Chapter 3- Angel of Music

Meg led Rene to her room, both were silent. When they came to Rene's room, Meg turned to Rene and quietly wished her a pleasant sleep. Rene opened the door the her room, and stood in the doorway, surveying the dark space around her. Finally when she decided it was safe, though she was unsure why she had been so cautious, she entered and closed the door behind her. She walked over to the bed and sat on it.

"Why am I here?" she asked herself aloud. "Because," came the answer within her head, "You have no where else to go." Rene pondered that for a moment. Did she really have no where to go? Was this really where she belonged? Again she hummed the song her mother had once sang to her. Her voice this time, daring to venture out of her throat and join the melody. Her voice did not ring at first, but as she risked a little more strength and intensity and her voice resonated through her room as she sang:

Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping I my loved ones' watch am keeping,
All through the night

Angels watching, e'er around thee,
All through the night Midnight slumber close surround thee,
All through the night Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping I my loved ones' watch am keeping,
All through the night

With the last phrase Rene's beautifully trained voice broke, and she fell onto her bed and cried softly. Rene lay on her bed. Silent tears ran down her cheeks. She trembled with the sobs erupting from her chest. Suddenly out of the darkness of her room Rene heard a voice sing in low tones a familiar song, that Rene had never heard before. It started very softly and then grew in intensity and volume.

"You stumble, you plead, you ask for guidance. You'll find it in me, your angel.
Give me your voice your soul, your passion, trust in me: your angel"

Rene looked up at the ceiling searching for the voice. She answered softly, "Are you an angel, why believe you? You are but a lost dream."

Rene listened quietly for an answer, and when it came it echoed through her room, low and melodious, "Angel of music, do you doubt me? Things are not as they seem."

Rene answered again, "The child's game you play will not fool me. This cannot continue to be."

"Don't turn from me, angel of music. If you look, you'll see. Angel, or dreamer,"

"Real or whimsy," Rene finished, and continued on, "Revile to me your story. Angel of music, guide me, guard me, grant to me your glory."

"Too long you've wandered in winter," The voice began. "Far from my far reaching gaze."

"I cannot believe you're a angel, and my soul reframes." Rene exclaimed.

"Angel of music" The voice joined in. "I will / can you guide you / me, find you / me and still love you / me. Angel, oh sing, I hear, I listen, stay with me, here. (I'll) Guard you / me."

"I am your angel of music, come to me angel of music." The voice demanded.

"Angel of music, hide no longer," Rene answered

"I am your angel of music, come to me angel of music." The voice repeated in a ghostly nature with a persistent and commanding tone.

Rene sat up and asked, no longer singing, "Angel where are you?"

"I am the Phantom of the Opera!" The voice sang, to a different tune insisting on the statement.

Rene answered, joining him in singing once more, she cried, "There is no Phantom of the Opera!"

"Child don't doubt me, or you'll find all your darkest dreams, are in me, your angel, the angel who sings, in the darkness, darkness." The phantom bellowed, angry and hurt by her unbelief.

"Angel of music speak I listen stay by my side, guide me. Angel my soul is week, please help me, come to me, strange angel!" Rene answered, the words coming with the original tune that they had sung to, without any effort or knowledge. Rene stood.

"Flattering child, you shall know me see why in shadow I hide. Look at your face in the mirror. I am there inside." Rene turned to the Mirror in the corner of the room. Standing there, in her reflection was the Phantom of the Opera. Rene's eyes were tranced, for a moment, and suddenly, she fell to the floor, her knees buckling under her, and she slept. The angel emerged from the mirror and took Rene in his arms. For a moment he was tempted to take her back with him, but thought better of it, as Madame Giry would be cross with him if he did. Instead, he walked to the bed and placed her gently on the pillowed cot.

"Can you now make my song take flight? Help me make the music of the night." He sang in a new and beautiful tune and returned to his hell in the depths of the Opera.

Thanks to Brenda on Lullabies. for the lyrics to "All Through the Night"