Le fantôme de l'Opérarance
Paris, 1888
The cool breeze blew the satin curtain. Meg sat up in bed, the sound of her sister's gentle breath was the only sound in the room. With a toss of her long dark curls, Meg crawled from her bed. Her big blue eyes drift around the room, taking it all in. From the large bed she shared with Anna that was covered in a sheer canopy, to the large mirror on the wall, to the maroon walls. Meg, the daughter of Christine and Rauol, the vicomte de Chagny, was studying in the Opera Populaire with her twin sister, learning to use her booming soprano voice.
Meg slipped over to the mirror. Something about it captivated her, and she could not tell what. She stared harder, listening to the silent night. There is was again! She turned around, trying to pin point where the music was coming from. It was deep and dark, incanting. Meg again turned to the mirror. It was coming from there! She leaned her forehead against the cool glass, unable to see anything. There had to be some explanation!
Unable to find anything, Meg crawled back into bed. Still she could not sleep, but let her mind drift to the last few years. Ever since her papa had bought the Opera, life had seemed so much busier. Before he owned the opera, they had lived in his huge rolling Paris mansion, happy with her mother who would sing the girls to bed. Then, he restored the great building, fixed it all up, and again had it running. Anna and Meg were then sent to live in the dormitory, with the rest of the dance girls. Though their father had restored Christine's room for them to share.
Meg at last closed her eyes, slipping into a dream, and a lullaby of a mysterious singer lead her into the land of dreams.
Anna gently shook her sister, but Meg was completely out of it.
"Please wake up Meg!" she whispered shaking her harder. Meg's eyes fluttered open.
"What?" she rubbed her eyes, looked up at Anna.
"Madame Giry is going to eat us alive if we are late, again!" Anna crawled off the bed, and walked gracefully to the mirror, where she finished pulling up her gloriously thick brown hair.
"Well, pooh on Madame Giry!" Meg grumbled, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. "I don't care what she thinks!"
Anna glanced at her twin, "You might not care what Madame Giry thinks, but you do care what papa says!"
Meg bit her lip, while pulling her simple gray gown on. "You're right, of course, but still! Don't you think that six o'clock is a bit early for breakfast?" Meg walked over to her sister, brushing her own hair.
The two were almost identical, and if you did not know the difference between them, one would think they were one in the same. But Meg was a little taller then Anna, with blue eyes; Anna had green. Meg's hair was a shade or two lighter; Anna's was richer and thicker. Meg was a better dancer; Anna a better singer. But both girls were beautiful, and both had a spark of adventure.
"Are you ready to go?" Anna asked, taking her shawl from the desk.
"Oui, I guess." Meg replied, following her sister out of their room. They were so familiar with the opera house, that they could quickly get from room to room.
"Meg, do you think that the Phantom is real?" Anna linked arms with her sister, Meg turned to look at her twin.
"What?" Meg's blue eyes flickered with some emotion that Anna could not read. "Why do you ask?"
Anna shrugged her fragile shoulders, "I don't know. It's just that we hear so many stories, and mama and papa and madam Giry all avoid the subject."
Meg thought a moment. "I think it is true. I mean, no one could make up such a romantic and daring story about mama. I mean, it's mama!"
Anna shrugged again. "That's what I think too!"
The two stopped at a room in the west wing. Dance girls were already tying on their shoes, and chorus girls were warming up.
"Your late!" A pretty girl whispered, as Meg bent down to put on her shoes.
"I know, I know!" she whispered back, looking at Nicole De Arcy. "I…." Anna cut off Meg
"Meg was sleeping in late, again!"
Nicole smiled prettily. "I see." She looked from sister to sister, "You know, you've been doing that a lot lately, Meg."
Meg glanced down, trying not to think of the phantom voice she heard at night, "Yes, I know." She whispered. She glanced up at Nicole, and then Anna. "I shall try to stop." Anna nodded, and went to get a drink, as Nicole placed her hand on Meg's arm.
"Are you alright, Meg?" She asked kindly. Meg nodded, not daring to tell even her best friend the truth about the music at night. Nicole looked at her, "All right, so long as your sure."
"Yes, I am, thank you." Meg smiled. "Don't worry about me, just get your mind in practice today."
Nicole nodded, and rose to her feet. "As long as you say so."
"I do." Meg smiled. "Honest."