Dedicated to Nicki, Anita, Marissa, Christine, and Kira. You guys all rock!
Young Meg Giry wandered the Phantom's lair, looking for any sign of Christine, Raoul, or the treacherous man who was the Phantom. She saw many cracked mirrors, and a mannequin in the likeness of her friend, Miss Christine Daae.
Poor Meg didn't know where her friend had gone. She felt alone in this tortured place. An evil aura hung around it, and the rancid water burned her nostrils. As she looked around, something caught her eye.
It was a white mask, designed to cover half the face. Meg recognized this mask at once. It belonged to the Phantom of the Opera! Since Meg was a young girl, her mother had told her stories of this evil man. But strangely, her mother seemed to have no fear or hate of the man. She talked about him like he was a genius, living a tortured life in the catacombs of the Opera with no friends.
Meg had often asked her mother why he had no friends. The answer was always the same. "He was born different. He looked strange, and people would tease him to hide their horror. Poor Erik, for that is his true name, is very sensitive to these harsh words. He hides his face with a half-mask, and lives by himself. He does not know the meaning of words such as friendship or love."
Meg would often wonder if she would ever meet this poor man. She could make friends with him. She envisioned long afternoons teaching him what it meant to live. Teaching him what it meant to be loved. She would help him. But she never got the chance. She never saw the tortured soul anywhere but her mind.
Eventually, strange things began to occur. Meg's mother would begin to mutter, and Meg would ask her what was wrong. Her mother would just shake her head and say, "Poor Erik. Poor, poor Erik." Meg soon learned that the man from her childhood stories was evil and black at heart. He made terrible things happen. Meg's hopes turned to fear as she learned of his deeds. She learned from the other ballerinas what her mother would not tell her. And soon, her fear began to turn to the mainstream hate.
Meg would go along with the crowd. "Oh, no! It's the Phantom of the Opera again! What does he want this time? Why can't he just leave us alone? Oh, I do wish he would just go away!" Meg had uttered all of these cruel words, and many others. And of course, the Phantom heard every one.
Meg slowly picked up the mask that had brought back so many memories. She stared at it in awe, and it seemed to stare back. She wanted to put it on. She had to put it on. Carefully, slowly, she fit it onto her face. It felt just right. It was meant to be. But not now. No one could see her with that cursed mask on. It would cause chaos. She quickly took it off, and continued her search. She would take it back with her, and a whole new horror would awaken in the Opera Populaire.
Sorry it was so short! I just wanted to get the setting started! Do you like it? I think I'll continue with it.