ERIK

Something was amiss. That much I could tell. I awoke to the sound of footsteps and talking which was getting closer and closer to me. Bolting upright, my hand instantly flew to my wig and mask that was located directly next to my bed, pulling them both on and securing them on my head. Readying myself for an attack of some sorts I glanced around, wondering from which direction they would be coming from. Then something hit me. My room was not how it should've been.

Not only were the walls completely off, there were no walls. Confusion leaked into my head in a steady stream as more and more realizations flooded in. Everything was wrong. I was not in my lair. The organ was in the same room and then varying other pieces of furniture littered the area, including a strange contraption that seemed in front a boat but had wheels under it and on the back, not to mention it was slanted as well.

In the midst of my confusion and subtle anger, I didn't realize the voices were just outside the door, and I could see a hand had turned the knob to the point where all they had to do was push it open and I'd exposed. Bolting underneath the bed, I could vaguely see shoes and feet walking in, and could hear the conversation that had been brought into the room.

" ... And this is the scenery and props department. It's basically where we keep all the props that are too big to be stored in the main props room. Things like Erik's bed... " How did this woman know my name?! " And the boat and candelabras. There's also things like larger curtains in the back. " The female voice stopped speaking, a male one taking her place. " I think these props should do very well for this next Broadway rerun. Everything's here, correct? "

" Yes sir, everything you should need is here, Mr. Lloyd Webber. We saved everything from the last run, " the female confirmed, the people stopping right in front of the bed I was hiding under.

I tuned out the rest of the conversation, more focused on my escape route. It was apparent these people were going to be of no help to me. They were obviously mad. Perhaps I'd stumbled into a mental asylum...

So lost in my thoughts I didn't realize they had begun to leave, the female trailing behind (I could tell it was her by her shoes). Immediately after the door had shut, she raced after them, and I took it as my chance to flee as well.

Following her out the door, I stuck to the shadows, not wishing to be spotted. Everyone was dressed so... So oddly. I really must've wandered into an asylum. Continuing to follow the sound of the same voices, we all wandered into another room.

" Costume department, as you can plainly see. Everything for the Phantom is in here as well besides the prosthetics and make up. Mask, hat, both wigs, cloak, everything, " the female told an older man, her arms cradling a clipboard. " This will do lovely, Miss Carolyn. I thank you for your time, but I must be getting to the casting call. It is my job to choose our Erik and Christine, as you know. "

My heart dropped when I heard Christine's name. Oh my Christine... My light in the dark hell I was living... Where was she? What did he mean by 'choosing'? A casting call was only needed for casting things such as roles in the operas-

Wait a minute. That couldn't possibly be... The clothes, the waking up in a strange place yet in a bed like my own... All the pieces fell into place and I almost went into a fit. This couldn't possibly be some other time period... Travel between times was nonexistent...

Yet obviously it was, and I'd somehow gotten myself somewhere far into the future where practically everyone around me knew of myself. Just great... Like I didn't have a hard enough time making patrons at the Opera Populaire think me a ghost. These people already knew of me! But how? How had they gained so much knowledge of my life and the time I had with Christine at the Opera House?

These were all questions I needed answers to and fast.

I heard two of the people exit past the shadows I was currently hiding in, leaving only the female, Carolyn her name was, to herself in the costume department, and then there was me, standing in the shadows, hiding from the unknown. She stood there, just staring at the clipboard before she looked up, slightly startled. Had she seen me? Did this room give her the spooks, perhaps? I knew not the answer, nor did I wish to know. Unless it was because of my presence, in which I would be very glad. Never knew how badly I scared people sometimes.

Standing in the shadows, I remained silent. If she was spooked easily, I didn't want to make myself known so suddenly unless I softly and subtly did so. For a moment I watched her, studying this girl and her movements and mannerisms. She seemed somewhat skittish, but not enough that prevented her from doing her job as stage manager well. Her hair was a bright and vibrant red and had an almost unmanageable curl to it. At the moment, the fire that was her hair was piled on the top of her head in a messy bun, small ringlets falling from it and framing her freckled face. She was obviously of some sort of English mixed with Irish background, the English part evident by her slight English accent and the Irish present in her appearance.

