Disclaimer: Okeday, I don't own The Dead Zone, Mrs. Smith's Pies, or The Phantom of the Opera. That right belongs to The USA Network, Mrs. Smith, and Andrew Lloyd Webber!
A/N: This is a response to fanfiction challenge #7. "Write a fanfiction from the POV of any Dead Zone character. The fic has to involve mashed potatoes, pie, and 'The Phantom of the Opera'." I hope you enjoy this! Please R&R!
OF PHANTOMS AND POTATOES
By InsaneGenius
Dana loved her mashed potatoes. There was just something about the way they melted in her mouth that made her crave them every day. It was easy to identify them as her favorite food. Johnny knew this, even though she had never truly expressed her love of mashed potatoes to him. Her reporter skills must have been rubbing off on Johnny. Ever since the last two visits they had taken to two different sit down restaurants, he had made sure to always have a healthy portion of mashed potatoes waiting for her. The best thing about his mashed potatoes was that they were all her to herself. Johnny never touched them. Of course, Johnny never touched much of anything.
Tonight was a night full of her favorites. Her favorite food. Her favorite desert. Her favorite opera. Her favorite day of the year, her birthday. But the most important of her favorite things, was the man sitting on the opposite end of the table softly chomping on his dinner. Her favorite man, Johnny. It would have been impossible for her to enjoy all of this had it not been for him.
Johnny had meticulously planned the whole night. She could tell. The table was neatly spread with two candles in the middle of the table, two of his best China plates, which had to be left overs from his mother, silverware that was so clean nary a spot was to be found, and two sparkling wine glasses half full of the wine she had provided. It had become a routine habit for her to ask what he was fixing beforehand, and then purchase the wine Reverend Purdy recommended.
Tonight, they dined upon steak, corn, and the most important dish of all, mashed potatoes. Their desert consisted of a cherry pie made with Vera Smith's own homemade recipe. She considered pie to be a far better alternative to birthday cake. Everything was delicious. As usual, Johnny had cooked it to absolute perfection. He always knew exactly the way to cook something to her tastes. She had a hunch that his visions played a large role in his cooking process. The mashed potatoes were sublime, the steak superb, and the cherry pie was good enough to be sold in a restaurant somewhere. She thought Johnny should really think about marketing it. He could call it "Mrs. Smith's Pie."
Throughout the dinner, they chatted amiably and flirted just a little bit. There was one tense moment where Dana had a scoop of mashed potatoes poised in the air read to fling at Johnny because of a crack he had made about redheaded reporters. Other than that, their dinner was relatively uneventful.
It was at 7:00 p.m. that Johnny finally stated that it was time to leave. They were going to see "The Phantom of the Opera." Over the time period of about five years, Dana had seen many operas, but this one had to be her favorite. She loved the music and the words of the songs spoke to her heart. No other opera came close. When Johnny asked her what she wanted for her birthday, this was what she chose. When Johnny gave her that deer in the headlights look after mentioning the name of the opera, the idea seemed perfect. She could have a good time, and culture Johnny a little in the process.
They arrived at the theater just in time to locate their seats at the front before the lights went off, and the entire theater, with the exception to the brightly lit stage was plunged into a state of semi-darkness. The opening scene wasn't the greatest. In fact it was her least favorite part of the show. It began with an auction. The auctioneer was selling items obtained from the opera house. The same opera house that was haunted by attacks from a person known as the "Phantom of the Opera." The scene ended with the auctioneer showing the people a reconstructed version of the chandelier that crashed during the phantom attacks. As the chandelier came into view, the cast and crew displayed to us their use of special effects as a loud bang sounded, and the chandelier was brought to life. As the chandelier slowly but surely made it's way to it's former position the scene transformed into the opera house of old. We were all transported back in time. That is everyone except for Johnny.
"What's going on?" he asked very confusedly.
"You just saw an auction. They were auctioning off pieces from the opera house. The old guy in the wheel chair buying a few things and reminiscing was Raul," she explained both hurriedly and quietly.
"I got that. What's going on now?"
Dana sighed and rolled her eyes.
"We're being transported back to a time when the opera house was in full swing, if you will. Raul is remembering times past. When the stage finally settles, you'll find yourself at a practice rehearsal for the opera Hannibal. Think of it as an opera within and opera. Am I going to be doing a lot of this?"
