa simply chuckled. "Oh my dear Madeleine, you already know the words. Too bad I know you too well and know you're just trying to stay up later."
I looked down bashfully. What he said was true. He laughed, a sound that always warmed me.
"Come on child, let's get you to bed." He extended his hand, which I eagerly took without hesitation. Once we were upstairs, I ran from his side and extracted a worn book off my bookshelf. It was dark green and had "The Beauty and the Beast" written on the front in curvy, gold letters. He smiled, took the book from me, and read for a little while. Once he set the book aside, he kissed my forehead.
"You know, Maddy, you and Belle have a lot in common."
This caused me to sit up in my bed. Belle was my idol and I wanted to be just like her. "You think so Papa?" My eyes bore up into his, making sure he wasn't teasing me.
"Well sure." He sat down on the edge of my bed and pushed a lock of wavy brown hair behind my ear. "You both have the biggest heart I have ever seen. But unlike Belle," He said, in a low whisper, as if he was afraid someone would hear, "you're real." He sat back and looked sadly at me. "Promise me Maddy that you'll never lose that, that you'll always be kind to others. Even those who aren't as fortunate as you are."
I looked at him with a confused look. "Well sure Papa. Is everything okay?"
He smiled. "Yes sweetie, everything is fine."
"DADDY!" We both jumped at the sudden yell of my twin brother Mason, from the other room. Papa kissed me goodnight and left the room.
But that night, my life fell into shambles.
Yelling. I heard distant yelling and the clatter of something hard on the tile downstairs. I sat up quickly, trying to let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Once they did, my two small feet hit the bedroom floor and I slowly snuck out of my room. I sat at the top of the stairs and realized my parents were fighting. I hid in the shadows, so they wouldn't see me. But upon closer inspection, I saw that they weren't going to realize I was there. They were too distracted.
"How could you?" It was my father's strained voice.
"How could I not? You've never been around here to know what's going on!" This voice was Mama's, and she sounded furious. I heard a noise behind me and I turned to see Mason, and my older sister, Amy coming to sit and listen with me.
"But our family--"
"Our family, Ted? Now you care about our family? Well it's too damn late for that, isn't it?"
"Sure, I'm gone a lot for work! But it's all for you! Everything I've done is for you, Janet! And what to you do to thank me? You go around with another man every time I turn my back!"
"Don't bring Dan into this! You're out of our family Ted! You have been for a long time and Dan is more than willing to replace you!"
"Fine! I'm out of here!" Papa said, and I could hear the shocked gasp from all three of us.
"Well good!" I heard Mama shout. "You're not wanted here anyways!"
"No! Papa! No, you can't leave!" I yelled, getting up to go down the stairs.
"Maddy! Don't!" Amy grabbed my sleep shirt, but using all my seven-year-old strength, I fought free of her and ran to Papa. I clung to his leg sobbing, as he looked down at me with bewilderment. I also heard Amy and Mason joining us downstairs.
"Papa! You can't leave! Who will help me with my recital song?" I felt his hand rubbing my back, and soothing words being whispered in my ear. But the next thing I knew, Mama was pulling me away. When I lost grip of Papa's leg, Mama swept me into her arms. I wept into Mama's shoulder as Papa glanced at the four of us.
"See what you did? You made the child cry!"
No, Mama. You did that. I thought silently as I continued sobbing.
"What are you waiting for? LEAVE!" But when Papa made no move to go, Mama grabbed a picture frame off the table and chucked it at him. He blocked it with his arm and it fell on the floor, and the glass shattered everywhere. Papa shook his head, glanced over his shoulder and left. That was the last time I ever saw him.
"Madeleine?" I heard a voice question, but I still lay there, in my daydream of the past. "Madeleine?" It was closer now. "Madeleine!" I jerked up into a sitting position to face my best friend, a member of the corps de ballet, Leileianna.
"Sorry, I was--"
"Daydreaming again? Honestly Maddy, you are always drifting away from the present." Leileianna, Leilei for short, shook her head. "Hurry now! Madame will want her dressing room clean after she gets done with rehearsal." She turned to leave.
"Wait a second. How did you get out of rehearsal early?" I smirked at her evilly. A slight reddening came to her face.
"Oh! Well, Kirsten wouldn't stop complaining about how the music had the wrong notes, but it was her voice that was really wrong. And how we dancers were dancing too close, although we were a good five-feet away." She shook her head. "She was last ranting on about how the lights were too bright and were making her look ugly. I had had enough of it. So I left to check on you, and a good thing I did! You would have sat here until Kirsten had come. I know you too well Madeleine Cecilia Annabelle Rosario."
