Haha. I just saw POTO again today. Well, I would have posted this sooner, except I have been busy reading 'Phantom' By: Susan Kay. I had to get it from the Corpus Christi Library. That's three hours away from where I live. Well, enjoy. I like this one. The more you guys review the more I post.
Disclaimer: I have no idea why I put one. Don't own it. There. From now on, I most likely won't put one. If anyone has any other idea, telling me that I have to put on up, I would just like you to know that I do, know how to make a Punjab Lasso (Thanks Ana). I can make one in about, oh, 30 seconds. Muhaha.
Chapter 7: Underground Escapade
"Christine, I hate to burst your and Meg's laughter, but where did you get such a beautiful cloak?" Madame Giry asked amazed by the beauty of the ebony cloak.
"Erik gave it to me as a present." Christine answered proudly, "I almost forgot I even had it on. I've gotten used to the weight." A look on Madame Giry's face said something, but Christine couldn't put her finger on it. "Umm… not to be rude, but why did you look at me like that, when I answered?"
"Because," She answered slowly, "It is in the same pattern of the one I made him. I admire how well Erik can tailor." She looked into Christine's eyes. Just then, Erik opened the door and took his usual seat in his armchair.
"Bonjour. I would like to ask both of you a question." He said pointing two fingers at them, but not to intimidate them. Meg sat up a little straighter in her seat, ready to run if things got ugly. "First, Meg, Christine tells me that you can sing."
"You told him that?" Meg asked Christine under her breath angrily. "Well, yes I can sing. I'm a Mezzo-Soprano, but I'm a little shy in front of people." A gleam in Erik's eye didn't give Meg any clue to what he was thinking, that gleam was always there.
"Yes, yes, Christine told me that too." He said, deeply thinking if he should continue, "I wanted to know if you would like to audition for my new opera, 'Love of All Things', I mean, a singing role."
It didn't take Meg long to come up with the answer. "Well, I guess I could. The part isn't the lead is it? I hope not." She said hoping that Erik would not pummel her for her question.
"Bloody hell, no! I wouldn't give a ballet rat the lead." He blurted out, not realizing that he had called her a ballet rat. She looked a little insulted. "I'm joking. You might have a lead sometime, if you get your voice in shape. Anyway, the lead's a Soprano role, the role I want you to audition for is a Mezzo-Soprano role."
"And the role is…?" She asked rather impatiently.
"Jeanette, Erika's (the lead) best friend." He replied rather annoyed at all her questions, and also for how long their conversation was getting. "And you, Madame Giry, do you, by any chance, know how many decent dancers are coming back?"
"I know that at least 30 are coming again." She replied not really knowing what Erik was getting to. "But," she said hesitantly, "the only reason they're coming back, is because they think you died that night. But you didn't. How are we going to pull this off?"
"The first thing is, that, when I am in public areas, people will know me as Monsieur Jacques Beaumount. Next, the mask thing, Christine has agreed to apply stage cosmetics to cover it up." He answered her, realizing that she would have to know sooner or later. "With Meg, auditioning for a singing role, I need another ballet student that can dance as good as she can, to fill in her spot. I am telling you this, that without even hearing Meg sing, I can most likely guess that she can sing batter than most of the people who will audition. Meaning, she will most likely get the role." Meg blushed slightly to his compliments of her singing and dancing skills. Christine saw the blush on her face, and elbowed her playfully in her side, not sure if Meg realized that she was a light color of scarlet. For the next hour, they chatted about anything, and everything. Christine enlightened Erik about Madame Giry's admiration of the cape.
After a while, they decided that it would be best if they were to leave. No body knew where they were. As they got up to leave, Erik thought of all the passages, and since people were now moving about in then opera house once again, and which were more secluded than others. He decided that they should take the most familiar route, the passageway to Christine's old dressing room. Once again, in the boat, Erik transported Antoinette across first. When he came back to pick up Meg and Christine, Meg wasn't as afraid as she was the previous time. Knowing that if she did get the role, she would have to get used to being down here, because she would most likely have Erik help her with her voice. After being transported to the other side of the underground lake, they made their way up the steps leading to the mirror. Meg had only been down this way one or two times. She tried to note her surroundings trying hard not to forget where they were. Finally, they reached the end of the passage, and to the mirror. Erik walked up to mirror, and turned his back to it, and faced the group.
