Chapter 25 (a new opera)

A loud scream was heard the next morning above the peace home of Erik's. A maid, cleaning the manager's office had found a leather port-folio containing a thick stack of scores with a note from the Opera Ghost. The managers rushed in, looking annoyed.

"What the heck is your problem, lady?" a short, putty-neck man, Andre said.

"Your scream is enough to wake the people from their beds!" yawned another, a tall, balding guy, Firmin.

"Oh, misters, I did not wished to wake you from your dreams, just this morning, I found a letter from a man whom we all believed to be dead". The cleaning lady said, holding a laced kerchief to her mouth.

"What nonsense! The Phantom Of The Opera! He is already dead!" Andre yelled.

The lady took out the folio and the note, "this was sent to you, monsieur,"

The managers took out the note from the notorious envelope with the evil post-mark of the phantom; a blood red wax skull.

With shaking voice, Firmin read out the letter.

Firmin,

I would like to remind you that the opera is still under my control. Whichever opera which you are going to film must be screened by me before you even cast it. I would like to remind you about Joseph Buquet's death before any of my orders are disobeyed. The folio which contains the precious opera written by my sister is to be cast by next June; any orders disobeyed would result in serious consequences. I would like to recommend the main character sung by Meg Giry, if you don't mind.

I would see that my orders are obeyed. Be reminded that my salary is due next week.

Your faithful servant,

O.G.

There was a moment of silent.

"Oh my god, he HAS returned!" Andre gasped. Firmin only stared. Shakily, they opened the folio for a better look.

Inside were a dozen thick, complicated looking notes. It was written in lavender colored pen ink. There was a title above all the notes: Flower in the sun.

"Since when did the phantom have a sister?" Firmin asked suddenly. Andre shrugged. "I have never heard Madam Giry talking about him having a sister at all. What is all this nonsense" Firmin said again. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Andre called behind his back. In came Madam Giry. She peered at the letter in Firmin's hand.

"Ah, I see you've got one too," she said an almost cheerful way.

"What's there to celebrate about?" Andre growled.

"Well, for one thing, we now have an opera to cast instead of just using the ballerina as an entertainment, they are now getting sick of being stared at in their raunchy costumes." Madam Giry shrugged.

"Well, your daughter has being asked to play the diva, is that why you are being so cheerful today?" Firmin asked suspiciously.

"What? Meg Giry? You are joking," so saying, Madam Giry snatched the note away from the manager.

"Well, after reading it you should have agreed with me that the letter is a hoax and the scores are just a copy of some other's opera," Firmin spat.

"Yeah, we are sure this is some kind of joke. Since when does the opera ghost have a sister? When even she is, how is it that she can write out such a complicated opera?" Andre asked, wiping his bow nervously.

"Guys, you can rest be assured that he has a sister, for sure. The glue pin of Carlotta and the frog-in-the-corset are all the tiny tricks played by Er-phantom's sister. As for the scores, I believe that Er-phantom helped her with it," Madam Giry said in a commanding tone.

"Well, we could not cast that!" Andre said, staring blankly at the scores.

"Well, then I can tell you now, unless you cast this opera, or you be bankrupted. I can assure you that this is a good opera, for sure. The opera ghost will never write a bad opera. If you refuse to cast it, I can dismiss all the ballet girls and remove the entire cast set from this opera house," madam Giry sniffed. We swept swiftly from the room and out of sight.

Andre looked at Firmin.
"Well, I guess that we will have to cast it?" Firmin gulped.

Andre sighed, "Well, so long our cunning friend does not become the next Mozart".