Hello, I hope you like this first chapter. I shall be doing at least one a day. I've never written a fanfic so I think it will be fun to try. I plan on lots of character development because I really want to do my obsession some justice, lol. Pardon how this first one looks, I need to remember to write on Micro Word first. Also for all those Eric lovers, there will be love but what kind I don't know. Ain't I a stinka. Pleeease critique me and please pardon my spelling on this one. I hope you will be moved if even for a second. Cheers.
I do not own any of the Phantom of the Opera characters. (That right?)
The line 'a platform with which to jump beyond myself' belongs to Alanis Morrisette from her song Unsent
Novas Initium
"Shh Isabelle, don't speak." The young boy drew the small girl close to him, smiling mischievously. She shivered and her eyes grew wide as footsteps moved nearer to them.
"Benjamin!" she whispered "Shhhhhhh." He hissed, this time with more emphasis, while pulling her even closer. They could hear the soft pat of leather shoes against the old floorboards, every step louder than the last. The children stared from underneath a dusty oak desk with hopes of not being seen. The light of a distant candle was all they had to see by, as a silhouette came into view. It crept closer and closer, breathing softly.
The young girl could no longer control her fear and let go a high pitched scream the echoed threw the great hallway. The figure moved swiftly towards them, hands outstretched, reaching for the lace that dangled off of the desk. The young boy now also let loose a, high pitched scream. The lace lifted and a voice whispered "Found you!" A match lit to reveal a girl's face, soft and pail in light of the flame. Large laughing eyes of shining white peered back at them.
"Kathryn!" the boy yelled, wrinkling his freckles into a scowl. The women's eyes turned scolding as she reached in and grabbed him by his ear.
"What are you doing back here Benjamin?" The little girl started to cry and pulled her dark hair over her face.
"Ouch, ouw, ouw , ouw, let go Katherine." He whimpered
"Well first explain to me what you're doing back here, and why you are skulking around in the dark. You know father wants no one back here when the constructions are going on. I dare say he won't be happy you brought Isabelle out here either." The smirking girl let go of his ear and he rubbed it ruefully as she reached for Isobel.
"We were playing a game." He stuck his nose in the air and crossed his arms. Isobel held on to Kathryn's arm tightly peeking from behind her hair. "We were, waiting for the Opera Ghost." She whispered, still to scared to raise her voice.
"What do you mean?" It was her turn to scowl as she grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. "I will never understand why it is you enjoy frightening your sister!" Isabelle buried her face again after seeing her brother's shamed face
"It's all in good fun. No harm done." He tried to smile but it soon faded at Kathryn's expression. He lowered his eyes, kicking the dust on the floor with his boot.
"Aahhhh, good fun. That would explain why you screamed too. Kathryn handed a candle she had lit to Isobel and turned to face her younger brother again. "Start moving, now."
They continued on in silent reverence for their surroundings. As they walked back down threw the vast hall their candles splashed flickers of light across the blackened dusty objects they past. Kathryn could feel the past though it was long scorched and gone. She followed the children as they cautiously step over debris and glass. They looked like three small spirits as they walked, contrasted against the dark emptiness around them. When at last they could go no farther, a vast empty shell of a stage lay before them. How many feet had touched it, and where were they now. Kathryn feared if she stared to long she would be witness to ghosts, dancing to a long dead orchestra. A shiver ran down her spine.
Finally passing it they entered a huge domed room with many levels. It smelled of burnt velvet and singed paint. A graveyard of seats lay before them. They were toppled and burnt corpses that seemed to be paying homage to the large hunk of twisted metal and blackened crystals that lay in a heap at the foot of the stage. The candle light shined against it letting small reflections of its past majesty twinkle forth. 'So sad' Kathryn thought. They exited leaving the opera, alone with its memories.
Bright light and the sound of pounding hammers greeted them as they entered the ball room of the long dead, Opera Populair. Kathryn shook the dust from her own black dress then proceeded to dust Isabelle off. Her blue watery eyes peeked out from the tangle that was her dark brown hair. Kathryn smoothed her lacy frock and pulled the hair away to reveal her porcelain face. Isobel was the most fragile and petite six year old she had ever seen, a miniature of her departed mother. Kathryn gave her a soft smile and kissed her on the cheek.
"Your alright sweet lass. Don't listen to Benjamin, there is no Opera Ghost. The only thing in the dark here is dust and memories. You love memories, don't you?" Kathryn sighed and looked to Benjamin who shifted uncomfortably and stared at the workers bustling about.
