Chapter one
Life After Life
I awoke to the agreeable Parisian silence I had become accustomed to, and glanced to my left to check the time.
It was six O'clock in the evening.
Drawing the useless dark red blanket to my chest, I arose out of my bed and crept over to the covered window. With an elegant sweep of my pale, bony hand, I moved the curtains aside to peer into the world outside. The Sun was just disappearing out of view, and I pursed my lips in general dislike. The oncoming full moon made me shiver in anticipation. Although clearly stopped by two inches of glass, I felt about ready to float out to the ever attractive moon outside. Tracing it's beautiful figure with my fingers, I struggled to maintain control over the lucidly dark thoughts that tried to drown out the real world.
"Madam," I was drawn away from the hypnotic pull of the moon by my only servant's voice.
Sighing, I moved away from the window to face him, "Yes?"
"Its time to get ready, Madam," he said with his usual formality.
"I know, Geoffrey." I shuffled the hair that unceremoniously lay across my shoulders with my free hand, and with just one more glance at the inescapable beauty just outside my curtains, I said, "I shan't be late to tonight's performance."
He nodded and moved to the closet to fetch an appropriate gown whilst I made my way to the mirror.
Gazing upon myself for the billionth time, I let memory guide my hands while they fixed my hair into an elegant style atop my head.
With that being the only real task I had, I looked behind me to the gown my servant had selected. It was a dark red dress with a black lacy overlay. The sleeves were long, running down to my wrists, and the low cut neckline bordered scandalous. The dress itself was very seductive, however I was equipped with the mature body and mind to handle it. Only an older woman could handle it, and although I had many, many years upon this earth, I looked just about twenty. So, I tightened my corset, downed the gown made for a seductress such as myself, and draped a light shawl over my shoulders. I stepped into fitting black boots, perfectly unseen by the length of my dress, and took a final look into the mirror.
Other than looking like a borderline harlot, the only queer thing about my appearance was my eyes. I looked at the troubling pair, remembering when they had been a dark brown
Now they were a fiery shade of red.
Sighing, knowing there was no way to hide my off putting feature, I walked out of my chamber. Traveling down into the foyer, Geoffrey was waiting in his usual suit and fedora, his grey hair not visible from under the black hat, though the wrinkles in his face shown through more every day.
"Ready, Madam?"
"As ever," I replied with a smile.
He nodded, opening the door for me.
The beautiful dark carriage flattered my appearance as well as the two coal black steeds that anxiously awaited departure in front of it. Glancing upwards I felt my chest tighten from the unnerving pull of the moon.
"Shall we be off?" I pulled my gaze again away from Lady Luna and boarded the carriage. With a final nod to my servant, we were off towards the Opera Populaire.
The arts had always enticedme, whether it be music or art or poetry. With years of sometimes unbearable idleness, I looked to these things as welcome company, even devoting quite a lot of time to mastering singing and painting. What else would a refined woman do with a thousand years?
The Opera Populaire did not quite compare to the music houses I'd seen in Spain or Italy, neither the actors nor the sets were anything to brag about, but something else drew me back to the place time and time again. Perhaps it was the devastatingly tragic history of the building, or maybe I was just imagining it, but it felt as though the Opera Populaire wept alongside the deformed demon it once housed. Though who was I to call another demonic?
We pulled up to the building, many other carriages around us. However, when Geoffrey came around to let me out, quite a few couples stopped to watch me. Sudden, yet expected whispers arose as I was not unheard of in Paris.
"Mommy, who's the bootiful lady?" a little boy asked his mother.
"Shh, Samuel, that's Countess Marianna Avonna." She bowed her head as did several others as I passed them.
Inside the doors I had hardly to wait until a man led me to my private box. I had rented the box for the season, so everything was paid in full beforehand. The man unlocked the door and I sat awaiting the beginning of the opera.
...
As the Opera began I was interested, but honestly unimpressed with the two leads. Ever since the fire five years ago, the quality of the singers was just not the same. No sensable actor would work in this haunted place, and anyone who did come severly lacked talent. I began to view my purchase as a waste until the backdrop came crashing down in a sea of shock and panickridden screams. Even my breath caught in my throat as the picture of grey sea and storm almost hit the skinny blonde brunette who played Marguerite.
And the first thing spoken from the crowd was, "Phantom!"
I laughed, unsure of what exactly happened until I saw a figure clad in black disappear from the rafters. My smile widened, liking this strange human who dressed as a creature of the night. For some unearthly reason, I began to wonder about the Phantom of the Opera. Was he perhaps another one such as myself? It had been so long since I'd been in the presence of another...
But there was no way to find out- to view this Phantom up close and decide. However, I would not be tied by such easy terms in this instance; I had to know if he was like me.
