Part 4
The next morning Christine awoke to the unfamiliar sight of bright sunshine that streamed through the window above her bed. It seemed like a good omen, that light had come to chase away the dark. She smiled sleepily and stretched out her hand in a playful attempt to catch a sunbeam, wiggling happily in her bed. She felt better now she was away from her old room - there was no need to fear a mirror here.
After a while she reluctantly got up and after dressing and completing her toiletries she went down to the ladies dining room. There were a few other ladies there, who included Christine in their talk of who the Phantom was really....and would he appear at Carlotta's next rehearsal?. Christine suspected he would. His dislike of the singer had now become an irrational hatred, and Christine could only feel sympathy for her now.
After breakfast she went to the managers office. She tapped cautiously on the door and heard M. Firmin call out "Come in, come in! Unless you are the Phantom, heh..."
She opened the door and walked in. M. Firmin, a thin, tired looking man with neat brown hair blinked at her nervously from behind his desk. The office was small and shabby, a smell of cigars hanging in the air which made her cough.
"Christine! My dear child, I was about to go and see you! Sit down, do."
She blinked in surprise and obeyed, sitting down cautiously in a flimsy looking chair that looked like it was only held together with pins.
"You were?" she said cautiously. Attracting the attention of management was not always a good thing.
"Yes, yes!" M. Firmin smiled. "In light of your amazing progress as a singer - just who is your teacher? - M. Andre and I have decided to give you a new room rather than that pokey closet you live in."
Christine blinked again in amazement. What fine timing! But now she would have to confess to a few things...
"M. Firmin..I left my room yesterday because I found the wall-mirror smashed....by the Phantom I believe." She felt it prudent not to mention the bloodstains on the mirror.
He stared at her in amazement. "Smashed you say? Most odd, most odd indeed. But what makes you think it was our ah, resident ghoul? One cannot blame him for everything and ah, the walls sometimes have ears." He sighed and his face was unhappy and trapped looking.
Christine stared around uneasily. So, even in here she could be watched...no matter. She went on. "Behind the mirror-" she broke off when Francis, M. Firmin's highly strung aide burst into the room, his face white.
"Come quick! It's La Carlotta - the Phantom is...is...it's like yesterday!!"
M. Firmin and Christine, their faces pale, leapt from their seats and followed Francis to where the stage was. Others had heard the news for the corridors were full of people grimly rushing to this, the latest act in the drama.
Urged on by some instinct, Christine made her way to a wing of the stage and paused in horror when she saw what was happening. Carlotta was standing on the stage trying to rehearse a song but the only sounds that came from her mouth were horrible croaking noises. Tears were streaming down Carlotta's face, making her heavy black eye makeup run. Echoing from the rafters (empty of course Christine noted when she peered upwards) was the Phantom's mocking laughter.
"Ah, the Swamp Queen graces us with her music! Sing, O Queen! Sing to bring down the chandelier!"
There was a collective gasp from everyone as they stared up at the huge, glittering chandelier, which had started to sway with ominous gentleness over the orchestra pit, its lights flickering.
Christine found she had had enough. Full of fury she strode out onto the stage, Carlotta turning to look at her with surprise overcoming terror in her eyes as Christine summoned every memory of her voice training and screamed "Leave her alone you wretched bully!"
There was a deathly silence and even the chandelier seemed to pause. But no, it was swaying wildly now and Christine flinched as the Phantom's voice suddenly seemed to hiss from behind her "you will regret those words my love!"
There was a harsh metallic ripping sound and suddenly the chandelier plunged to the ground in a blaze of light and crystal, bringing darkness and chaos. People screamed and cried out in the dark and as Christine turned around, too disoriented for a moment to run, she in turn screamed when suddenly a strong hand clapped a cloth over her mouth that was soaked with a strange chemical that made her eyes stream. She struggled to break free but she was falling...she knew no more.
Authors Note: Don't worry, I won't be leaving it there! The next part is on its way. As you may have noticed, the Phantom in this story is not someone you would want to croon Lloyd-Webber tunes with - I had decided to give a different twist to the Phantom story. Thanks to those who have given reviews!