"Well then, Leileianna Susanna Annabell'Lee," I said mockingly, "did you know I was going to ask to spend the night tonight?" My voice suddenly became serious. "Dan is all stressed out about some business deal and I don't wish to be around him." A flashing image of him coming towards me with a raised, frustrated hand made me wince.
"Of course! When I said whenever you needed to come over, to come over, I meant it." She hugged me tight. I felt suddenly very grateful that I had a friend like her.
"Leilei!!" A voice rang down the hallway and Leilei shrunk towards the wall.
"Dang! They noticed I'm missing!" She started for the door briskly.
"And did you think they wouldn't?" I couldn't help but giggle. But she was already out the door. I sighed at the sudden emptiness. I got up from the couch and began cleaning. I hated cleaning up for a hag like Kirsten. She was the Prima Donna of the Paris Opera House, although she was a terrible singer! I had been told many times I should join the chorus and work my way up to replacing Kirsten.
How I wanted to! But when I simply mentioned it to Mama and Dan, I had received a lashing for even considering such a thing! I was already promised to a man, Jason, who was currently twenty-one, four years older than myself. When Dan had mentioned this crazy idea to Jason, he had disagreed whole-heartedly, which put an end to my daydreams of becoming a famous singer. Which was Papa's last wish to me before he left. But everyone's disagreeing had put a quick end to that little string of hope, and I never mentioned it again. Although, I still did apply for a job here. The only job that Dan would allow was to be a maid. "So she can get used to it before she marries you," I heard Dan say to Jason and both of them laugh as if I wasn't there. I had only taken the job because I knew Leilei was around here a lot and I could be closer to music than I had been the last ten years of my life.
Once I finished cleaning, I quickly gathered all my supplies and went into Leilei's dressing room just as people from rehearsal started pouring into the hallways, chatting excitedly about next week's opening night. How I wanted to be a part of it all! Even if I was simply a chorus girl for the rest of my life, I just wanted to be part of something, anything besides marrying Jason once I turned eighteen and wasting my life away.
-----------------X
"Oh, let's hurry! I've never been to the roof before!" I felt like a fugitive as I hurried Leilei along.
"Wait, I need to use the restroom first! Go on up without me. I'll be there soon." She quickly tore off to the nearest one. I watched her for a moment and then I began going down the dark hallway blindly. I smiled, pulling my cell phone from my pocket and opening it so I could get a bit of light. The hazy blue glow gave me enough so I didn't trip and get myself caught. I made it to the roof in a matter of minutes, since we were almost there when Leilei decided she needed a break first.
A light snow fell and I lifted my head up to the sky and opened my mouth. I loved to catch snowflakes on my tongue like I had when I was little. I spun around childishly in the cold air, letting it hit my cheeks. Oh, how I loved these few moments of freedom away from everything! I stopped and collapsed on the snow bed below me in a fit of giggles. I closed my eyes and let the world settle from my dizziness before I opened them again.
When I did, I noticed something I hadn't before. Towards my right at the very edge of the roof stood a tall man dressed in old-fashioned black clothing. He was facing me, looking at me quizzically. I suddenly felt embarrassed for my immature spinning and giggles. Obviously not right for a girl of seventeen years and due to be married in nine months! But he didn't say anything, simply stared at me and I looked back at him in puzzlement.
I immediately noticed that he wore a white mask, and it frightened me a bit. Who else besides a criminal wore a mask? But I did not feel the need to cry out. I could hear as Leilei started up the stairs again, not too quietly may I add, but I took a tentative step towards the man.
"Excuse me, monsieur? Are you alright?" He looked so sad and broken I had to ask. But at that current moment, Leilei flung herself through the door, laughing.
"Told you I wouldn't take long!" Leilei said as she walked towards me. I looked at her for a moment, then back to where the masked man was. The spot on the roof was now empty, only a slight indent in the snow marked where he had been. I thought for a moment I had imagined the whole thing. No, someone had been there.
-----------------X
"And then bam! He was gone when I looked back!" I ended the retelling of what had happened on the roof to Leilei.
"And boom! He was gone?" She questioned quizzically.
"No," I said with an exasperated sigh, "I believe I said bam! And then bam! He was gone!"
This made Leilei laugh and I wrung my hands, trying to keep from yelling at her. I knew I shouldn't have told her. She wouldn't have believed me. But her giggles slowly subsided and she noticed the evil look I was giving her.
"Okay, sorry." She said, wiping a tear from her eye. "But come on Madeleine. It's a little far-fetched."
I glanced around the dressing room we had taken refuge in. We still didn't want to go to bed, so we had come to the old Prima Donna's dressing room the was supposedly haunted by an Opera Ghost. We didn't mind the rumors though. It was far away from everything else and we had little chance at being discovered. It had been our little hangout for a few weeks now. I glanced back at Leilei, determined that she would believe me.