"I do love them." her voice was soft, like a cloud against silk "The ones of momma, that smell of peppermint." A warm look spread across her face as she remembered. "May I go find papa, I want to tell him of our adventure tonight." She turned to her brother "Benjamin we will find the Opera Ghost some other time." She patted him on the shoulder and left to find her father, her step light and happy, glad to be free of the dark rooms.
Kathryn turned to face Ben who was tousling his thick red hair and fiddling with his suspenders. He kept averting his eyes and would not look Kat in the face. Kathryn stared in hopes of getting some kind of reaction. He looked up and met her gaze.
"I know, I know. Was a tad mean. Besides I do somewhat believe the stories." He lied. "It's just so boring having to stay in this wing. Its noisy, people tramping about anywhere they please, and I only have Isobel to play with." He paused to collect his thoughts "I meant no harm and I apologize Kat."
"Not to me you don't, to Isabelle. You are twelve almost thirteen, no more nonsense or nastyness towards Isobelle. You know she's fragile Ben." Kat bent close to him and looked him in his green eyes. He seemed truly sorry.
"It was not my original intention to scare her. She just followed, and the opportunity presented itself to me. I even frightened myself or rather you did. So please give me a little faith sis." Kat looked thoughtful for a moment." What?" Ben eyed her curiously.
"I am just glad that you can be such a sweet kid." Kathryn ruffled his hair and gave him a smile. "I know your bored but think how amazing it will be when everything is finished and you can see real operas. For now you could paint some more statues.
"Ug, I don't want to paint anything ever again." Ben rolled his eyes and blew exasperated air threw his lips. Kathryn couldn't help but laugh.
"You could sort music sheets or books in the library. I think I came across some books about jungles and wild things." She saw his round face soften.
"That would not be so bad, I suppose. I'll just be on my way then." He turned to go. Kathryn cleared her throat loudly. "Yes, yes I'll apologize. No doubt father will chat with me too" He turned and walked off to the second floor.
Kathryn hadn't a need to say more. She couldn't believe how much he looked like his father, just less round. She laughed to herself and turned to stare at the near finished, grand staircase.
How beautiful it must have been. She new that there had been a lot more gold in the original design but there was a lot of white now and it was very Greek. There were bare breasted ladies and swooning men with golden bowls of fruit and glasses of wine balancing in there hands. Her father had still wanted to incorporate red velvet so that the gothic feel would not be gone. Besides it was all the rage at the moment and her father wanted to keep up with the times. The floor was beautiful white marble flecked with gold and adorned with blood red velvet rugs. She felt as though Aphrodite or Hera would be very comfy here. The archways of the upper balconies glistened with new white and gold paint, and the red velvet flowed graciously from every opening, like crimson blood spilling from the windows of heaven.
Kathryn felt out of place in her black taffeta, but she would never give it up, never wear colors again. She moved to a mirror that would allow her to get the dust she missed earlier. A single hair had come loose and there was a black smudge on her face. As she dotted the smudge away she stopped and looked deep into the mirror. Her long black hair was pulled up in back but left to hang at its full length. Her face was perfectly proportioned and her lips full. Her eyes were the oddest thing about her. The whites were almost completely blended with her pupils. They were white with a slight blue tint which made her stare most amazing. It looked like she had two perfect pools of clear water on her face contrasted by her dark arched eyebrows. Almost angel like. Everyone who met her thought her to be the most fair woman they had ever seen, but some found her sad darkness too be too much, feeling it over shadowed her beauty. 'Am I so sad?' she thought 'And why can't it end. Why can't I, let go.' She touched the mirror's surface and smiled as she thought of Isobel and her father laughing as they played with his little war miniatures. He always let her win the big battles, his strong face beaming at her. Kathryn sighed. 'Beautiful family, soon to be grand home, music, and my youth She new she was blessed and gifted in so many ways. She just needed a platform with which to jump beyond herself. To grow and act like the seventeen year old she was. Maybe just maybe, she'd learn to smile and laugh without out hiding tears behind it. "Cheery thoughts Kathryn" She said to herself, catching a raised eyebrow of a passing painter. 'Many good years to come' she thought. Only this time silently.
Allegratree- Thanks so much for your review. I tried to fix the dialog a bit. Wanted them to sound British but it ended up kind of pompos. Thanks much for your kind thoughts.
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