Friend or Phantom
I don't remember when he took me in but all I do remember is that he called me Angel of Music. I took that as my name going by Angel for short. I have lived under the Opera Populare with him forever it seemed. I wished that I could prove to him that I complete the Music of the Night. I wanted to perform on that stage forever but when my chance came it was gone. Thanks to that blond, Giry girl. She volunteered her friend Christine Daae for the roll. I was devastated. Father would not be pleased.
"Once again from the top." My father said for the sixth time in a row. I sang the notes he gave me on his organ again. He shook his head. "You need to let music caress you."
"I know father." I say.
"Now sing my Angel of Music." He commanded. I sang. Finally getting his approval he nods and gives me a hug.
"Father, will I complete the Music of the Night?" I ask.
"Yes my Angel. You will make my song take flight." He said as he puts away the sheet music we were looking at. I smile. My father is a genius. His music exceptional but he can get a very hot temper especially if it concerns his music.
"Night time sharpens heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs and wakes imagination. Silently the senses abandon their defenses..."
My father started to sing.
"Careless to resist the notes you write."
I continue.
"For I compose the Music of the Night."
He sang looking at his unfinished score. His eyes showed all the sadness of the world. With my pleading eyes I looked at him. He shook his head like the feelings he felt flew away. "Father? Are you okay?" I ask.
"I just feel alone." He replied.
"But father you have me. Your Angel of Music."
"Stay with me that is all I ask of you." He said pulling me into a hug again. "You need to rest. Time for bed." He led me to my big black bed. I lied down and he tucked me in. Even though I was about ten. "You alone can make my song take flight. Help me make the music of the night."
He sang as he lowered the dark lacy curtain around my bed.
I wake up in the lumpy cot of a bed I have with all the ballet girls. That is my only living memory of that masked man I called father. "Angel. Angel!" I hear Marisa say.
"Angel." said an echoey male voice.
"What was that Marisa?" I ask.
"What was what? Never mind we cannot be late to practice again or Madam Giry will skin us alive." She said. I quickly get my tutu on and lace up my shoes. We run to the practice room before Madam Giry noticed. I went to the practice bar to stretch. Christine Daae came over and said," hello Angel. How are you?"
"I'm good so far. I didn't sleep last night again." I say trusting her as my friend as always.
"The same memory? I hear you sing sometimes like you're in a trance. It's much better than me. It sounds like you have practiced for a long time. Is it the masked man? Did he teach you to sing like that?" Christine asked.
"That's my problem. I don't know who he is or what he is doing." I tell her," but I think I found something. I think he might be..." I say interrupted by Madam Giry.
"Girls do you have the new dance down?" She asks. I showed her perfectly. Christine missed a few steps and Madam Giry helps her. I kept practicing when I hear a scream of pain. Madam Giry goes over to the blond dancer on the floor. It is Meg Giry her daughter. "Mother I can't dance. I think I twisted my ankle. Let Christine have my part." Christine walks over and helps Meg up she shakes her head.
"No. Angel deserves it more." She said. Madam Giry nodded.
"Come here Angel." I quickly go to her and she starts to teach me the main dancer's steps. I did it. I get my chance but not the chance he is hoping for. I pretend I don't know anything of my past I see my father every night at supper. He teaches me everything. And before I leave for the night he kisses my forehead and hopes that I will get my part. "We will all be rehearsing with the singing cast today. Angel it is okay if you miss a few steps. You just learned the dance. As for the rest of you..." She said as I tuned her out. I quickly find a spot next to Christine. "Do you think I could get a chance at a lead singing role?" I whisper.
"You do have a chance." She said as Madame Giry led us out to the big stage. I heard Colotta singing or would I call it croaking.
"Welcome to a new production of Hannibal. Attention. Attention!" Said the manager," Rumors of my retirement are true here are the new owners of the Opera Populare." He said as he stepped out of the way. I saw two young men. One of them had light brown hair and the other black. The black haired one stepped forward and said, "my name is Fermain Zeal and this is my brother Andre Zeal." Fermain said bowing.
"Ahem." Ahemed the small voice of the lead tenor, Piangi.
"Ah yes this is Colotta Donichelli the lead soprano for nineteen seasons.
"Madam Colotta what a pleasure it is to meet you at last." Fermain said," I ask this as a favor will you sing the beautiful song called Think of Me in act three of this performance for me and my brother?"
"As my manager's command." She said, "Maestro." The music started to play.
"Think of me. Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye. Remember me once in a while please promise me you'll try. When you find that once again you long…"
She sang. A scream filled the air as a backdrop fell on top of Colotta.
"He's here the Phantom of the Opera."
The cast sang.
"Will you show some courtesy?" Fermain asked strictly. The chorus stepped back.
"Misuser Fermain!" Colotta yelled, "You have only been here six minutes and I was nearly killed." She and Piangi stormed out of the room leaving the Opera Populare behind.
"Andre what will we do now. We cannot cast for another Colotta Donichelli." Fermain said looking at his silent brother.
"Misuser I think I know someone who can sing this and her name is Christine Daae." Meg said.
"A chorus girl you cannot be serious."
"Let her sing. She is well taught." Madam Giry said. And Christine started to sing.
Think of me
Think of me fondly,
When we've said
Goodbye.
Remember me
Once in a while -
Please promise me
You'll try.
When you find
That, once
Again, you long
To take your heart back
And be free -
If you
Ever find
A moment,
Spare a thought
For me...
We never said
Our love
Was evergreen,
Or as unchanging
As the sea -
But if
You can still
Remember,
Stop and think
Of me...
Think of all the things
We've shared and seen -don't think about the things
Which might have been ...Think of me,
Think of me waking,
Silent and
Resigned.
Imagine me,
Trying too hard
To put you
From my mind.
Recall those days,
Look back
On all those times,
Think of the things we'll never do –
There will never be a day,
When I won't think of you...
On the night of the gala the Vicom De Chany was there and he remembered Christine from childhood so while she was singing he sang.
Can it be?
Can it be Christine?
What a change!
You're really
Not a bit
The gawkish girl
That once you were...
She may
Not remember
Me, but
I remember
Her ..."
Christine finished her song.
"We never said
Our love
Was evergreen,
Or as unchanging
As the sea -
But please
Promise me
That sometimes
You will think
Ah-ah-ah-ah-aaah-of me!"
The whole audience gave her a standing ovation. I went to my bed and cried. If my father heard that I will be replaced for sure. Thanks to Meg Giry my chance is gone. After everyone finishes I head to my father's lair down under the Opera.
Once I got to my father's lair I knew that he knew about Christine. He was humming Think of Me. "Father what are we singing today?" I ask.
"What have you been singing Angle of Music?" I knew I was in trouble and he wouldn't want to hear about ballet.
"I'm sorry Father. It was Meg Giry. She volunteered Christine Daae to sing before I could offer. So sorry Father." I confess.
"Sorry will not cut it. Now I must go. There is no practice tonight go get your supper." he said grabbing his black cloak and left the lair. I went over to my father's beautiful organ and pressed one of the keys. What is he going to do? He never cancels practice. I played from memory the song me and my father were working on. He called it the music of the night.
Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before
Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar
And you live as you've never lived before
Softly, deftly, music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it secretly possess you
Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind
In this darkness that you know you cannot fight
The darkness of the music of the night
Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world
Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before
Let your soul take you where you long to be
Only then can you belong to me.
I heard the boat poll scrape against the stone bottom of the shallow lake. Father is back. I quickly get up knocking over a candle while I was at it. soon as I looked back at my father in his little boat I saw a girl. this girl was in a white nightdress and had curly black hair and was singing. Christine.
Chapter 2