Chapter 5 – Questioning Sanity...
Soon the rehearsals for the duet of 'Think of Me' were well under way. They stood next one another taking turns in singing their lines to one another and to the conductor. Erik and Nadir are in the rig watching from above.
(AN: Christine underlined, Beth in Bold, Both in Italics, Raoul's weird interjection, because who likes him, later will be in Bold Italics)
Think of me
Think of me fondly
When we've said goodbye
Remember me
Once in a while
Please, promise me you'll try
When you find
That once again you long
To take your heart back and be free
If you ever find a moment
Spare a thought for me
We never said our love was evergreen
Or as unchanging as the sea
But if you can still remember
Stop and think of me
Think of all the things we've shared and seen
Don't think about the way things might have been…
'Stupid trumpet player…I will have him replaced playing a wrong note in the crescendo of the song…' This is what was going through Erik's head as he was watching the rehearsal.
"Ok, ok people let's stop right this moment." Says Beth stopping the music. "I am sorry, but that trumpet player over there played a note wrong and it put me off completely. If I can hear you play a wrong note then I think I am singing in the wrong."
"Well if you think you can play it better miss, then have a go otherwise leave me to do my job."
"Ok then…" Beth exclaimed walking towards the musician with a look of utter distain. "Let me play the piece like it should be played."
Beth too the trumpet into her hands and got into position. She breathed in and started playing the crescendo perfectly hitting every note. She calmly gave back the instrument saying, "That is how to play the trumpet idiot." She then walked away looking very proud of herself
Leo on the other hand was doing something very different. She was standing in the corner questioning her life out loud looking like she was about to break out into tears (or she was going to beat Beth up, to death…)
While up in the rig the two gentlemen were thinking very different things. Nadir was impress with Beth's skills at playing an instrument as she was a woman, they learnt the violin or piano not the trumpet. Erik was a very different story he was just staring at Leo who was still in the corner while questioning himself as to why Leo was crying and why he hadn't thought of stopping Beth from playing to the managers. Meg was just quietly practicing the ballet piece with the other ballerinas and Madame Giry at the back of the stage.
So many thoughts were running through people's minds that night. Plots were being formed and Erik left the rig already planning to write a letter to the managers as well as seeing Christine later, Nadir hurried after him as he didn't know all the ways to Erik's lair.
Soon it was the night of the concert and Beth with Christine was performing the duet together…
Think of me
Think of me fondly
When we've said goodbye
Remember me
Once in a while
Please, promise me you'll try
When you find
That once again you long
To take your heart back and be free
If you ever find a moment
Spare a thought for me
We never said our love was evergreen
Or as unchanging as the sea
But if you can still remember
Stop and think of me
Think of all the things we've shared and seen
Don't think about the way things might have been…
Think of me
Think of me waking
Silent and resigned
Imagine me
Trying too hard
To put you from my mind
Recall those days
Look back on all those times
Think of the things we'll never do
There will never be a day
When I won't think of you
(AN: The italic bold is the idiot Raoul whom I dislike very much just a reminder of the first note I made.)
Can it be?
Can it be Christine?
Bravo
Long ago
It seems so long ago
How young and innocent we were
She may not remember me
But I remember her
Flowers fade
The fruits of summer fade
They have their seasons
So do we
But, please, promise me that sometimes
You will think of me
The applause was astounding, the crowd loved the singers as both Beth and Christine bowed down while the roses were being thrown.
Just like the story we know Christine goes down to the chapel in the basement while Leo and Beth get changed. Leo and Beth bump into Meg who was looking for Christine. Beth looked at Leo and quietly communicated that they would go with Meg t find Christine. Beth didn't really want to, but Leo thought it was an important moment that they should see.
They sing the Angel of music their voiced harmonised together nicely that echoed throughout the backstage are. Unfortunately there was one person whom it would be best if he didn't, Joseph Boquet.
