Another chapter in the lead up to Christmas :) I am not making promises now...but there may be another chapter before Xmas...but I am stressed out atm with work and life, and so feeling pretty unmotivated atm to do most things. So far my writing hasn't been affected, but it may be affected if the stress gets any worse :( I am having trouble sleeping and getting things done...even my sewing is affected and I love my sewing so much 3 Reviews are welcome and will make my day :) Missing reviews :( I hope my fellow readers are still out there and I haven't done something wrong :( On with the show and I only own my OC and own lyrics; anything else belongs to their respective owners :)
Ange De Soi: Angel of Self
Chapter Eight: He'll Take Me I Know, He Won't Let Me Go...
Third Person's POV
Inside the office, unknown to them, they were being observed, by a figure in black, from the shadows. The Phantom's Opera is lying open on the desk, as André flicks through it impatiently.
[André]
Ludicrous!
Have you seen the score?
[Firmin] entering the room.
Simply ludicrous!
[André]
It's the final straw!
[Firmin]
This is lunacy!
Well, you know my views...
[André]
Utter lunacy!
[Firmin]
But we daren't refuse...
[André]
Not another
Croaking diva...
[Firmin]
Look, my friend, what
We have here...
In his hands he has two notes; one of which he gives to André, who reads it aloud.
[André]
'Dear André,
Re my orchestrations:
We need another first bassoon.
Get a player with tone –
And that third trombone
Has to go!
The man could not be deafer,
So please preferably one
Who plays in tune!'
[Firmin]
'Dear Firmin,
Vis à vis my opera:
Some chorus-members must be sacked.
If you could, find out which
Has a sense of pitch –
Wisely, though,
I've managed to assign a
Rather minor rôle to those
Who cannot act!'
At that moment, Carlotta and Piangi come barging in; each brandishing identical notes furiously.
[Carlotta]
Outrage!
[Firmin]
What is it now?
[Carlotta]
This whole affair is
An outrage!
[Firmin]
Signora, please...
[André]
Now what's the matter?
[Carlotta]
Have you seen
The size of my part?
[André]
Signora, listen...
[Piangi]
It's an insult!
[Firmin]
Not you as well!
[Piangi]
Just look at this –
It's an insult!
[Firmin]
Please, understand...
[André]
Signor! Signora!
[Carlotta]
The things I have
To do for my art!
Piangi stabs the open score with a finger.
[Piangi]
If you can call
This gibberish 'art'!
Once again, everyone is interrupted by three figures entering the room...
Charlene's POV
As I arrived at the doorway to the office, I heard them discussing the score furiously. As I thought about the right time to interrupt their conversation, without being rude or impolite, my musings were interrupted by a voice saying smugly.
"I see you escaped the asylum. But I will have your heart. Now you won't tell anyone what happened, or your Angel will get it!" I stared at him fearfully, before his demeanour changed, as I saw the Vicomte approaching the office.
"Charlene I'm so glad you're back. I've missed you, and so has Christine. Let's go inside, and see this new opera the Phantom has composed." He said gently, before going through the door, the Duke following closely behind us.
[Carlotta]
Ah! Here's our little flower!
[Firmin]
Ah, Miss Dumont,
Quite the lady
Of the hour!
[André] (explaining)
You have
Secured the largest rôle
In this 'Don Juan'.
[Carlotta] (half to herself)
Charlene Dumont?
She doesn't have
The voice!
[Firmin] (hearing this, to Carlotta)
Signora, please!
[Raoul/Duke] (to the Managers)
Then I take it
You're agreeing.
[Carlotta] (aside)
She's behind this...
[André]
It appears we have
No choice.
[Carlotta] (Unable to contain herself any longer, points accusingly)
She's the one
Behind this!
Charlene Rose Dumont!
[Me] (shocked at the accusations being thrown at me, I asked meekly)
What are you saying?
[Carlotta]
I'm not a fool!
[Me]
Why do you
Hate me so?
[Carlotta]
You think I'm blind!
[Me]
I will not do this!
I will have no part
In this plan!
[Firmin]
Miss Dumont, surely...
[André]
But why not?
[Piangi] (baffled, to Carlotta)
What does she say?
[Firmin] (reasonably)
It's your decision –
(suddenly rounding on Charlene)
But why not?
[Carlotta] (to Piangi)
She's backing out!
[André]
You have a duty!
[Me]
I cannot do this!
Duty or not!
[Raoul] (comforting)
Charlene...
Charlene...
You don't have to...
They can't make you...
I turned around, as I heard two sets of footsteps from outside the door, as I saw Meg and Madame Giry enter the room.
[Giry]
Please, Monsieur:
Another note.
I watched as the managers gestured at her to read it, before she cleared her throat and began to read. I watched closely as everyone reacts differently to the note.
[Giry]
'Fondest greetings
To you all!
A few instructions
Just before rehearsal starts:
Carlotta must
Be taught to act...'
I looked around, as I heard my Angel's voice take over.
[Phantom's voice]
...not her normal trick
Of strutting round the stage.
Our Don Juan must
Lose some weight –
It's not healthy in
A man of Piangi's age.
And my managers
Must learn
That their place is in
An office, not the arts.
As for Miss Charlene Rose Dumont...
I have no doubt
She'll do her best – her
Voice is the best
I've seen
In my lifetime. But know this...
Should I hear she
Has been hurt
In anyway,
I will make your reputation
Pay by returning her
To me, her
Angel,
Her Angel...
Your obedient friend...
As he voice faded away, before being taken over by Madame Giry's voice.
[Giry]
'...And Angel...'
