Chapter VIII: Hated

The Opera Populaire Nouveau still went about its daily routine, still putting on performances nearly every night and rehearsing nearly every day. The disappearance was never acknowledged by the performers, and life continued on.

A new manager was hired with amazing speed. Monsieur Blanc was a little nervous at first at suddenly becoming the manager of such a successful opera, but filled the position well within time. He became assertive and well-organized, and made sure the opera did not fall behind because of the sudden murder of Monsieur Giovanni.

There was a simple funeral for the deceased manager a few days after his death. Most of the members of the opera attended. There was some shed of tears, but it was a funeral that seemed very dull. Chouet thought of it as 'gray'. Only those that had been close to the manager really expressed mourning. Since she had never been close to the manager, she did not cry. Instead, those that had simply known him all thought the same thing: would this new phantom strike again?

Chouet remembered at the funeral the night of the murder. A group of men had questioned her about the murderer immediately after he had disappeared. They asked how he looked and what he said to her and what his motives were. Chouet spoke nothing that revealed that Raphael was indeed this new ghost. When asked if she knew anything about the disappearance very subtly by Monsieur Blanc, she replied that she hadn't seen him since that night. Technically, she told herself, that was not a lie. She had not seen him since that night.

Performances of Griselda continued. Critics raved on the professional execution of the lead by the Prima Donna and on the beauty of the ballet. Chouet even noticed in a review one evening that the critic mentioned the beauty of a ballet soloist in one of the ballet numbers. Chouet felt wonderful when she read that review. If only Raphael could have seen that review…

Raphael now lived in the catacombs of the opera house, secluding himself from the rest of the world. He didn't want anybody to see him, lest they identify this phantom as him.

He missed Chouet dearly. He wished to see her again, just to say something to her, even if it was only to say that he loved her like he said every evening to himself as he went to sleep.

Every so often, he would take a glance at the shattered glass on the floor, and he would see the Phantom, staring back at him. He would converse with him and his concerns.

"I don't understand. What am I to do? I love Chouet…so dearly…"

The Phantom looked back at Raphael, his face serious. "I, too, know how it feels to truly love. To love so dearly you cannot live without them. Do you feel that if you were not to share every moment with this Chouet your heart would stop beating and you would die?"

Raphael nodded. "I would die. Die alone and unloved."

"Would you do anything to have her as yours?"

Raphael nodded.

The Phantom watched him gravely. "Then this is what you shall do…"

Raphael listened eagerly to the imaginary Phantom his own insanity had created, obeying its every word. It was the only thing he had left.

Chouet was in her room, brushing her hair, contemplating over the events of that afternoon's rehearsal.

A new backstage hand had been hired to take the place of Raphael. Jean was young, and quite handsome in reality. It was obvious when he first saw Chouet that he was attracted by her beauty. Yet she was not attracted to him, exactly in the same way she was not attracted to the many men who were drawn to her. It still felt that part of her heart still belonged to him…but could a monster love?

She sighed, looking at herself in the mirror, at her forlorn face and her eyes that looked like they were ready to cry. She was somehow deeply entranced by the mirror, and she couldn't draw her eyes away from her reflection. She was even imagining that she could see Raphael just behind her, his face unmasked and his eyes gleaming, comforting her and promising to always protect her…he was reaching out to her, ready to rest his hand on her shoulder as a single tear crept down her face…

When she actually felt the hand on her shoulder, she gasped, jumping up and turning around. There was Raphael, only it wasn't the same man she had seen in the mirror. This man's eyes were dark and cold, and his face was hidden by the odd half-mask. His very air was not warming and comforting, but cold, turned sour by nearly a month alone in darkness with only his own imagination to accompany him.

Chouet was shaking, but she kept her voice down to a harsh whisper as she spoke. "Why are you here? How did you get in here? You…you must leave at once…"

Raphael shook his head. "I won't leave you, Chouet…I love you…without you, I am nothing…"

Chouet backed away from him. "No, Raphael…you are already nothing…please leave me alone or…or I'll scream!"

Raphael reached a hand out to her. "Please, Chouet…come with me…together, we will be happy…"

Chouet bit her lip, backing away still, she felt the back of her heel hit the door of her room, and knew she was cornered. Finally, using all of her strength, she screamed at the top of the lungs.

The result was immediate. Before Raphael could even react, a group of men stormed into her room. Chouet fell down as she was pushed aside, and watched as the men surrounded the cornered man. One of them shouted, "It's him! We've caught him!" Two of the men dashed up to him, grabbing his arms. He struggled, trying to hide his face, but to no avail. One last man came into the room, and Chouet could see that it was Jacques. He looked for one minute in silence as the two men restrained Raphael from running off. Jacques walked up to the Phantom slowly, looking at him straight in the eye. Raphael was still resisting, trying his hardest to get to Jacques, his intention of what he wanted to do to him clear.

Jacques stopped right in front of Raphael, looking at him. Finally he spoke. "Well, well, well. Little Raphael Giry. Thought you could get away with sneaking into a girl's room, didn't you? It's obvious what your intentions were! And the crimes you have committed!" He then spoke to the two men. "We shall take him to the police. No doubt he will be tried for the murder of Monsieur Giovanni." He then looked bitterly at Raphael, and the Phantom thought he could detect a spark of triumph in his eyes. "I'm sure the police will take good care of him until his execution." He then looked at Chouet with a smirk. "I thank you, mademoiselle, for allowing us to capture this criminal. I assure you he will never bother you again."

With that, the two men dragged the struggling Raphael away. Chouet watched him go, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. She could hear the last words out of his mouth before he disappeared out of her room, his voice choking back tears as he spoke.

"Chouet…I love you…"

Next Chapter: Loved

Raphael was shaking again. "Chouet…I love you. Why can't you love me? Why…?"

Chouet took a deep breath. "Raphael…I do love you…"