Dans le Sommeil il m'a Chanté

by Trivinia

As soon as she got the chance, Ann was off to Paris. Her first stop: the Opera Garnier, the setting for her favorit novel. But as she fell headfirst through one of the many trapdoors, she would come to face something she'd only dreamt of.

1. Prelude

Dans le sommeil il m'a chanté

1. Prélude

Rubbing her eyes, Ann put down the battered book on her nightstand and reached to turn off the light. The cover caught her eye, it's ragged and pathetic paperback sheet bent over. She did not remember doing that. And she certainly did not remember writing on the inside.

Could it be...?

Her heart jumped as she recognized the handwriting, the poor scrawling in the red ink. She saw her name, in his unique way of writing.

"Mlle Bout,

As much as I dislike this novel, I know it is one of your favorites.

Its state is alarming. Look into your closet.

Yours,

O.G."

Ann lept up, the book falling to the floor. A rush of memories attacked her, the sound of a violin, the scent of musk. How she had pushed that time away from her thoughts. Forget it. It was a fevered dream.

But no. This proves it. That time was real. Her trip to the Opera Garnier, and the amazing ending to it. It had been so short. Too short.

She pulled on the closet door, not sure what to expect. She reached within, feeling for the chord of the light. There. She pulled hard, her heart hammering away within her chest. Light flooded the small enclosure.