Two Roses, No Thorns
The phantom's plan would be carried out tonight, and then his Angel of music would come to live with him in his darkness, and sing to him until the day they died. Finally, the owners as well as the cursed audience would know the fury of his wrath. Yes, the chandelier would have its final moment of glory in Don Juan Triumphant and Christine would escape with him to his secret manor in the countryside. Right before he went on, he would set a flame under the ropes that held the chandelier suspended. His timing was perfect, so his angel and he would get out perfectly safe.
"Let the audience in, let my opera begin!" he sang with triumph and anticipation of the events to follow. Meanwhile, Meg helped Christine into her costume, lacing up her corset. In all of her thoughts she envied Raul and his upcoming engagement to her childhood friend, whom she greatly admired. When done with her outfit, she gave Christine a peck on the cheek and a quick squeeze on the shoulders. "Don't be frightened, Christine. Remember that Raul has the police ready to arrest the phantom when the last scene ends. You'll be wonderful. I'll be waiting backstage for you when this is all over."
Christine nodded her head, but inside she was torn between her engagement to Raul, and her secret yearning to be with the phantom. She didn't want the police to take him away from her, so with a quick nod of her head which no one caught, she decided that at the end of the act, she would do whatever she must to keep her angel safe from harm. She took her place backstage next to Meg, and waited for the opera to begin.
The curtains opened and the orchestra began to play the eerie score. "Here the sire may serve the damned! Here the master takes his meat! Here the sacrificial lamb, utters one despairing bleat!" Christine made her way onto stage and sang, "No thoughts within her head but thoughts of joy, no dreams within her heart but dreams of love!"
Meg stood backstage wringing her wrists in nervousness for Christine. She dreaded the idea of something happening to her. She watched as the Phantom and her friend started to finish the Point of No Return, and then saw Christine run out of the Phantom's embrace, crossing downstage in a hurry and screaming at the police to hold their fire. Just as this all happened, the chandelier began to crash into the exact place Christine stood.
The phantom let out a horrified yell, and swiftly took off in his angel's direction, but it was too late. It knocked her off stage, and she went flying out into the audience. The chandelier continued down its destructive path and soon the opera house was consumed in flames. The phantom left with Christine in his arms and went outside of the opera house, where the flames were no longer a threat. Meg sprinted quickly to assist her fallen friend. With a nervous squeal, she fell on the cold ground next to Christine and took the phantom's place, holding her tenderly.
"I'm going to get Madame Giry, will you look after her while I'm gone, Meg?" Meg did nothing but nod her head, brushing a lock of Christine's hair out of her pale face. The phantom nodded and ran away to find the woman he was looking for.
"Christine? Can you hear me? Please wake up dear friend!" she called out to her in desperation. After a few minutes, Christine's eyes began to flutter open, and she let out a soft moan. Meg stroked her brow tenderly and whispered soothing words to her. Finally, her friend spoke," What happened? Why are we here Meg? Why-why is the opera house on fire?" Meg assumed that her friend's head had been hit very hard.
"Don't you remember the Phantom? And Raul?" Christine's look of confusion answered Meg's question.
"No, who are they?" Meg shook her head. Finally she could carry out her plan. "They're not important, all that matters is that you are safe. Christine, will you run away with me? Will you be my partner, forever?" Christine suddenly understood what Meg was asking, and in the next instant claimed her mouth in a passionate, all-consuming kiss.
Meanwhile the phantom was returning with Madame Giry and as they came upon the scene of Meg and Christine, he let out a sort of choking sound. Giry was just as baffled as he, and began to stutter. "I always knew that Meg loved Christine. I just didn't- didn't expect that…" she trailed off. The phantom hunched his shoulders in utter despair; he never once guessed that his angel could have a tendency to lean towards…women! "I need to leave… to go back to my lair," he muttered. Defeated, he began to make his way to his own little hell hole.
Madame Giry cleared her throat behind the two girls and soon they stopped their little interlude, looking up at her with crimson faces. "Mother, we are going to take a little trip into the countryside." Meg said this with great stubbornness and Christine looked around uncertainly, still feeling like she was forgetting something very important. Madame Giry nodded her assent and said, "You two can go to the house we have in the countryside, there are clothes there so you needn't pack. I shall get a carriage for the both of you, good luck girls, with your new life."
Meg and Christine ran off together, living in a nice cottage with each other. They were so very in love, though sometimes Christine would rub the bump still on her head, and wonder what she had forgotten that was so very important.
Two days after the accident at the Opera Populaire:
The Phantom and Raul sat, side by side in the dreary lair, sharing the Vicomte's finest brandy. They were so beguiled about what had happened to Christine and Meg that they still had trouble processing it. So there they were, drinking to their sorrows. "More brandy?" Raul asked. The phantom nodded his head and said, "Don't stop until I'm out cold." Raul obliged generously. One woman could do this to them and it baffled him to no end. "Hey, you know what we should do?" Raul slurred in his drunken state.
"What?" the phantom asked curiously. Raul replied, "We should kiss too, that would show them, huh?" In his intoxicated state the phantom actually thought about the strange statement, then shook his head. "You monsieur, are a true idiot. And together, I'm afraid, we are both complete morons!" He shouted this last part, completely vengeful and angry. Raul nodded his head and they both said at the exact same time, the word that explained it all. "Women." They toasted their glasses, and tried to hold back the damned tears of frustration.
The End.
