Chapter One: The Dead of Night
** It was night when I arrived, quiet, serene. Nightingales whistled in the trees whilst insects of varying breeds and types hummed in the thick brush that surrounded the dusty road. The moon was waxing and hid behind a thin veil of clouds, also keeping the stars away from us; due to the lack of light I could barely see my brother who sat no more than four inches from me! His breathing was light, however and he didn't make a movement in a while, so, I figured he'd fallen asleep; I would've too if I'd made this trip twice! To go all the way to America, take a train to the station to your childhood home, get your sister, go back to the train station, to the docks, take a boat over to France, and then drive a few hours to the middle of Paris?
I'd be exhausted!
All of a sudden the hatch from which the driver and I communicated lifted and the driver smiled to me. "Mademoiselle, that is Paris" he said, pointing forwards, I hurried close to the window and opened it up, hanging my head out to see a city of lights! I gasped in awe, I had never seen anything so bright! Not even the sun had a chance of touching this beautiful city's sparkling illumination! I fell back inside of the carriage and grasped Jack's arm, shaking him violently until his eyes looked into mine.
"What, what's wrong?!" He asked urgently as he grasped my shoulders, to stop me from shaking him. I grinned and nearly squealed in joy.
"We're here! We're really here! Paris, it's right there!" I cried, grasping his hand and yanking him over to the window. He smiled tiredly and shook his head; patting my back and scooting away from me, leaning his head back.
"Isn't it wonderful?" I asked breathlessly.
"Um hmm, truly awe-inspiring." He replied, I turned slowly to see that his hat was pulled down over his eyes; I shook my head and slapped the hat up, he cried out. "What was that for?" He asked retrieving his hat in a huff.
"You didn't look at all!" I cried, and he sighed, the bags beneath his eyes were clearly visible.
"Junie, you forget that I live here! I see it's grandeur all the time; it's nothing new to me." He replied, I sighed and turned back to the window, the city was so close now! So close, I could touch it! The Eiffel Tower shone like a beacon for all creative souls to gather 'round, and the amount of restaurants here, my goodness! I could find a job in no time!
"I get to work here, I get to live here...oh, my god." I whispered, watching heat lines form around my hands which were hard pressed against the window. I spotted a place named Hotel Dieu as we drove on, entering the city ever more, and remembered, where was I to stay? "Jack?" I asked, he grunted in response. "Where did you get me rooms to?" I asked, turning from the window again.
"Oh! That's what I forgot to tell you!" He cried, chuckling. "Your rooms and job are combined."
"Oh, wonderful! Is it like one of those pub places where you live above the restaurant?" I asked excitedly.
"Kinda"
** I stepped out of the carriage and my jaw, almost immediately, slammed to the ground. The only words which I may use to correctly describe the façade of this building are: ginormous, immensely detailed, and heavenly. The building was huge and a green dome sat atop it, along with two angel statues on both the left and right side of the building; there was also a statue of Apollo's Lyre sitting on the top of the dome! Seven windows sat, closed in the middle of the building, two columns on either side of each window; and a miniature angel statue above the window. Below the windows were small balconies; below the balconies were seven, circular archways which were, indeed, thresholds!
All of the doors were closed and the lacquer which they were painted with gleamed against the golden light of the street lamps. My heart beat quickened at the sight of this building, so imposing! So grand, so big! I grew up in a small town, with small buildings and small places, to think that such a feat as this place could be even thought of being built boggled my mind. "J-Jack, a-are we a-at the right p-place?"
I asked as he helped unload my luggage. He turned for but a second and glanced at the building, lifting my third, and final, suitcase down from the carriage. "Yep, this is it. The Palais Garnier, it's an opera house, it just lost its cook and I saw the position for one, showed the managers your resume, and they at once accepted you." He replied, picking up all three of my suitcases.
"Oh, I can-"
"No, no, you need to soak it all in, you only have these few hours to. The managers wanted to put you to work, at once. Of course, they understand you don't speak French, they're very fluent in English, as well as many other languages, so, you don't have to worry about that." He said as we began to walk, slowly, towards the building.
"Thank you, Jack" I whispered, still stunned by the building. He chuckled as we approached the door.
