Chapter 1:

Everyone had left the damp and dark place that once held The Phantom of the Opera. Somehow he had disappeared. I slowly opened the music box I still held in my hands and a familiar tune lifted from the wooden box.

"Masquerade, paper faces on parade. Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you…" I kept singing as though I couldn't stop when suddenly a voice came from behind me, "Must you always sing so softly Miss Giry?"It was him, the one everyone had been searching for, the phantom. His face was once again covered by a mask.

"I'm sorry sir." How could I not be polite when this man had murdered so many. I tried to turn away but he grabbed my wrist. To my surprise it wasn't forceful. My heart leapt at his touch and I shook my head to silence it.

"I have been watching you your whole life Mademoiselle, I was 11 when your mother conceived you on her twenty third birthday. I was there when you met Christine for the very first time. I watched as you danced and sang on my opera stage."

"I'm sorry sir, but you have no right to be watching me and I would kindly appreciate it if you let me go." Of coarse he did not. I do not think he ever met a temperamental girl like me before. I will not play his games and he will not overpower me as he did Christine. Yanking my hand free I pulled out the sword at my side. He laughed and in a seconds time my blade was near his throat. "How dare you! Isn't it enough that you have ruined this operas reputation and scared everyone out of their minds? Do you have any compassion for anyone other than yourself; have you gone mad with being alone that you strive to ruin all that is good and light in this world?"

"Good day to you Mademoiselle," he turned and disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.

"I wasn't finished!" I yelled into the emptiness picking up the music box and wading out of there.