(This is in Christine's narration again. This will be one of the short chapters.)
p
I was in costume, and ready to perform. Everyone made it almost seem wrong for me to be playing the part of the pageboy. Although I was not able to sing as the pageboy, I could easily understand it was because Carlotta had returned.
p
As my que was called, the curtin in which I was hidden behind was drawn, and I walked to my mark, and stood there silently. Carlotta resited her lines with her normal energy. I took a moment to glance at the full opera house. In the left box, André and Firmin sat nodding to someone across the way.
p
It was Raoul, in Box 5. It was strange to see someone inside of Box 5 because of the Ghost Story behind it. Box 5 was ment for the Opera Ghost, and the Opera Ghost only. Raoul acknowledged the managers in Box 2, and went on to watching. I quickly turned my attention back to Carlotta, who was still singing her lines.
p
Finally, I was required to act a little. "Serafimo, away with this pretence. You cannot speak, but kiss me in my husband's absence." The skirt I was wearing was torn off, and underneath reveled men's pants. The play was about a woman who is cheating on her husband, who is always leaving for business, with another man. I was the 'man' whom the woman was cheating with. The play went on:
p
"Poor fool he makes me laugh, hahahahaha! Time I tried to get a better half!" The chorus chimed in, singing, "Poor fool, he doesn't know, hohohohoho! If he knew the truth he'd never, ever go!" The musician pit came to a halt as laughter was heard throughout the entire opera house.
p
"Did I not instruct that Box 5 was to be kept empty!?" The voice finally yelled after it's insane laughing. Meg, who played a gossiping girl in the play, looked up terrified. "He's here: The Phantom of the Opera!" I looked about Meg frightenedly. I knew that voice...it was the man who took me to his dark lair at the underground lake...my Angel.
p
"It's him...I know it...it's him..." I said abstractedly. "Your part is silent, little toad!" Carlotta hissed.
p
It couldn't be...I couldn't believe it. Holding the thought that the man who took me on that dark journey the other night, was my Angel, kept me believing I could sing better...and that the story of Little Lotte, and her Angel of Music was true.
p
but I knew now that it was all a lie. This man was only a fake! I had given myself to him for nothing. but then that voice...his wonderful melodic voice...and that sweet, kind, gentle passion he showed me. I had never been treated that way before. but that face...oh the face of him was so horrible...but this voice...the voice of the Opera Ghost...could it really be the same voice as the man I thought was an angel?
p
"A toad Madame? Perhaps it is you who is the toad!" It called. It was him...my angel was the Phantom of the Opera.
p
Carlotta brushed his words off of her back quickly, and began to repeat her last lines. "Serafimo, away with this petence! You cannot speak, but kiss me in my 'croak'!" Carlotta held her throat in horror as she let out the sound of a frog, instead of her song. The Ghost's laughter surrounded the opera house. Carlotta ignored it, and started up again.
p
"Poor fool he makes me laugh, hahahahaha! 'croak' 'croak' 'croak' 'croak!'" Each time she tried to sing, she let out a horrible croaking sound. I watched in horror, as Carlotta croaked, the managers dashed onto the stage, and Raoul had left Box 5. I held my head, trying to block out the Phantom's laughing that surrounded me entirely. The audience could not tell what was happening.
p
"Non posso piu...I cannot...I can't go on!" Carlotta shouted. She whept as she was led off the stage by the stagehands.
p
Firmin stood infront of the audience, and announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen...the performance will continue in ten minutes, when the role of the countess will be sung by Miss Christine Daaé. In the mean time, we will watch the ballet from Act Three of tonight's performance."
p
The music began, as I was rushed backstage to change. I was in the black box, the small dresser right off of the stage, for a quick change. I heard the ballet music quicken as I slipped the countesses shoes on. Just before my second shoe was applied, I heard a scream from one of the dancers. It was Meg.
p
I ran out of the Black Box, and onto the stage. All eyes were fixed on something hanging above the stage. I fixed my glance to see Joseph Buquet hanging above the stage, dead. Everyone ran onstage including Raoul.
p
I called to him, "Raoul, Raoul!" "Christine!" he called, "Come with me!" I shook my head, "No to the roof! We'll be safe there."
p
We ran to the top of the Opera House, away from the screams and cries of the audience, and dancers. Before we had completely lost the sounds of the Opera House, we heard Firmin calling to the audience, in attempt to calm them:
p
"Ladies and Gentle please, remain in your seats! Do not panic, it was only an accident! Simply and accident!