"No problem, Junie, just know, you owe me." He replied, knocking on the door with one of my suitcases. The door was opened by a short girl; she held a small duster and wore a light blue outfit. At seeing Jack, the petite girl beamed and her cheeks at once filled with blushes; her skin was blemishless ebony and her hair was as black as a raven's feather, her eyes were that of the night sky and her teeth were the stars. Her hair was in a fat braid that laid limply on her left shoulder and she caressed the door as she spoke to Jack, in French.
She giggled at one point and stuck her hand out to me, speaking French to me, I took up her hand and smiled, nodding and shaking her hand; I don't believe Jack's ever laughed so hard in his life! The only word I could detect he said in his next sentence was the word 'English' and 'no'. The girl laughed too and again shook my hand. "I'm terribly sorry, mademoiselle! I had not the idea that you didn't speak French! Oh, wow, anyways, I am Josette Manon, a servant here at the Palais Garnier; and you are?" She asked, our hands still shaking.
"June Marie Benoît; I-I'm a cook" I replied shakily, I wasn't good at meeting new people. Josette laughed and smiled, she could feel my trembling.
"Are you nervous?" She asked and I nodded quickly, Jack smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Why?"
"...Well, everything's happened in a matter of a few days and...it's so overwhelming. A-And, I'm not good at meeting people.." I replied and she smiled comfortingly, holding my hand in her own.
"Don't worry, I'll introduce you to people, okay? Perfect! So, Mademoiselle June, what do you fancy to cook?" She asked, slowly leading me inside of the large building.
"Well, I, I'm licensed for cooking, well, everything, but I fancy cooking pastries and sweets." I replied, she nodded and smiled before breaking eye contact with me, and I saw it. It was a staircase, the size of my house! There were two, golden, topless women holding candelabras on either side at the bottom of the staircase, then, up the marble staircase you went and you landed on a large platform, on either side of the platform were two mini staircases leading off from that; all around, on every wall, there were three levels of balconies and on each balcony was a large, golden candelabra fitted with many, many candles. On the ceiling was the dome, but, there was also a large mural using muted colours of reds and golds and blues depicting angels and heavenly beings of that sort.
On every side of each box there were two, fat columns. Beneath the archways of the stairs was another set of stairs, leading downwards, Jack told me that those led to beneath the stage. However, Jack pulled me up the stairs, where, beyond the platform, there was yet another threshold, this threshold however, lead to the amphitheater. I, dreamily, walked towards the threshold, but, Josette giggled and pulled me away. "This way, silly" she said, still smiling; Jack waddled behind us with my luggage. Josette pulled me up the right stairs.
"W-Where are we going?" I asked as people in strange costumes passed us.
"To find the managers, of course! We must let them know of your arrival so we can get the keys to your room" she explained and I paused; gasping.
"Y-You mean I get to live here!?" I cried excitedly, Jack rolled his eyes.
"I told you that already, Junie." Said he, and then I remembered, I shook my head and smiled; I couldn't believe it! To go from living in a small, one story home to live in this grand opera house? Oh, what a change, indeed!
"Come now, Mademoiselle June, you need somewhere to sleep tonight!" Josette cried, giggling afterwards and continuing to pull me along behind her.
** The managers weren't in their office, so, Josette went to go find them, leaving Jack and I together, standing by their office door. Jack set down all of my luggage and sat on a suitcase, sighing; Jack also worked here, at the Palais Garnier, he was, as he described it 'Co-Head Chef'. I sat down, beside Jack, on another one of my suitcases and looked over at him, he wore an evening suit, I had never noticed that; his brunette hair was slicked back by use of gel and his chocolate colored eyes scanned the scene before us. I sighed and turned away, apparently, a show had ended not even an hour ago! Little ballerinas were running around, doing twirls and giggling with one another whilst people in costume calmly walked back to their dressing rooms; I couldn't do what they did, be up on stage, I mean.
I got stage fright so terribly easily, and to mention that my voice sounded worse than the screech of a dying chicken would surely keep me out of the limelight forever.
Jack sighed and stood, straightening his coat. "I'll be back in a few moments, there's someone I need to talk to, don't go anywhere, okay? Do you want anything to drink or eat?" He asked and I thought for a moment.
"Tea, please" I replied, he nodded and left me alone with my luggage. I sighed and began playing with my dress, it was purple with purple, lace frillies and turquoise designs; I had gotten many compliments on it today. People said it complimented my eyes, and I would only giggle inwardly, my eyes were green, bright green! Pray tell how bright green compliments purple and turquoise, for I have not the answer! I figured they were just attempting to be amiable.