The next morning Christine awoke to the unfamiliar sight of bright sunshine that streamed through the window above her bed. It seemed like a good omen, that light had come to chase away the dark. She smiled sleepily and stretched out her hand in a playful attempt to catch a sunbeam, wiggling happily in her bed. She felt better now she was away from her old room - there was no need to fear a mirror here.
After a while she reluctantly got up and after dressing and completing her toiletries she went down to the ladies dining room. There were a few other ladies there, who included Christine in their talk of who the Phantom was really....and would he appear at Carlotta's next rehearsal?. Christine suspected he would. His dislike of the singer had now become an irrational hatred, and Christine could only feel sympathy for her now.
After breakfast she went to the managers office. She tapped cautiously on the door and heard M. Firmin call out "Come in, come in! Unless you are the Phantom, heh..."
She opened the door and walked in. M. Firmin, a thin, tired looking man with neat brown hair blinked at her nervously from behind his desk. The office was small and shabby, a smell of cigars hanging in the air which made her cough.
"Christine! My dear child, I was about to go and see you! Sit down, do."
She blinked in surprise and obeyed, sitting down cautiously in a flimsy looking chair that looked like it was only held together with pins.
"You were?" she said cautiously. Attracting the attention of management was not always a good thing.
"Yes, yes!" M. Firmin smiled. "In light of your amazing progress as a singer - just who is your teacher? - M. Andre and I have decided to give you a new room rather than that pokey closet you live in."
Christine blinked again in amazement. What fine timing! But now she would have to confess to a few things...
"M. Firmin..I left my room yesterday because I found the wall-mirror smashed....by the Phantom I believe." She felt it prudent not to mention the bloodstains on the mirror.
He stared at her in amazement. "Smashed you say? Most odd, most odd indeed. But what makes you think it was our ah, resident ghoul? One cannot blame him for everything and ah, the walls sometimes have ears." He sighed and his face was unhappy and trapped looking.
Christine stared around uneasily. So, even in here she could be watched...no matter. She went on. "Behind the mirror-" she broke off when Francis, M. Firmin's highly strung aide burst into the room, his face white.
"Come quick! It's La Carlotta - the Phantom is...is...it's like yesterday!!"
M. Firmin and Christine, their faces pale, leapt from their seats and followed Francis to where the stage was. Others had heard the news for the corridors were full of people grimly rushing to this, the latest act in the drama.
Urged on by some instinct, Christine made her way to a wing of the stage and paused in horror when she saw what was happening. Carlotta was standing on the stage trying to rehearse a song but the only sounds that came from her mouth were horrible croaking noises. Tears were streaming down Carlotta's face, making her heavy black eye makeup run. Echoing from the rafters (empty of course Christine noted when she peered upwards) was the Phantom's mocking laughter.
"Ah, the Swamp Queen graces us with her music! Sing, O Queen! Sing to bring down the chandelier!"
There was a collective gasp from everyone as they stared up at the huge, glittering chandelier, which had started to sway with ominous gentleness over the orchestra pit, its lights flickering.
Christine found she had had enough. Full of fury she strode out onto the stage, Carlotta turning to look at her with surprise overcoming terror in her eyes as Christine summoned every memory of her voice training and screamed "Leave her alone you wretched bully!"
There was a deathly silence and even the chandelier seemed to pause. But no, it was swaying wildly now and Christine flinched as the Phantom's voice suddenly seemed to hiss from behind her "you will regret those words my love!"
There was a harsh metallic ripping sound and suddenly the chandelier plunged to the ground in a blaze of light and crystal, bringing darkness and chaos. People screamed and cried out in the dark and as Christine turned around, too disoriented for a moment to run, she in turn screamed when suddenly a strong hand clapped a cloth over her mouth that was soaked with a strange chemical that made her eyes stream. She struggled to break free but she was falling...she knew no more.
Authors Note: Don't worry, I won't be leaving it there! The next part is on its way. As you may have noticed, the Phantom in this story is not someone you would want to croon Lloyd-Webber tunes with - I had decided to give a different twist to the Phantom story. Thanks to those who have given reviews!