So, I thought of how I could go about capturing the ghost's attention. Perhaps I could go back and hunt for him along the rafters? But he would not be there any longer. Never would the Phantom be caught at the scene of the crime.
The Opera had taken a short interval to set things back up and calm the prima donna. Currently the curtains were closed, and the orchestra was anxiously playing the overture to Faust.
Could I travel down under the Opera house? Down into his lair as the mob did once before?
A shiver drove the thought into the ground. I could not be so far from my precious moon- at least not tonight. But my curiosity was making me insane. I needed to know, even if it meant agonizing pain from not being under the moonlight. Even now in this stuffy opera box, I was beginning to-
Of course. The opera box. His opera box! How come I never thought of it before? I rose from my seat in box four, staring across the way at the unoccupied box five
I went over to my door and exited quietly. Making no noise, I walked down the long expanse of red carpets and gold carved walls. Past the elegant staircase and into an identical hallway until I reached the forbidden box five.
My heart swelled, anticipation making me almost nervous - and I had not seen that emotion in many years.
Putting hand on the doorknob, I was not shocked to find it locked. Most likely to avoid curious children...such as I.
Fretting not, I placed my fingertips on the tiny keyhole, hearing the pins inside jolt upwards. I proceeded to turn the handle again, not too impressed with the power I was so accustomed to, and stepped inside the Phantom's box.
I was surprised to find only one seat all the way to the front right, so it was half covered by a thick red curtain. For his own privacy, I presumed. I walked to the plush, red velvet seat, and lowered myself to sit. Moments passed, I wondered if he would show at all.
Then, to the back left of the box, a secret door opened. I could hear the quiet hinges with my acute hearing. The door closed just as silently, and I heard the inaudible squeak his leather gloves made as he collapsed them into tight fists.
So, half expecting to be strangled, I waited for his move in anticipation.
I had not to wait a second as the first thing out of his mouth was a horrible snarl, "What are you doing inside my box?" Sensing the darkness and coldness that radiated off of him, it was no surprise I was expecting another pair of red eyes as I turned around.
However, what bore into mine were two glowing, golden orbs. They widened in shock at my own pair, and I narrowed mine in disappointment.
"Pardon me, monsieur. I was looking for..." I inwardly signed, annoyed by this whole situation, "I must have been mistaken. It is my fault." I stood.
His eyes warily followed my movements, taking in my appearance as well as my haunting red eyes.
He was very suspecious of me, "How did you get in here, the door was locked,"
This man was very perceptive. Although he was not the creature of the night I was expecting, he was still the infamous Opera Ghost.
I battered my eyes and spoke in a hypnotic tone, "Someone must have left it unlocked then."
His eyes glazed over, but only for a moment. He then grew quite angry, "That door had been locked for five years, Mademoiselle! I suppose you are just a dirty peasant, trying to disperse your curiosity by viewing the Opera Ghost! Leave now you filthy rat!"
I glared, not liking the blantant disrespect I was receiving. Phantom or not, had he any idea with whom he was speaking?
"Excuse me, Sir, but I am Countess Marianna Avanna, and I will not tolerate the way you are speaking to me. You are nothing more than a cowardly fool of a human, hiding away in the shadows to escape the sunlight you have been graciously blessed with. You're not a Phantom! You re but a fake, manipulating others in the darkness!" Perhaps my anger was lit by my disappointment, but my station would not be disrespected. I worked hard in my early years to build up my fortune, to be granted the title of Countess! He had no right to speak to me so!
His eyes flared, and for a moment I was reminded of a snake's eyes, more fake yellow than precious gold. And then he pounced, dragging me away from the edge to the dark shadows in the back of the box. His hands found their way to my neck, but the piercing cold they radiated threw him off for a moment. I was able to push him off of me, my steel grip tightening on his own neck. I lifted him off the ground and fought against my better judgement to sink into his flesh at once.
I could feel the blood pumping up and down in his veins. Pushing down the primal urges, just as much for the want to be civilized as for the lack of privacy such an act required, I submited to throwing him across the box. He landed ruffly, and I scowled in distaste.
The sound caused heads to turn upwards towards box five, but we were concealed in the darkness.
Whisperingly harshly, I felt nothing but disdain for the Phantom, "You disgusting swine, I hope the world is never again forced to look upon such a horrid face."
I turned to leave, but with an aggravated huff I scowled and said, "And to think, I thought you a powerful creature of the night!"
He turned once, his eyes wide with both fury and curiosity.
I slammed the door behind me, the lock setting back into place with my departure.
Rushing down the grand staircase, I climbed aboared my carriage with haste. The demon inside of me had been awoken, and was ready for the hunt. I was not prepared to deny her after the disappointment that man had provided. I hoped to never see him again, if only he was hanging from a noose.