Suddenly I noticed, as well as everyone else, the sudden change in the Duke's demeanour, as I saw his eyes light up with a new thought.
[Duke]
We have all been
Blind – and yet the
Answer is staring us
In the face...
This could be the
Chance to ensnare our
Clever friend...
[André]
We're listening...
[Firmin]
Go on...
[Duke]
We shall play his
Game – perform his
Work – but remember we
Hold the ace...
For, if Miss Dumont
Sings, he is certain
To attend...
[André] (Clearly carried along by the idea)
We make certain
The doors are barred...
[Firmin] (likewise)
We make certain
Our men are there...
[Duke]
We make certain
They're armed...
[Duke/ André/Firmin]
The curtain falls –
His reign will end!
I was in silence, as Madame Giry and Raoul, were the first people to react and express their displeasure, after listening intently.
[Giry/Raoul]
Madness!
[André]
I'm not so sure...
[Firmin]
Not if it works...
[Giry/Raoul]
This is madness!
[André]
The tide will turn!
[Giry]
Monsieur, believe me –
There is no way of
Turning the tide!
[Raoul]
I won't let her
Be used like this!
[Firmin] (To Giry)
You stick to ballet!
[André] (To Raoul)
What do you mean?
[Duke] (Rounding on Giry and Raoul)
Then help us!
[Giry/Raoul]
Monsieur, I can't/won't
[Duke]
Instead of warning us...
[Duke/André/Firmin]
Help us!
[Giry/Raoul]
I wish I could/ I wouldn't dare...
[Duke/André/Firmin]
Don't make excuses!
[Duke]
Or could it be that
You're both on his side?
[Giry/Raoul] (To Duke)
Monsieur, believe us,
We intend no ill...
(To André and Firmin)
But messieurs, be careful –
We shouldn't oppose his wishes...
[André/Firmin] (to Giry)
We say he'll fall,
And fall he will!
[Carlotta]
She's the once behind this!
Charlene!
This is all her doing!
[Piangi]
This is the truth!
Charlene Dumont!
[Duke]
This is his undoing!
[André/Firmin] (to Duke)
If you succeed,
You free us all –
This so-called 'angel'
Has to fall!
[Duke]
Angel of Music,
Fear my fury –
Here is where you fall!
[Giry/Raoul] (To Duke)
Hear our warning!
Fear his fury!
[Carlotta]
What glory can
She hope to gain?
It's clear to all
The girl's insane!
[André] (To Firmin)
If Charlene sings
We'll get our man...
[Piangi]
She is crazy!
She is raving!
[Firmin] (To André)
If Charlene helps
Us in this plan...
[Duke]
Say your prayers,
Black angel of death!
[Me] (Vainly pleading)
Please don't...
[André] (To Firmin)
If Charlene won't
Then no-one can...
[Giry/Raoul] (To Duke)
Monsieur, I beg you,
Do not do this...
[Piangi/Carlotta]
Gran Dio!
Che Imbroglio!
[André/Firmin]
This will seal his fate!
[Me]
Please make it stop!
It hurts!
The last thing I remember was darkness, as I collapsed from the sensory overload.
Phantom's POV
I watched as everyone argued amongst themselves, about Charlene's involvement, and their apparent plan to capture me. However, they seemed unaware of the turmoil and pain she was exhibiting. Suddenly, she gave an almighty cry, before collapsing to the ground, stopping everyone in their tracks. I quickly turned out the lights, causing everyone to scream and panic, before quickly slipping out of the passageway and picking her up bridal style. I proceeded to carry her through the door, before switching on the lights, as the passageway closed behind me. I carried her down to my lair, hoping I would be able to rouse her, from her bout of unconsciousness. But what exactly caused her to collapse? The last thing she cried out, before she collapsed was:
"Please make it stop! It hurts!" Was she in physical or mental pain, when everyone was speaking at once? After laying her down gently, I went to my desk, to find some smelling salts, in the hopes it would wake her. After I waved the bottle under her nose, I breathed a sigh of relief, when her eyes fluttered open.
"What...? Where am I?" She asked weakly.
"You're in my lair. I carried you down here after you collapsed in the Manager's office. But please, talk to me, something is wrong, I can tell."
[Charlene]
Angel, I'm frightened –
Don't make me do this...
Angel, it scares me –
Don't put me through this
Ordeal by fire...
He'll take me, I know...
We'll be parted forever...
He won't let me go...
What I once used to fear
Is now reality...
If he takes me, my life
Will end...
But you'll always be there,
Singing songs in my head...
You'll always be there,
Singing songs in my head...
[Me] (to Charlene)
I vowed to you,
I would never harm anyone,
Yet while he lives,
He'll continue to pursue you,
Till he wins...
I watched as she turned away from me unhappily.
[Charlene]
Twisted every way,
What else can I do?
Can I really take a life,
To let us live our lives?
Can I really kill a man,
Who once nearly killed me?
But can I become his wife?
Do I have any choice?
He murdered my mentality,
And killed all that defines me...
But I know I can't avoid this,
Yet, I wish I could...
Oh God – if I agree,
What horrors wait for me
In this, my final performance...?
[Me] (To Charlene, tenderly)
Charlene, Charlene,
Don't think that I don't care –
But every hope
And our love
Rests on you now...
I watched as so many emotions played across her face, before she collapsed against my chest and sobbed heavily. As I stroked her back soothingly, I thought angrily and determinedly.
"So, it is to be war between us! But this time, Chevalier Beaumont, the disaster will be yours!" And I laid her down on the bed, as her breathing evened out and she fell asleep...
