Chapter 6


Erik and the Persian crept around in the blackness of the wings. The chorus was
having rehearsal, and Carlotta was making a fool of herself, as usual. Flouncing around
on stage in a frighteningly ugly dress, while Reyer was nearly bashing his head into the
piano keys he was so frustrated with her. Christine was sitting in a chair off to the side,
twirling her hair as usual. Erik stifled a giggle.

"Watch this, Nadir!"

He quickly climbed up to the catwalks where he could easily reach the stage
lights. As soon as Carlotta moved underneath him, he cut the cord holding the light in
place, and nearly laughed out loud as the light bulb shattered on her head, all the little
pieces going down the front of her dress.

"Oh! What was zhat?" the very large woman screeched. "Somezhing just went
down my bosom!"

Reyer looked ready to throw up.

"The only thing that I can say goes "down your bosom" would be the food
particles from the corners of your mouth. Now if you please, we are rehearsing!" Reyer
exclaimed disgustedly.

Carlotta's eyes bulged.

"What are you talking about, little man! I could squash you in -"

Carlotta was cut off by another light bulb crashing down, this time landing right in
front of her. She shrieked a bloodcurdling screech while Erik covered his ears and
laughed wildly. He tried to take no notice of Nadir motioning wildly for him to stop.

"It iz ze ghost! I know it! I shall catch im zhis time!"

Reyer tapped his foot impatiently.

"Signora," he began dryly, "there is no ghost. The light bulbs falling were caused
by you lumbering around on stage."

Carlotta, very, VERY insulted, began rattling off curses and oaths in her native
language, while Reyer sat there looking bored.

"Whenever you are ready to continue, Signora."

Erik crept down off the catwalks and met Nadir in the darkness.

"This isn't all of yet!" he exclaimed, with a brightness in his eyes.

He found a sheet backstage and threw it over himself, as he had done before with
the managers. He darted out onto the stage and began shrieking. Everyone stared at him,
but no one said anything. Disappointed, Erik stopped and stared back at them. Reyer
rolled his eyes and strode up to him very crabbily.

"Just what do you think you are doing, young man? I am *trying* to run a
rehearsal here!" He ripped off the sheet and, not seeing the mask, told him to go sit down
with the chorus. Erik stood there grinning.

"Do you really think you can pull it off in THAT dress, Carlotta?" he sniggered
while pointing at her.

The chorus roared with laughter, but Reyer laughed the hardest.

"What?! Who do you zhink you are? Well, I know what you are! You are ze
Opera Ghost, and I shall get you if it's ze last zhing I do!" Carlotta thundered.

The rest of the chorus soon saw that it was O.G. and they began screaming and
running for cover. While Reyer hid behind the curtains, Carlotta pointed an accusing
finger at Erik.

"I don't think so!" Erik laughed again, and ran away so quickly Carlotta spun
around, confused as to where he had gone. She ran towards the curtains where Reyer was
hiding, and began yelling.

"Where iz e? I know e is hiding somewhere around ere!"

She stomped her foot in anger and fell right through the stage floor, making a
gargantuan hole. Reyer started shrieking with laughter.

"She's gone! She's gone! Thank god she's gone! Five years and it was that easy!
Oh my god, she's gone, I can't believe it! Hallelujah!" He danced around the stage
joyfully, and stared into the dark hole. From far down below, he could hear a faint
mumbling.

"It iz all is fault! Zhat ghost shall die! I will crush im like an egg!"

Oh no, Reyer thought. She's still alive. And this will not turn out well for me. .
.Perhaps the managers should be alerted. He ran off to the managers office. He could hear
weird noises coming from inside, and then a very large groan. Hesitating, he meekly
knocked.
He could hear some mumbling, and then Richard's irritable voice.

"What is it? We're very busy!"

"It's about Carlotta . . . She's, er, had an accident," Reyer mumbled.

"Speak up!" came the voice of Moncharmin.

"Oh just let me come in!" Reyer cried, and pushed the door open.

The darkness engulfed him like a wild flame and he fumbled for the light. Once
lit, he saw the managers looking very guilty, Moncharmin lying sprawled on the floor and
Richard clambering to his feet.

"Uh, what ARE you two doing?" asked Reyer nervously.

"We were, er, moving furniture," Moncharmin said quickly.

"In the dark?" Reyer retorted.

"It's none of your business," Richard interrupted. "What is it about Carlotta?"

"Oh yes!" Reyer snickered. "She fell through the stage."

"She WHAT?!" yelled the managers simultaneously.

"She fell through the stage! Pity you weren't there . . . quite hilarious, actually,"
mused Reyer. "No matter. The only sad part is, I think she survived the fall . . ."

"Damn! I mean, oh no!" exclaimed Moncharmin.

"Our profit!" moaned Richard. "Down the drain!"

"I think you mean 'down in the cellars', Richard dear," corrected Moncharmin.

Richard turned on Moncharmin.

"What did I tell you? Never call me 'Richard dear'! It's 'Richard *darling*'!
Can't you get it straight?" Richard suddenly seemed to remember that Reyer was still
there. "What are you still doing here? Go see if you can't help Carlotta."

"How?" Reyer asked. "*I* don't to help HER!"

"I don't know!" roared Richard. "Throw crumbs to her, something! We can't have
her starving on us."
"Highly unlikely," said Reyer.

"She's not a damn pigeon, Richard *darling*!"

"I don't care if she's a toucan with twelve eyes! Just get out!" Richard fumed.

Moncharmin and Reyer turned to leave.

"No, Moncharmin, you stay here. Reyer; you leave."

Reyer rolled his eyes and went through the door. He suddenly turned around and
grinned.

"Oh by the way, *Richard darling*, your zipper is down."

Then he left.