Uh…heh, heh….wow! I've been REALLY lazy with this story haven't I? Um, well….here's an update :D After…well let's see…-counts on fingers- o.o heh, five months….well here ya go….enjoy! R&R w/NO FLAMES please!
Chapter 21: Past the Point of No Return
Danny rushed out the back doors when intermission came. "Danny! Where are you going?" Jen asked in shock.
Danny ignored her and looked around. The Phantom was nowhere to be seen and neither was Henry's body. Shaking violently, Danny shuffled back into the theater.
"Henry! HENRY! Where is he?" Danny heard Gerald calling.
Danny froze. What was he supposed to say? The real Phantom of the Opera just hung him and used him as the dummy! Yeah right! Like they'd ever believe that!
Cautiously, Danny walked up to Gerald and Bernard, who were frantically looking around for their stage hand. "Uh, Gerald…" Danny began timidly.
"Not now Danny! We're looking for Henry. You haven't seen him anywhere have you?" Gerald asked hurriedly.
This caused Danny to sweat. "I…..I….." he stammered.
"Well, have you?" Bernard asked.
"W-well….I-I saw him….earlier….but…." Danny didn't know what to say.
"Well, have you seen him since the ballet scene? We checked up there and he's gone!" Gerald explained.
"I could've sworn I saw some blood up there," Bernard added in a whisper.
Hearing this, Danny subconsciously wiped his nose, staining his white gloves with blood.
"Where is that damn stage hand? We've got ten minutes before the second act!" Gerald bellowed checking his watch.
"He's sick!" Danny blurted out suddenly.
The directors stared at Danny in surprise.
"Sick?" Gerald asked in disbelief.
"What do you mean he's sick?" Bernard asked.
"He…he wasn't feeling good, he was coughing a lot….so….he-he said he was gonna go home! He wanted me to tell you guys…sorry. I almost forgot!" Danny lied quickly, giving them a fake smile.
Gerald rolled his eyes and wiped his forehead. "Great! It's almost the second act and we don't have ANYONE to fill in for Henry!" he bellowed.
The cast flinched in shock. "Well, what are we going to do?" Bernard asked.
An idea popped into Danny's head. "I know someone who can help," he smiled.
"Who could you possibly know who knows the whole play and what goes on back stage?" Bernard asked.
Danny smiled.
In the lobby, the Fenton's, Tucker, and Sam were all talking about the play so far. "I've gotta admit I'm impressed. I didn't know Danny could sing so well," Jack praised his son.
"Me neither. I'm sure he must be having fun," Maddie said.
"Yeah, especially with all those hot girls in the cast," Tucker added.
Sam gave Tucker a sharp jab in the side. "I'm sure there's more things to be excited about in the theater than just girls, Tucker," she said acidly.
"Pff…yeah right," Tucker said.
Jazz giggled. Just then, she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around to see no one was there. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice whisper in her ear: "Meet me outside."
"Uh, could you excuse me for a second?" Jazz asked. "I have to go get something…outside."
"Okay honey, but remember to come back. Intermission's almost over," Maddie said checking her watch.
"Okay," Jazz smiled and rushed outside.
She looked around. There was no one there. "Hello, Danny?" Jazz asked into the emptiness.
"Boo!" Danny popped up in front of her.
Jazz shrieked and Danny giggled. "Danny!" Jazz squealed.
"Sorry! I needed a laugh," Danny laughed.
"Well, what is it? Are you having ghost trouble?" Jazz asked.
Would 'Opera Ghosts' apply? Danny wondered to himself. "Not exactly…" he answered.
"Well, what is it?" Jazz asked.
"Well, you know the stage hand, Henry?" Danny asked.
"Yeah, I watched him work up there when I was waiting for you during dress rehearsal," Jazz said.
"Yeah…well…he's kinda sick and had to go home…" Danny began.
"What?! But who'll work up on the catwalk?" Jazz asked in shock.