"A lot of what?"
"Explaining," she answered.
"Yup," he replied pithily.
He was right. He was constantly leaning in her ear whispering questions. It was really starting to get annoying. The reporter skills she thought he had obtained now seemed virtually non-existent.
"Johnny, if you don't shut up I'm gonna print a story about this in the paper."
That got him quiet. She could enjoy the show now.
They were now at the part in the play where Christine, the main character, follows the Phantom into his lair. As the phantom rowed the boat along the water, they sang a duet. The phantom reminded her of her ex-boyfriend Max. The way he had lured her into a false sense of security and turned out to be just a down right evil person seemed so much like the man hidden behind a mask on the stage. She listened to the words of the song and began to envision herself in the role of the main character, Christine.
Dana/Christine: In sleep he sang to me. In dreams he came. That voice which calls to me and speaks my name, and do I dream again for now I find the phantom of the opera is there inside my mind.
Phantom/Max: Sing once again with me our strange duet. My power over you grows stronger yet, and though you turn from me to glance behind the phantom of the opera is there inside your mind.
Dana/Christine: Those who have seen your face draw back in fear. I am the mask you wear.
Phantom/Max: It's me they hear
Both: My/your spirit and your/my voice in one combined. The phantom of the opera is there. Inside your/my mind.
It was strange how much she could relate to the phantom of the opera. The verse that really stuck out to her was the verse in which the Phantom/Max came in. For a long time she really did look behind her hoping not to find Max smiling back at her. His was the last face she wanted to see, and the thought of him really did cause her to draw back in fear. But her fear wasn't because of the hideousness of his face as was the case with the phantom. Her fear arouse from the ugliness of his soul.
It wasn't long before they neared the ending of Act One. She looked forward to seeing Johnny's face when the chandelier fell. They were currently at the part where Raul and Christine walked onto the roof of the opera house after experiencing many phantom attacks during the opera Christine was performing. They were singing song that once again made her stop and think about her life, but this reminded her of the life she had with Johnny. Now, she found herself imagining Johnny standing on the stage singing these words to her. And she wished that Johnny really could, but unfortunately this was the first time he had ever seen or heard this particular Broadway hit.
Johnny/Raoul: No more talk of darkness. Forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you. Let me be your freedom. Let daylight dry your tears. I'm here with you beside you to guard you and to guide you.
Dana/Christine: Say you'll love me every waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summertime. Say you need with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of you.
Johnny/Raoul: Let me be your shelter. Let me be your light. Your safe no one will find you. Your fears are far behind you.
Dana/Christine: All I want is freedom a world with no more night and you always beside me to hold me and to hide me.
Johnny/Raoul: Then say you'll share with me one love one lifetime. Let me lead your from your solitude. Say you'll need me with you here beside you. Anywhere you go let me go too. Dana that's all I ask of you.
Dana/Christine: Say you'll share with me one love one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you. Share each day with me each night each morning. Say you love me.
Johnny/Raoul: You know I do.
Both: Love me, that's all I ask of you.
Both: Anywhere you go, let me go too. Love me, that's all I ask of you.
Phantom/Max: I gave you my music. Made your song take wing and now how you've repaid me, denied me, and betrayed me. He was bound to love you when he heard you sing. Dana… Dana…
Phantom/Max: You will curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you! Gooooo!
And with the phantom's last shout of "Go!" the chandelier came crashing down at Christine's feet. Her thoughts were so otherwise pre-occupied, she never stopped to take note of Johnny's reaction.
Dana wiped a tear from her eye. The song had said all of the things Dana thought of when she thought of Johnny. He was her freedom, her escape from the darkness of her life. He was also her guardian, and her "angel of music." She loved him, and all she wanted from him was his love in return. That was all she asked of him. The phantom's words struck her also. He was displaying definite signs of jealousy, and Max had been a very jealous boyfriend.
"Wow! Dana that was really good. I'm glad I could experience something like this with you. Now if I don't have any visions on my trip to the bathroom, this night will be perfect. Of course, I don't think even a vision could spoil this," he said.
"I'm very thankful that you took me tonight. This was the best birthday present anyone's ever given me," she replied with all sincerity.
"It's not over yet. We still have an entire act to go through."
"I know, but still I couldn't ask of a better way to spend my birthday, or a better person to spend it with. Thank you, Johnny. Thank you very much."