Here's a new chapter! Again, not very exciting, but we're getting into the good stuff, we really are! (Right Amy, you've been saying that for the last five chapters...) So enjoy and don't forget to review!

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Amarie took Erik on a tour of the small theatre, showing him the auditorium, the props room, the men's dressing room, and her father's office. When she was satisfied that Erik knew the location of these places, she took him to the dorms.

"This is your room," she said, tugging him along behind her. "See? It's right at the end of the hall, so you won't have any trouble finding it. Go inside! Look around!"

Erik entered the room and began acquainting himself. Bed,night table, wardrobe, mirror (little use he had for it), and a small desk.

"Isn't it nice?" Amarie gushed.

"Mm-hm…" Erik grunted.

"Come on!" she said, grabbing his hand. "My Papa will want to see you now. About your contract!" Amarie pulled Erik back up to the offices again. "Papa! Papa! Monsieur Erik is here!" She shoved Erik into the small office and sat him down on a hard, wooden chair across from Lachappelle's desk.

"Thank you, Amie," Lachappelle said. Erik heard a bit of a squeak from Lachappelle's chair as he sat down at the desk. "Monsieur Giry, I've finished writing up your contract. I even had my secretary do up a copy for you in Braille, so you can read it yourself. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them."

Erik took the copy of his contract and ran his fingers along the lines, reading it. Anyone watching would have thought that Erik had been reading in Braille his whole life, with the speed at which he read.

"You say your secretary made this copy?" Erik asked, absent-mindedly.

"Yes. Apparently her sister is blind, and she had the means with which to write in Braille."

"You may wish to inform her then that this document has several spelling and grammatical errors." Erik continued reading. The terms of the contract were rather basic. He had plenty of liberties, his living expenses were paid for as long as he resided in the dorms…

"Twenty-five franks a week? My, that is rather small…"

"This theatre is rather small!" Lachappelle scoffed. "Sorry, Monsieur, but our actors do not enjoy the salaries of those who perform for the Opera Populaire of Paris. We have small audiences and large expenses. Twenty-five a week is the best you'll get!"

Erik set the paper down. So he had signed on with a failing theatre? Great. Just great. If only he could still compose! Erik knew that, if he just could, he could create an opera for this modest little theatre that would have the seats filled up for weeks!

"Do you have any questions?" Lachappelle asked, shaking Erik from his reverie.

"No… no, this document seems quite clear…"

"Good. Then I'll have you sign here…" Lachappelle put a pen in Erik's hand and led it to the dotted line at the bottom of the contract. Erik signed it mechanically, still possessed by this previous thoughts. Lachappelle glanced down at the signature and up at Erik again. "O.G?"

"What?"

"You signed, 'O.G.' Those aren't your initials."

Erik almost gasped, realizing that he had just signed his name as the Opera Ghost!

"Uh… O.G. is, uh… Well, the 'G' is my last name, Giry, obviously, and, uh…The 'O' represents my middle name, you see… My middle name is, uh… O'Reilly. Yes. Erik O'Reilly Giry. My, uh… wartime friends used to call me by my middle name… that's why I use it in my signature…"

"Lame explanation, Erik," he thought to himself. "Very lame."

But Lachappelle seemed to buy it. "A Scandinavian first name, an Irish middle name, and a French last name?"

"Yes… that is correct."

"Where did you say you were from again?"

Erik sighed. He had no idea what he was getting himself into.

XxXxX

Erik knew it must be getting late. He had spent the remainder of his day trying to acquaint himself with the theatre and the stage, while at the same time avoiding Amarie. Erik was tired. He needed to sleep. Wearily, he trudged down the hallways of the dorms, heading towards his room.

Halfway down the hall, Erik stopped. He thought he heard footsteps behind him. The small hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Erik was sure he could hear someone breathing.

Then a hand grabbed Erik by the arm…

XxXxX

OH NOOOOOOOO! What tragedy will befall our beloved Erik now? I guess you'll have to check in tomorrow and find out.