All of a sudden I was grasped by the arm and yanked up, at once I was faced with two aging men, the one that grasped me procured a curly, grey mustache and curly, grey hair which was somewhat hidden by a black top hat. He wore a black evening suit and black tie, paired with black shoes and a white shirt; his skin was pale, and yet his lips were bright red. The man behind this man was aging all the same, yet, he held a bit of color in his hair, a bit of black peeked through his grey hairs and his eyes shined blue, the man behind the man who held my arm was considerably shorter than the man that he traveled with, but, wore the same attire. The man who held me asked me something in French, and, I hesitated for a moment before answering. "J-J-Je ne sais p-pas Français" I replied, Jack taught me that sentence in case anything like this happened.
The two men smiled to me and the one holding my arm at once let go. "Do you speak English?" The man behind the man who once held me asked, I nodded quickly.
"Yes, monsieur"
"Good" He replied, then, he gasped at seeing my luggage. "Oh, we've got to get you ready! We've got to get you your room and then a script and music...there is not the time to waste, my dear!" The man cried, taking up my luggage whist the other man nodded and grasped a suitcase of mine, fishing out keys from his pocket and pushing me forwards.
"A-A script? Music? Ever for what, monsieur?" I asked as I was being pushed forwards, sneaking peeks back at the man as I was being ran.
"For your debut, my dear!" He man cried, struggling with my luggage.
"My debut?" I asked beneath my breath.
"Your debut!" The man behind me cried, pushing me to a door and quickly opening it, pushing me inside as the man carrying my luggage threw it on a couch beside me. For a moment, we all stood and breathed, then, a small man wearing an evening suit hurried into the room. "Oh, good, Jacques! We need music sheets and the script to 'La Orfeo' for Mademoiselle Daae" the man said and I paused.
"Wait, wait, monsieur! What did you just say?" I asked, walking forwards.
"I told my assistant, Jacques, to get you the music sheets and script to 'La Orfeo', my dear." He replied, a bit befuddled.
"No, no, not that, monsieur. What did you call me?"
"Your name, Mademoiselle Daae." He replied and I smiled, laughing a little.
"Monsieur, you must be confused. I'm not Mademoiselle Daae, I'm June Benoît, the new chef." I clarified, and yet, the man talking to Jacques narrowed his eyes suspiciously at me.
"You're not Mademoiselle Alexandria Daae?" He asked and I nodded. "You're totally sure?" He asked, I smiled.
"Impossibly sure, monsieur." I replied, smiling. The two men burst out laughing and sighed.
"I'm so terribly sorry for the confusion, Mademoiselle Benoît, let us go back and get you a room, oui?" He asked and I nodded. "Jacques, her luggage." The man said and the small man named Jacques lifted my luggage from the couch and followed us slowly, back to the manager's office.
** I found that the managers were Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur Moncharmin, the tall one was Moncharmin and the shorter one that got me confused was Monsieur Firmin; they were quite comical and enjoyed playing pranks upon one another. When we neared their office I heard a gasp and looked up to see Jack coming at me, full speed. "Where did you go? What happened? Did she get into something?"
He asked, pulling me into his arms, looking to the managers, Monsieur Firmin laughed. "Non, non, Jack, it was actually my fault; I mistook her for our newest soprano and nearly rushed her out to the stage!" He cried, laughing; Jack smiled.
"Thank goodness you didn't, the Palais Garnier's reputation would be in shambles, had you!" He cried and I hit his arm, playfully. All of the men, even Jacques, began to laugh; I looked around, Josette was nowhere to be seen!
"Where's Josette?" I asked as Jack allowed me freedom.
"Talking to her ballerina friends about tonight's show." Jack replied and I nodded, for a while the three men, Firmin, Moncharmin, and Jack spoke of different things, mostly of the recent horse races. Jacques and I sat on my luggage; he and I spoke about America for a while, I found that his parents lived in America for a while before moving back to Paris and rearing him. Jacques carried electric blonde hair with blue eyes and small glasses sat quaintly upon his nose; his eyes were an icy blue, but, he had a sassy personality, which I found hilarious. He was very quick witted, which, ultimately, he said made up for what he lost in height; for he only measured up to my chin!
And, I'm quite vertically challenged myself!
After a while I began to nod off, and, finally, I believe I fell asleep on Jacque's shoulder!