Another random story I came up with a while ago. Mainly took inspiration from the song "Learn to Be Lonely" from the movie version. I only own my original characters.
She walked into the old, abandoned Opera House and could see the remains of what was once a lively and happy place. Her father had just acquired the building from a distant relative who had passed. There wasn't a lot of structural damage—unlike at another well-known Opera House—just a lot of dust and dirt; things that came with a building that sat too long. "Well, it's going to take some time to get this back into a suitable condition. I'm not sure who will want to attend an Opera House so soon after that horrific accident." Her father sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm sure in time, Papa, people will forget about that." She tried to provide some comfort to the only family she had left. A horrible fire had taken the lives of her mother and younger sister and had left her with scars covering the right side of her body. She had been lucky—or so the doctors had said—that her face had not been touched nor were the burns severe. After the fire—after the burns healed—she kept to herself. There was no chance in her marrying now—not now that she was ugly.
"If we're going to test that theory of yours, we best get to work." He smiled at her. Even though they'd lost a lot in the fire three years ago, they, at least, still had each other. Though he knew Alexandra struggled with the scars and her appearance, he couldn't help but marvel at her positive outlook on life at times. She smiled back at him and they got to work cleaning the Opera House.
-a few months later, in the catacombs beneath the Opera House-
His life had been miserable this past year—or however long it had been, he wasn't so sure anymore. He'd managed to escape the city and take refuge in an abandoned Opera House. Here he would not be disturbed… or so he thought.
"Papa, what about these passage ways? I don't think they lead anywhere other than to the catacombs below." A female voice echoed down to him.
"Leave them for now, Alexandra. The stage will take more time so we need to get started on that." A man's voice answered the first. The Phantom decided to find out who was in the Opera House. He ascended through a hidden passage way and up to the rigging behind the stage. He watched as a young woman carried a bucket of water up onto the stage.
"We've made good progress, Papa." She looked out over the seats. They'd been cleaned, the Phantom noticed for the first time… How long had it been since he'd been up here though?
"That we have, my angel." An older man stretched and walked to stand beside the woman. "Before you know it, we'll be able to start finding Opera singers who will be willing to put on a show."
"What show, Papa? Don't we need someone who can write an Opera first?" Alexandra turned her back to the seats and focused on the stage. "I can picture how this placed looked when it was in use. I bet it was amazing." She laughed.
"That's the first time I've heard you laugh since…" The man's sentence trailed off and the woman's laughter died. The Phantom found himself wondering what the man was about to say. "We should get back to work."
"Of course, Papa." The Phantom watched as the two swept and scrubbed the stage. He watched as they finished. "What about these old curtains? What should we do with them?"
"We'll have to get them down in order to clean them properly." The man stood looking at the dusty red curtains and sighed. "I'm much too old to climb onto to those riggings."
"I'll do it, Papa, but not today. I'm too tired, I might lose balance." When Alexandra looked up to the riggings her eyes locked with the Phantom's. Locked in his gaze, she barely heard her father's response. The Phantom struggled to break the gaze but he tore his eyes from hers and darted back into the darkness.
"Come along, Alexandra, it's time for supper." Alexandra mindlessly followed her father-too distracted to focus on anything but the brown eyes that had seemed to pierce her soul. The man had disappeared into the darkness so fast that it seemed like he had just vanished into thin air. "Watch where you're going, my angel." Her father's voice alerted her to the fact that she'd almost walked directly into a wall. "What is with you?"
"I'm sorry, I must just be more tried than I thought." She wasn't about to tell her father of the "ghost" she'd just seen. It was best to keep that to herself for the time being.
"We'll take tomorrow off. I need to get some supplies from the store but you can stay here and rest." Alexandra nodded. They ate in relative silence, which left a lot of time to think about the mysterious stranger.
"Good night, Papa."
"Good night, my little angel. I probably won't be here for breakfast and won't be home till late." He kissed her forehead and they headed to bed.
The next morning, Alexandra woke late and fixed a light breakfast. She headed into the damp passage ways to explore a little more of the Opera House. Rats scurried ahead but they didn't bother her. She thought she heard music but shook her head. "It's just my mind playing tricks on me." She came to a doorway. Carefully, she opened the door and found what looked to be a small chapel. Candles, covered in layers of dust and attached by cobwebs, sat forgotten in their holders. There were no names, no pictures to give her any clues as to the former owners of the Opera House. She turned around to head back into the passage way when she swore she saw movement to her right. She gasped as the mysterious stranger lurked in the shadows.
"You..." His voice was low and in one word she understood the warning in his tone. "You shouldn't be here." He growled.
"I have every right to be here. My father owns this Opera House; you are the one who shouldn't be here!" Alexandra knew she'd crossed a line when anger flared in his eyes. She knew he could kill her at any moment, yet it wasn't fear that made her look away. Something in his eyes had touched her. She lifted her gaze to meet his once more. Anger still burned in his eyes, but she felt herself take a step forward. "No one knows you're here." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I won't tell anyone that you're here... just, please don't cause trouble for my father." Tears stung her eyes but before she let them flow she hurried out of the room and back to the safety of the main part of the Opera House.
"...just, please don't cause trouble for my father." Her voice echoed in his mind. She had been frightened of him that he was sure of. When she lifted her eyes to face him again it wasn't fear he saw... it was almost as if she understood his loneliness. That was impossible though, she had someone who loved her, besides, she was beautiful. The Phantom believed that the girl would likely never feel a lonely day for the rest of her life.
Child of the wilderness
Born into emptiness
Learn to be lonely
Learn to find your way in darkness
A voice drew the Phantom to the roof of the Opera House. He stood out of sight and listened to the song.
Who will be there for you
Comfort and care for you
Learn to be lonely
Learn to be your one companion
Anger burned in him as he listened to the words; words that were seemingly talking about him.
Never dreamed out in the world
There are arms to hold you
You've always known, your heart was on its own
The sadness in the voice broke through the Phantom's anger. He then began to realize the voice wasn't talking about him...
So laugh in your loneliness
Child of the wilderness
Learn to be lonely
Learn how to love life that is lived alone.
Learn to be lonely
Life can be lived, life can be loved alone
The voice grew quiet; broken by utter sadness in the last line of the song. Though curiosity made him want to know who was singing, he disappeared back into the darkness instead. He was sure he would hear that voice again.
Alexandra had found her way to the roof after fleeing from the dark, forgotten chapel. She managed to find a sturdy box and emotions were released. She thought about her life before the fire. They'd been happy; she'd been happy. She had been courted by a nice man; someone her father had approved of and someone she thought loved her for her. He had come to see her in the hospital only once... he had taken one look at the burns that hadn't healed yet and broke her already fragile heart.
"That fire took more than my mother and my sister. It had taken my one chance of love. Now no one will want me. I am no longer the beauty I once was." Tears poured down her cheeks as she began to sing a song she'd written shortly after the fire. It was something she kept telling herself; be happy just to be alive. Be happy and learn to live and love a life that will forever be lonely.
"Alexandra..." Her name came as if the wind had spoken. Startled and chilled, she retreated back into the Opera House.