I would like to thank my to reviewers! I really appreciate it .

MetalMyersJason: Thank you very much . I am trying to make an effort with my spelling mistakes but as English isn't my native language I have several difficulties ... :-p

MJ MOD : Yes it is a Leroux Erik... but who said it was Raoul who murdered him? ; )

Disclamer : I do not own leroux characters blahblah ; title of this chapter is a Nightwish song.

Chapter 1

Dead To The World

"Je ne te quitterai point que je ne t'aie vu pendu." Molière

Erik Destler found dead in the Seine

The world-famous architect Erik Destler was found dead with a gunshot wound in the river Seine. He had been missing for a week before he was discovered by a tourist who was having his morning walk. " It was like a horror film.… I saw the body floating towards me. I didn't know what to do." declares the 38 year-old Ubaldo Piangi. Mr Destler's face has always remained unknown to us . He was described as wearing a mask. The detective Nadir Khan only said " I do not see the point in describing what was beneath the mask. The only person we want to unmask is the murderer."

Christine looked up from the newspaper as she heard someone knocking on her door.

"Come in. It's open" she called out. A young man with sandy hair entered in her small apartment. His blue eyes were sparkling with joy when he gazed upon his girlfriend.

"Raoul!" she exclaimed, a wide grin spreading on her face " You're back from London! Why didn't you call me?" She pouted when she watched him laugh at her .

" I wanted to surprise you. And I think I did a good job " he declared eyeing her. Christine gave him a confused look and then blushed realising she was still in her night-dress with a bottle of milk in her hand and the paper in the other. She freed her hands to tidy her golden tousled hair .

"Oh Raoul you could have warned me" she whined. He smiled and went towards her , taking her in his arms.

"You look still gorgeous darling " he whispered in her ear. Christine giggled as she closed the fridge that had remained open.

" I'll go and get dressed" She left Raoul and skipped to the bathroom when his phone rang.


Philippe De Chagny slammed the newspaper on his desk. Damn it he thought How could he have forgotten to tie something heavy to keep the corpse in the waters ? He massaged his temples feeling a new headache coming. He got up and went towards his small bar to pour himself a glass of water. The ringing of his phone interrupted him. He went back to his desk , cursing to himself before he answered:

"Yes?"

"Mr De Chagny . Your brother is here, as you asked." Replied Miss Gudicelli , his secretary.

" Send him in then"

A few minutes later Raoul came in , with a frown on his face.

"I hope you've got good reason to bring me here. I just came back from England and I was hoping to spend my day with Christine"

Philippe looked at him .

"I do hope your not planning on making her your wife Raoul. She would be a disgrace to the family." He sneered

" Mind your own business. I don't give a fuck about what you self-centred bastard think of her. She's perfect . Did you bring me here so I could listen to you insulting her?" Raoul spat , his arms folded across his chest.

Philippe sighed and took a sip of water.

" I've got a new job for you. An important client . His name is Mr Dujardin." He declared ignoring his fuming brother

" Mr Dujardin… The one that lives at Marseilles?" Raoul asked " When must I go down to the south of France?"

" Tomorrow"

" What?" Raoul cried " No way! I'm not going! What about Christine? Philippe I haven't seen her properly for two months now. I can't keep coming and going. Can't you send someone else?"

"No. He's very important Raoul. I don't want this contract to be messed up." He replied sternly watching the glass of water that he held in his hand. Raoul looked at him in disbelief then stormed out making sure to slam the door and scream unmannerly words .

"I'll send you his address." Philippe cried out with a smile playing on his face even though his brother was already far away.


Christine looked at her reflection one last time, smiling to herself. The dark blue dress clung on her small frame bringing out her sapphire eyes. Tonight might finally be the night she had waited for so long. He had invited her to the most romantic restaurant in the city. The most romantic and the most expensive. She sighed softly and was about to sit on the couch when the door flew open.

" Christine!" cried out a black haired young women.

" I came as soon as I heard your message." She continued " I can't believe that tonight may be the night…" she stopped when she saw her best friend , her mouth wide open.

" Christ Christine. You're gorgeous!" she exclaimed.

" Why Meg. I'm fine thank you. Nice to see you too." Christine said with a laugh as she embraced her friend.

"I do hope he proposes." Whispered Meg "You have now been together for six years."

'I hope so too." She sighed

They smiled at each other when they heard the door bell ringing for waiting at the door was Raoul De Chagny.

The food was delicious, the service excellent and the music exquisite. Christine walked down the Champs-Elysée hand in hands with Raoul, her mind focused on the marvellous evening she had just spent.

"Christine. Did you enjoy the restaurant?" he asked as he looked at the black sky above them.

" Oh yes! Everything was just perfect Raoul" She exclaimed with a broad smile.

Raoul stopped and turned to face her taking her delicate hands in his.

"Christine there's something I've got to tell you." He said softly as his eyes gazed into hers.

This is it! She thought. He's proposing!


If you asked the neighbours , they would all tell you that Joseph Buquet was a very lonely man, keeping everything to himself. He was single but was often seen in company of different women. Whores , they presumed. He was only seen coming out of his dirty flat when the clock stuck midnight to have a walk in the filthy streets nearby.

That night Joseph had decided to stay inside and watch a horror film. The sight of blood on his screen would make anybody look away in disgust , but not Joseph. He followed the picture with a grin, drinking his beer and eating chips as people screamed for their lives.

" Look behind ya !" he shouted when the blonde heroine on the television was trying to escape from the assassin. The murderer laughed to signal his presence, making the young woman shriek.

" Ya call that a laugh? It wouldn't even scare a mice!" he shouted out before throwing his empty can towards the television set, turning it off . A soft chuckle resonated in the silent apartment. Joseph froze in alarm and looked around him. Seeing no one , he shrugged it off and continued eating big handfuls of chips .

Didn't your mother tell you that big mouthfuls often choke?

The last thing Joseph saw was white mask.