"I know that you, Antoinette, won't tell of our little meeting, but Meg, I need you to swear to me, never to tell anyone about this meeting, the secret passages, or that you even know me. I've been in hiding too long to let my secret out." Erik said looking seriously into Meg's face, trying to scare her a little. "But if you ever need to tell Christine or me anything, then just slip a note under the mirror. If by any chance you come down here, you must tell your mother first, get her permission, and close off the dressing room. Or more conveniently, you can take your mother's passage. Then if one of heard you coming, we wouldn't get our Punjab Lassos out thinking you would be an intruder. Your mother is the only out sider who knows of that passage. She will enlighten you where and how to go through it if she needs to."
"I promise I won't." She said, obviously creeped out by the way he looked at her. "But, hypothetically, what would happen if I did tell someone, and you hear me or find out?"
"Well, then," He replied with an evil smirk, "I would have to ask Christine for my trusty friend, and hunt you down. Which really wouldn't be that hard, because I have trap doors in places you would never guess. But," He said taking a pause, "Your mother would probably see or hear you fist, knowing from my own experiences, that she has eyes and ears everywhere." Erik shot a glance to Madame Giry, who had on a smile. "But don't worry." Meg who had just trusted Erik a minute ago inched closer to her mother, who she knew wouldn't let him pummel her. Erik then opened the mirror, and let them in though to the dressing room. Just as they were about to leave, Antoinette turned around, and looked up at Erik.
"Take care Erik." Madame Giry said to him before she left the mirror. When she turned around, Erik sealed the mirror.
"That Meg, she gets so frightened of me. Doesn't she?" He asked Christine rather amused as they walked back. He chuckled to himself with amusement.
"From what she told me, she doesn't really care for your humor." Christine said lightly, before she suddenly fainted into Erik's arms. Erik looked down at her wondering if she was still alive.
He was sure that Madame Giry had left from the dressing room for sure by now. He picked her up fully into his arms and ran back to the mirror. Wishing that he wouldn't have sealed it, he frantically pulled the lever, which unsealed and opened it. Luckily Antoinette had closed the door to the room. As he stepped out of the mirror, he remembered that he didn't have to walk in the hall to get to her. There, in the back wall, was a trap door that would lead to Madame Giry's room. He ran over to the shadows, and made his way into the dark passage. He had to slow down to make sure that he didn't go through the wrong passage. Christine now had her eyes closed, but remained conscious. He could hear her slightly whisper, "Erik…" a few times.
"Hold on mon ange. Hold on, please." He begged her, even though she most likely couldn't hear him. When he reached Madame Giry's mirror, he looked out to see only Antoinette, sitting down in the corner of her room. Haughtily, he slid the mirror open, and turned his back to the opening, trying to maneuver his way out, not injuring Christine in the process.
"Erik! What's wrong?" Antoinette asked, surprised to see him, but wondered why on earth, he would see her again so quickly.
Haha. Once again, I end with a cliffhanger. I will post an excerpt from my next chapter blow this.
Excerpt from Chapter 8: Another New Twist
"How long has her stomach been swollen Erik?" Madame Giry asked him, pushing slightly on Christine's stomach.
"She told me about that a week or two ago. She thought it was just her corset bothering her." He admitted, not really sure if that information would help in any way.
(A Different Point)
Just then Meg opened the door to her mother's room. Erik, thinking that she was a dancer or a stagehand, pulled out his 'extra' Punjab Lasso, ready to kill. When Meg saw it, she slammed the door shut. "Erik! Put that away!" Christine exclaimed, grabbing it from his hands.