Danny laughed smally and looked at Jazz. Something clicked in the back of Jazz's head. "What?! No way! I can't!" she shrieked.
"Come on, Jazz! You know all the cues, you've seen how Henry does everything…" Danny pointed out.
"No, Danny! I'm not doing it! What if I mess up?!" Jazz fussed.
"You won't mess up! Please?" Danny pleaded.
"No!" Jazz stated.
"Please?"
"No!"
"Please?"
"No!"
"Please?"
"NO!"
"Jazz!"
"Danny!"
- - -
"Attention everyone!" Gerald called for the audience's attention as they took their seats.
"Where's Jazz? She's gonna miss it," Maddie fidgeted as the Fenton's took their seats.
"It seems one of our stage hands is sick and can't help us for the rest of the show," Gerald continued.
The audience gasped and whispered. Did this mean the show was cancelled?
"Fortunately, we have a substitute," Gerald added quickly.
"So you can all thank Miss Jasmine Fenton for taking the place of our stage hand for the rest of the night," Bernard announced.
Everyone cheered. Jack and Maddie got up. "THAT'S OUR DAUGHTER!!!" Jack cried.
"Oh! Both my babies are in the show now!" Maddie cried with joy.
Sam and Tucker clapped as well.
Meanwhile on the cat walk, Jazz was putting on some work gloves. "You think you can handle the ropes?" Danny asked playfully.
"I think so," Jazz said taking a rope that lowered one of the set pieces.
"You'll do fine," Danny encouraged.
"Thanks Danny," Jazz smiled.
Danny smiled back and flew down into the wings. He reverted back to his human form dressed in all red and a skull mask.
Jazz did very well throughout most of the show. There were a few cues she was a little shaky on, like lowering a set piece too early or slightly late, but other than that, she had been doing a good job. Danny gave Jazz a 'thumbs up' as he walked off stage after the graveyard scene.
Before Danny knew it, the Don Juan scene had started. Danny pulled his hood over his head and waited for his cue. He looked up at the cat walk to see Jazz leaning over as far as she could to see what was happening. Danny sighed. It wasn't that he wasn't happy his sister was helping him (although her helped had occasionally gotten him into trouble) but he still felt bad for having someone take Henry's place. Yes, Henry had been a loud mouth and a little harsh towards the Phantom, but he wasn't such a bad guy. He was definitely right about the Phantom being a murderous raving lunatic though.
In a fit of anger, Danny turned invisible and stormed out onto the stage. Don Juan was still singing so he had some time let before he actually had to go on. The Phantom was sitting in Box 5, watching the show attentively.
Danny felt a surge of hatred build up inside him. Everything that had been happening to him was the Phantom's fault. None of this would've happened were it not for him. Danny could've been home right about now, Jazz wouldn't be up on a rickety blood stained catwalk, and Henry would probably still be alive. How did the Phantom even know about Danny in the first place? Danny didn't have time to think about it. He had to get backstage.
Turning visible, Danny began walking to his spot when he felt someone grab his shoulder. He turned to see Meg Giry.
"I know," Danny said holding his hand to his eyes.
"That's not what I was going to say," Meg said calmly.
Danny stared at her for a moment.
"Look, I need to get to me spot," he tried to prey away from Meg's grip.
For an old woman, Meg had a pretty strong grip. "Listen to me, you can' do this anymore. It's gone too far," Meg tried to explain.
"Look, I need to go on!" Danny said pushing Meg away and rushing to his place.
Meg sighed. "Be careful, ghost boy," she whispered.
As Jen sat down on the bench that was on stage, Danny stepped out on stage and began singing:
Go away
For the trap is set
And waits for it's prey
He paused as Jen froze in her place. Danny knew she wasn't actually scared and continued singing:
You have come here
In pursuit of your deepest urge
Danny noticed the Phantom making a small motion to sing higher. Twitching with anger, Danny looked away. Meg was right, this had gone too far.
