Hey! So sorry for spelling mistakes. Once again, just tell me.

0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*

Chapter 6: Finding Him

Annette eyes shot open. Could it just be her, or did she hear someone call her name?

"Annette, Annette..." there it was. The haunting voice. She threw the covers off and lit a candle. It was the third night since the Masquerade, and each night voices haunted her.

"Will you leave me alone!" she shouted. Something moved behind her. She shot around, but no one was there.

Laughter come from the darkness. Annette didn't know which way to turn. It was coming from everywhere!

"I didn't say I'd leave you alone," the voice said. Annette groaned with frustration. That stupid Opera Ghost! Suddenly and idea struck her.

"What if I made a bet with you?" she asked. Silence.

"What kind of bet?" the Ghost asked. Annette smiled. The smiled secretly made the Ghost's heart ache in the darkness. She looked so much like Christine, and then the burns made it look like her face was deformed.

"If I go down to you lair tomorrow, will you stop with the haunting me thing?" Annette hoped that this would work.

"I will see you tomorrow, under one condition: You will sing for me," and he was gone. Annette sighed.

"I guess I'm singing tomorrow."

0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*

Annette walked into the ballerinas room. The girls danced gracefully across the room to beautiful music. Their heads followed the motion of the arms, and they turned with great speed, but landed perfectly into their final poses.

Annette smiled. It reminded her of Mother. She could never dance like that. Plus, she wore a mask so that instantly said she could never be on stage.

She saw Meg in the corner, instructing some of the ballet girls on how to do some of the movements. She stopped as she saw Annette walking up to her.

"Annette," she said as she through her arms around her. She let go to look at her. "I haven't seen you since the Masquerade, how have things been?"

Annette hesitated with the answer. She pulled Meg close to her, so she could whisper in her ear.

"Meg, the Ghost, the Phantom, ever night he comes to my room. He calls to me, he speaks my name. What do I do Meg?" Annette felt like crying. So full of frustration.

Meg's eyes widened with ever word. "The same thing happened with your mother," was the only thing she could think to say.

"What did she do?" Annette stared at Meg with hope in her eyes.

"She followed him down to his lair," Meg stared back at Annette. Annette nodded before Meg went back to teaching her class.

"Oh and Annette?" Meg called before the masked girl could leave. Annette looked up. "Don't go off looking for something you shouldn't be." Annette nodded before she closed the door. But she had lied: She was going to look for the Opera Ghost.

0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*

Annette peered into the Prima Donna's dressing room. When her father told her the story of the Opera Ghost, he said that her mother had gone through the mirror in the Prima Donna's dressing room.

Annette looked around the room. She spotted the giant mirror in the back of the room. She approach it with fear rising in her soul. As she stood in front of it, she could have swore her heart would explode with fright.

"Now, how would on do this," she thought as she stared at the mirror. She placed her hands on it and pulled at it. It rolled to the sided, reviling a passage. It lead down into nothing but eternal darkness.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. Annette was turned around and stared into a face wearing a white half mask.

The Phantom stared down at her. She wanted to scream, but she held it back. Erik smiled as he let go. He moved around her and began to walk down the passage. He stopped when he didn't hear Annette following. He motioned for her to follow.

Annette followed with caution. Was it safe to follow a complete stranger? Why didn't he say anything? What was behind that mask?

They came to a lake with a gondola sitting at the edge. Erik help Annette inside safely before he pushed of the stone wall. As they went down the lake, Annette could fell Erik's cold glare on the back of her neck. She tried not to breath to heavily, but she couldn't help it.

The gondola hit a stone wall. Annette looked up at the room. Candles were everywhere, burning and lighting the dark room. An organ was near the center of the room, with paper scattered around it.

Erik climbed out of the gondola. He offered his hand to Annette. She took it, making him smile in his mysterious way. He pulled her out of the gondola. Erik walked to his organ and sat down.

He turned to her and only said on word: "Sing."

0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*

Cliffhanger! More reviews, the up-dating will happen faster.

I remain,

N.C