As I began to drift more into my thoughts, I noticed she had stopped staring at her clipboard and was looking over at me. Her eyes were wide and she was frozen where she stood. Doing as best as I could not to move, I went frozen as well. After a few seconds, she took one step towards me, then another, then two more, and more until she was almost on top of me. Still i continued to be, and then she turned her head and called out.

" Mr. Lloyd Webber! I found the mask! Did you want to see it? " As her gaze turned back to me, she tilted her head. " So life-like... Almost as if you could just reach out and he'd bite your fingers off... " She wasn't willing to test this theory, but I wouldn't have bit her fingers. Maybe broken them, but not bit them. That's uncivilized.

When no response came, Carolyn turned back around and looked to see if there was anyone out the door. Webber had already left, probably at the stage by this point, and apparently didn't hear her. But she was certain he would want to see the mask to make sure it was up to his standards. Hesitantly, a hand reached out and brushed against my mask, and when I felt fingers gripping the edge my own hand shot up and held firmly and tightly to her wrist.

" Do not touch that! " I sneered, baring my teeth and forcefully pulling her into the shadows with me. I could see she was about to scream so my free hand pressed against her mouth, muffling any sound that she tried to make. The fear in her bright green eyes was present, and I could feel her ragged breath against my gloved hand. After a few moments when I knew she would be quiet, my hand fell from her mouth while my other still gripped her wrist.

Jerking her hand away, Carolyn rubbed at her wrist, feeling a bruise beginning to form. I hadn't realized how tight my grip had been until I saw the hand-shaped bruise all around her wrist. She looked up at me, eyes wide and her mouth half open to say something. Yet she remained quiet. My demeanor had changed from angered to infuriated as she just... Just stood there, watching me as if I was some creature she knew nothing about!

" Y-you... Are you a th-thief?! " Carolyn muttered out, still cradling her bruised wrist as she backed up a few steps. The clipboard she had been holding in her other hand has clattered to the ground when she dropped it to instead pull her wrist away. Her words stung me slightly, and I had to keep the urge to end her life right then and now at bay. I couldn't risk being discovered by another of these futuristic people...

I raised my visible brow, the only vague hint I had some sort of expression on my face. Always had I been good at masking my emotions with a blank stare and expressionless face, and now was no exception. " I am no thief, mademoiselle. I suggest you hold your tongue before you spray more false accusations. " My voice was low and quiet, a whisper as to not draw more attention to the both of us yet with enough force in it to show I meant business.

" Now, you shall take me wherever it is you live. Understood? And I mean immediately! " I took a step forward, getting into her personal space yet again and forcefully tilting her head upwards, making her eyes meet with mine. The bright green irises had become more vibrant, specs of gold glinting in the light. Never before had I met someone with such a vivid tint to their eyes. They looked as if they were emeralds held in place by a ring of gold-

Stop that! You should not be wasting such poetic thoughts on this girl! Think of Christine... Think of her right now. She will be yours once you find a way to return to our normal time. Yes, Christine... My beloved Christine... She may have shied away when she revealed my face, but I will make her love me and marry me and stay with me forever...

Again, lost in thought, I was pulled back from the argument I was having with my mind by her answer. " A-and why should I? Wh-who are you?! What d-do you want with m-me? " Aw, she was scared. How cute, how precious she was. My finger and thumb was still gripping her chin in a firm hold, loosening only slightly as to show her I meant no harm to her at the moment.

" I, my dear, mean you no harm. I am an... An Angel, one could say. And to answer your other inquiries in a quick manner; I demand you to and I just need shelter for a while. " I chose my words carefully, using the whole 'Angel of fill-in-the-blank' technique and hoping she bought it. It wasn't as effective, I knew, due to not being knowledgeable of this girl's skill in any art, and the fact made me a little anxious to hear her reply.

Carolyn was silent for a few moments, her mind processing his words before a look of irritation came over her features. " You're no angel! You're just some crazed fan who snuck in here and tried on these costumes! Le-let go of me! Security! " she cried, trying to make a break for it out the door.

Oh this child made a wrong move. Hearing the word 'security', my hand immediately grabbed at her shoulder, grip tightening. " I advise you not do that again, child. Bring me to your home. Now. "