In pursuit of
that wish
Which till now has been silent…
Danny's voice became quieter and quieter with each word:
Silent . . .
Danny took a deep breath and closed his mouth tightly. The music continued playing but Danny didn't utter a single word. Jen turned to stare at him.
'What are you doing?' she mouthed.
Danny shrugged. There were a couple of mutters from the audience and from backstage as they noticed nothing was happening. Jazz stared at Danny from the catwalk. "What are you doing?" she hissed, trying to get his attention. "Why aren't you singing?"
Danny looked up and whispered: "I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?" Jazz asked in a loud whisper.
The audience was completely baffled. "What is he doing?" Bernard asked in shock.
"Please don't tell me he's lost his voice," Gerald pleaded as he rubbed his forehead.
The Phantom glared at Danny. His dark blue eyes began to dilate and shrink as he clutched his chair arm in rage. "Sing…" he hissed.
Danny stood on the stage. He had had enough. He wasn't going to sing for the Phantom. It had already put enough people in danger and had even taken a life. He was not going to sing.
"Sing boy…" the Phantom hissed louder.
The audience began whispering in confusion. Danny looked out into the audience and saw all the shocked and confused faces. He didn't dare look at his family, friends, or the directors, already knowing what their expressions would be.
The Phantom began to shake violently. His anger surged. He could no longer contain himself. Rising from his seat, the Phantom bellowed a' loud as vocally possible: "SING DAMN YOU!!!"
All attention turned to Box 5. Everyone gasped in shock. Danny glared at the Phantom as he pulled his hood off.
"NO!" he shouted back.
"SING DAMMIT!" the Phantom shouted.
"NO! I'M NOT YOU'RE SLAVE!" Danny shouted back.
That had done it. The Phantom pulled out his lasso and threw it at the chandelier that hung over the audience. He jumped off of the edge of Box 5 and swung over the terrified audience members. He landed on his feet in the middle of the stage and advanced toward Danny.
"Oh my god! It's him!" Gerald gaped.
"It's the real Phantom of the Opera," Bernard trembled.
"Huh…I don't remember this being in the show," Sam said in surprise.
"Maybe they added it to increase the suspense or something," Tucker suggested.
"Wow! This show is even better than I thought," Jack stated. Maddie nodded in agreement.
The Phantom grabbed Danny's collar and hissed: "sing, or I'll kill you!"
"You don't control me," Danny hissed in response.
The Phantom twitched in anger.
"Who are you?" Jen asked in shock.
The Phantom turned to face her. His grim expression caused her to flinch. The Phantom dragged Danny to the edge of the stage.
"I am the Phantom of the Opera!" the Phantom announced.
There was murmuring and shrieks amongst the audience and cast members. "Yes! And if you're wondering where your precious stage hand is, Gerald and Bernard, he's gone! For good! I killed him!"
Gerald and Bernard gasped in shock. A feeling of guilt swept over them, they felt they had mistreated Henry.
"Yes. I killed the stage hand! And I'll do it again!" the Phantom said pulling his lasso off the chandelier and looking up at Jazz, who was frozen in shock.
"GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" Danny shouted trying his hardest to push the Phantom to his knees.
The Phantom instead grabbed Danny by the scruff of the neck and hoisted him into the air. "And this boy here has disobeyed me! He went against me as did the stage hand! And for that, he will pay! And if anyone else does so, they to will pay!"
"Don't you hurt them!" Danny waved around frantically.
"Silence boy!" the Phantom snapped.
He ran to the middle of the stage, snapped his fingers, and a cloud of dust appeared. In an instant, Danny and the Phantom had disappeared through a trapped down in the center of the stage.
A cliffhanger! MWAHAHAHA!!! I'm so evil XD but in a good way I promise lol Anyway, I know it's short, but I hope you like it non-the-less. R&R w/NO FLAMES please!