p
I was in costume, and ready to perform. Everyone made it almost seem wrong for me to be playing the part of the pageboy. Although I was not able to sing as the pageboy, I could easily understand it was because Carlotta had returned.
p
As my que was called, the curtin in which I was hidden behind was drawn, and I walked to my mark, and stood there silently. Carlotta resited her lines with her normal energy. I took a moment to glance at the full opera house. In the left box, André and Firmin sat nodding to someone across the way.
p
It was Raoul, in Box 5. It was strange to see someone inside of Box 5 because of the Ghost Story behind it. Box 5 was ment for the Opera Ghost, and the Opera Ghost only. Raoul acknowledged the managers in Box 2, and went on to watching. I quickly turned my attention back to Carlotta, who was still singing her lines.
p
Finally, I was required to act a little. "Serafimo, away with this pretence. You cannot speak, but kiss me in my husband's absence." The skirt I was wearing was torn off, and underneath reveled men's pants. The play was about a woman who is cheating on her husband, who is always leaving for business, with another man. I was the 'man' whom the woman was cheating with. The play went on:
p
"Poor fool he makes me laugh, hahahahaha! Time I tried to get a better half!" The chorus chimed in, singing, "Poor fool, he doesn't know, hohohohoho! If he knew the truth he'd never, ever go!" The musician pit came to a halt as laughter was heard throughout the entire opera house.
p
"Did I not instruct that Box 5 was to be kept empty!?" The voice finally yelled after it's insane laughing. Meg, who played a gossiping girl in the play, looked up terrified. "He's here: The Phantom of the Opera!" I looked about Meg frightenedly. I knew that voice...it was the man who took me to his dark lair at the underground lake...my Angel.
p
"It's him...I know it...it's him..." I said abstractedly. "Your part is silent, little toad!" Carlotta hissed.
p
It couldn't be...I couldn't believe it. Holding the thought that the man who took me on that dark journey the other night, was my Angel, kept me believing I could sing better...and that the story of Little Lotte, and her Angel of Music was true.
p
but I knew now that it was all a lie. This man was only a fake! I had given myself to him for nothing. but then that voice...his wonderful melodic voice...and that sweet, kind, gentle passion he showed me. I had never been treated that way before. but that face...oh the face of him was so horrible...but this voice...the voice of the Opera Ghost...could it really be the same voice as the man I thought was an angel?
p
"A toad Madame? Perhaps it is you who is the toad!" It called. It was him...my angel was the Phantom of the Opera.
p
Carlotta brushed his words off of her back quickly, and began to repeat her last lines. "Serafimo, away with this petence! You cannot speak, but kiss me in my 'croak'!" Carlotta held her throat in horror as she let out the sound of a frog, instead of her song. The Ghost's laughter surrounded the opera house. Carlotta ignored it, and started up again.
p
"Poor fool he makes me laugh, hahahahaha! 'croak' 'croak' 'croak' 'croak!'" Each time she tried to sing, she let out a horrible croaking sound. I watched in horror, as Carlotta croaked, the managers dashed onto the stage, and Raoul had left Box 5. I held my head, trying to block out the Phantom's laughing that surrounded me entirely. The audience could not tell what was happening.
p
"Non posso piu...I cannot...I can't go on!" Carlotta shouted. She whept as she was led off the stage by the stagehands.
p
Firmin stood infront of the audience, and announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen...the performance will continue in ten minutes, when the role of the countess will be sung by Miss Christine Daaé. In the mean time, we will watch the ballet from Act Three of tonight's performance."
p
The music began, as I was rushed backstage to change. I was in the black box, the small dresser right off of the stage, for a quick change. I heard the ballet music quicken as I slipped the countesses shoes on. Just before my second shoe was applied, I heard a scream from one of the dancers. It was Meg.
p
I ran out of the Black Box, and onto the stage. All eyes were fixed on something hanging above the stage. I fixed my glance to see Joseph Buquet hanging above the stage, dead. Everyone ran onstage including Raoul.
p
I called to him, "Raoul, Raoul!" "Christine!" he called, "Come with me!" I shook my head, "No to the roof! We'll be safe there."
p
We ran to the top of the Opera House, away from the screams and cries of the audience, and dancers. Before we had completely lost the sounds of the Opera House, we heard Firmin calling to the audience, in attempt to calm them:
p
"Ladies and Gentle please, remain in your seats! Do not panic, it was only an accident! Simply and accident!