"Why would I make up something like that?" I said, looking at her evenly.
"I don't know Maddy. But haven't I told you a thousand times?"
This made me look at her in a puzzled manner. She leaned closer to my face, looking right into my eyes. She laid a hand on my shoulder and I took a deep breath, wondering what was coming next.
"Windex is not for eating." She stated simply. She tried to keep her serious expression on, but it only lasted a few seconds before she smiled jokingly and began laughing again.
"Whatever. I know what I saw." I said, shaking my head and getting up. I walked over to the huge mirror in the corner and saw some snow was still in my hair. I used my hand to shake it out, causing half melted snow to fall everyone. Leilei and I remained in stubborn silence for several minutes. I could tell it was kind of a contest between us at the moment. I lost.
"So, what's the whole deal with this place being 'haunted'?"
This made Leilei smile. She loved ghost stories. She leapt up from her spot on the couch and flipped the light switch off.
"Hey!" I shouted into the darkness, turning and putting my back against the mirror. "You know I'm afraid of the dark!" Suddenly, I saw a flashlight turn on and illuminate Leilei's face. "Where'd you get a flashlight?"
"Shh!" She waved my question away. "A magician never reveals his secrets."
"Her." I corrected.
"Whatever. Anyways…four years ago there was a beautiful chorus girl."
"Oh…this is going to be good." I said sarcastically as I sat down on a chair opposite from her. The flashlight shined in my face and I lifted a hand to block it out.
"Will you just shut up and listen!" Leilei asked, finally taking the blinding light away.
"Sorry." I said with mock sincerity. "Continue."
"Thank you." She said, just as sarcastic. So over the next twenty minutes, she told me the entire legend of the Phantom of the Opera, or the Opera Ghost. "Some still thinks he roams around the Opera House, looking for Christine and killing those who get in his way."
I looked at her with hard eyes. "And I'm the crazy one? Come on! There's no ghost!" I rolled my eyes as I walked over and flipped on the light switch. Leilei switched off the flashlight.
"Suit yourself. But non-believers pay!"
I shook my head. "Anyways, on a more sane note, let's just sleep in here. I don't feel like going all the way back--"
"You're scared, aren't you?" Leilei grinned.
"No, I'm not scared. I just hate the dark." I lied and grabbed a blanket from a small pile we had put in here and lay on the floor. "You're turn on the couch."
"Fine." Leilei got up and turned the light off. After a few moments of tense silence, Leilei tried again. "But don't let the ghost get you!"
I didn't satisfy her joking manner with a reply; I simply rolled over and went to sleep.
-----------------X
My eyes opened lazily to a still dark room. I yawned and rolled over, grabbing my phone to see what time it was. I clicked the button on the side and it informed me it was 3:34 in the morning. I set the phone aside and sat up. I wanted my Ipod. I sat there for a few moments, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. Once they did, I glanced over and saw Leilei sleeping comfortably on the couch.
Lucky her. I'm going to have back problems tomorrow. I thought as I stood up. I adjusted my flannel pjs bottoms and tank top, which had become twisted as I slept, and then I slipped my slippers onto my cold feet. I glanced around the dark room slowly. Purse, where are you? I started to fumble through the room, not worried about waking Leilei up. That girl has literally slept through an earthquake. I stood up straight again, and glanced around. I finally spotted it next to the mirror in the corner.
As I stood in front of the mirror, I thought I saw a flicker of light. I glanced behind me, only to see there was no light that had been reflected. And since the light had not gone, it had to be…inside the mirror? I bent down and picked up my purse, but it caught on something. I tugged it free and heard a small click noise, as if I had set off some trigger. I leaned forward and looked at the mirror and to my surprise it began to move! I stumbled back, as the mirror opened! It actually opened! My instincts were screaming at me to run, but fear made me immobile.
Once it opened, I saw a dark shadow of a man. I stumbled back, inhaling my lungs and preparing to scream. But the man was faster. He leapt forward and covered my mouth with his hand. I struggled for only a moment, realizing then it was no use. He overpowered me easily. I gave in as he began leading me down the dark hallway. I glanced over my shoulder, or as much as I could, to see Leilei still sleeping peacefully on the couch.
What irony.
Natalie's Note: Well, kind of a cliffhanger at the moment. But I'm going to hang out with some friends so I'll add what happens in the next chapter. I'll start typing it tomorrow, since I'm on spring break and have nothing better to do. Well R&R please. And be gentle, no bashing.
Disclaimer: Lyrics at the beginning aren't mine, but are from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast".