Finally I reached the other bank of the lake, I hoped out of the gondola as it softly hit the shore. But, what I found when I looked up left me dumbfounded. It was a house. An actual house built right into the stone of the catacombs. But the house was made of brick; there was a red door with two bay windows on either side. I stood there staring at like an idiot until finally my brain decided to kick in again.

I didn't know what to do. I never expected to actually find anything. I considered leaving. Whatever or whoever was in that house never need know that I was here. I could leave now and go back to the hotel and my family. But now that I had found this place, I couldn't just leave without knowing. Was there really someone living down here? I had to know; my curiosity finally won out and walked up to the house knocking on the door.

I don't know what I expected. If it was the Opera Ghost living here I'm sure he wasn't used to having people walking up and knocking on his door. He'd probably kill just for something so simple. But, nothing happened no one came, no dark shadows coming swooping out to kill me. I just stood there. Finally, after a few minutes I realized I was being stupid, no one was coming. So, I lifted my hand to the door handle and pushed. To my surprise the door swung open to reveal a beautifully decorated foyer.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Why would he keep his door locked? Who would be stupid enough to come down here and try to get into his house? Apparently, I would.

I looked around myself one last time before slowly walking into the house. It was beautiful. There were dark hard wood floors and the walls were painted a tan/gold color. It was richly decorated with Persian rugs and tapestries. There were chandeliers and candelabras everywhere. In front of me was a beautiful staircase leading up to an open landing that split into two directions. Beyond the staircase lay what looked to be a dining room.

I walked farther into the house, leaving my backpack in the gondola and pushing the front door slightly so that it would close. To the right of the staircase lay and beautiful living room; the walls painted in a burgundy red with a brown couch and recliner. In front of the couch was a beautiful marble fireplace. To the left of the staircase was what looked to be a music room? A messy one at that, there was music sheets all over the room, along with all sorts of instruments, there was a beautiful organ against the far wall as well as a keyboard and a guitar, as well as instruments I had never even seen before.

Slowly I started to head up the stairs my hand gliding along the railing and my feet sinking into o the plush carpet. I couldn't help but think how perfect this house was, being inside you completely forgot that you were underground. When I reached the landing I looked to my left to see a black wooden door slight open. I walked over to it and pushed it open further to reveal a bedroom with blood red walls. Everything in the room was decorated in varying shades of red and gold. It was beautiful but the most amazing thing was the bed. Situated against the far wall was a bed carved out of dark wood but the most extraordinary thing was that it was carved to look like giant swan with the mattress of the bed in middle. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The bed looked so soft and comfy. I could just imagine sleeping on it. But, I pulled my thoughts away from the bed long enough to really look around the room. It was beautifully decorated with different antique looking items from all over the world. Along one wall was a floor to ceiling book case full with hundreds, maybe thousands of books. I walked along running my finger of the books. There were all sorts everything from fiction and nonfiction to historical books and auto-biography. There were books on architecture and psychology. I was so engrossed in the books that it took a little while for the sound of the bedroom creaking open to fully register in my mind and as it did it was too late. Suddenly there was a rope around my neck and it being pulled tighter so that I couldn't breathe, the suddenly I was being whipped around and the last thing I remember seeing before passing out was a start white mask covering the left side of the most beautiful face I'd ever seen.