(AN: I would put the song here, but I genuinely do not like this song so imagine that the lyrics are here)
They escort Christine to her room, then leave just as Raoul turns the corner. Meg leaves straight away with her mother, but Leo and Beth linger.
"Can I hit him yet?" Beth whispered to Leo.
"Amazingly no. Not yet anyway." Leo hesitantly replied.
"…But I can in the future."
"…Just don't kill him." Leo replied exasperated.
"I make no promises." Little lottie song was heard from Christine's room. "Ugh…Let's get out of here…" They walked away and decided to go explore the Opera House.
"Right let's split up and see if we can find an entrance to lair. Deal?" Beth proposed.
"Sounds good. If you find an entrance find me first, then we go together." Leo replied bumping fists with Beth.
They split off with Beth wandering the halls until she sees Raoul trying to get into Christine's room and she heard the voice of the phantom and thought it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. She with a new vigour to see the man himself she walked along the walls that looked suspicious tracing her hands along to see if she could find a trigger.
"Why can I not find one? Merlin…wait did I just say Merlin?... it is official I am weird. Calling out to Merlin instead of Jesus…Ugh…Right on with the quest, you can do this Beth." She carried on walking along different parts of the Opera house hoping to find an entrance.
Leo on the other hand was not really looking so hard as Beth but was curious so she was lightly looking across each of the walls, wondering the history of the building that they were told in the future on their tour. The layout of the building and how each section of the Opera house was being used intrigued Leo as she set her eyes backstage.
Soon she was going around a corner when she saw a man, whom she identified as Nadir, who was looking around him to see if anyone was watching as Leo hid looking around the corner at what he was doing. His hand disappeared out of her view and Leo could not see what he was doing as much as she tried otherwise she would get caught spying on him. As the wall turned into a door Leo was too satisfied at finding an entrance before her friend, so she stepped out.
"Hey how did you do that?" Leo yelled walking towards Nadir. He just stared at her his mouth opening and closing like a fish. He did not know how to respond he was looking at Leo starstruck at her beauty.
"Well…how did you do that?" Leo asked getting impatient.
"I…uh…My name is Nadir." He stammered out, holding out his hand for her to shake.
"And my name is Leonna, you can call me Leo though, but answer my question!" She answered getting more impatient, shaking his hand quickly.
"I…there is a button here under the wooden beam…that umm…releases the door." He answered nervously.
"Wait here." She says sternly walking away, to then walk back and say, "Do not move an inch…Do you understand me?" pointing her finger at Nadir. He nodded his head quickly, scared of what she was going to do.
She backed away still pointing her finger at Nadir until she rounded the corner, she then proceeded to go looking for Beth and started saying her name in a loud voice, but not quite shouting. She found Beth near a wall knocking on it saying nonsense that Leo did not hear.
"Beth…Beth…BETHAN!" Leo yelled down the hall getting louder with each word. Beth turned around stunned at the shouting, seeing Leo she ran towards her with a worried face.
"Why are you yelling is everything ok?" Beth worriedly said hugging Leo.
"Everything is fine I yelled because you did not hear me the first hundred times. I found a way in come on."
Beth eagerly followed Leo back to where Leo found Nadir was still standing there looking shocked and yet too scared to leave disobeying Leo's orders. Beth looked surprised to see him there.
"Hi I am Beth and you are?" Beth asked politely.
"I'm Nadir…Nadir Khan. Nice to meet you Mademoiselle Beth." He replied quietly.
"So show us the way to the Phantom's Lair…now…I mean it." Leo impatiently interrupted them.
"Are you sure Mademoiselle? It is not a pleasant place really and there is a lake so you need to be careful not to fall."
"Yes we are certain…just take us stop stalling." Beth replied quickly.
"Very well ladies come this way."
Beth and Leo followed Nadir through the passageway down into the catacombs of the theatre…down into the dungeons of black despair…
AN: Yes that last sentence is an homage to the last song of the show. Hoped you enjoyed the chapter, reviews are more than welcome.