The auditions finished just a couple of hours after Crystal had performed. Madame Giry stood
up from her seat in the audience and announced the new piano player for the Palais Garnier. Meg and Crystal both had their fingers crossed.
"Crystal Blyth. Congratulations!" Madame Giry said. Meg and Crystal turned and hugged one another.
"I knew you could do it. I knew it!" Meg told Crystal. Crystal said nothing. She only had tears of happiness in her eyes.
After the auditions, Meg took Crystal to her room. It was in fact the same room in which Christine Daae had stayed in when she was at the Opera House. The mangers wanted to treat Crystal like royalty for they were in desperate need of a new piano player.
Crystal unlocked the door to her new room. She had never stayed in such an elegant bedroom before. It wasn't the biggest room she's ever seen but she knew she was going to be cozy here.
The most amazing part of the room was the mirror. She had heard of its beauty but never truly believed of it until now. She had also heard about the Phantom of the Opera story and this room, but this she did not intend to believe.
Crystal placed a few of her bags on her bed and Meg put her suitcase on the ground when suddenly Crystal burst out, "Oh Meg, I've been dying to tell you!" She pulled Meg on top of the bed where the girls now faced each other.
"Tell me what Crys?" Meg cried out. She noticed the anxious look on Crystal's face.
"Promise me you won't tell a soul?" Crystal asked.
"On our friendship! Now tell me silly." Meg said giggling.
"Alright." Crystal said seriously, "When I finished playing my piece at the organ and began walking back to my seat, I…I saw something, someone actually. Up in Box 5."
Meg's eyes widened, and said nothing at first. Than she said, "Did you see this persons face? Was it a man? Was he wearing a mask?"
"Oh Meg don't talk nonsense. It wasn't the Opera Ghost. He no longer exists. He died in the fire remember? But yes, it was a man I saw and no I couldn't quite see his face, the light was far too dark up where he sat. But I thought I could make out a smile. Oh Meg, it was a beautiful smile. But," Crystal paused, "why would he be up in Box 5 for?"
Meg looked at the mirror and than back at her best friend. "Crystal we cannot talk about this here. After dinner tonight I'll find a place where we can talk."
"You don't think the 'Opera Ghost' is standing behind the mirror now do you?" Crystal teased jokingly. "But I suppose we can talk about this later. I still do need to unpack. I'll meet you in the dining hall in a couple of hours. Good-bye." Crystal said.
"Good-bye Crystal, I'll see you soon." Meg told her friend. She looked at the mirror one last time before she left and shut the door behind her.
Crystal walked over to her suitcase, opened it and took out a few dresses placing them neatly on her bed. She looked up and caught her reflection in the mirror. She walked over to it and eyed it up and down until she said, "Perhaps I shall wear my hair down this evening." Saying that, she slowly began taking the pins out of her auburn hair and let her waves hang down. She than placed a hand to her stomach, it was rumbling. She had not eaten anything all day.
"I'm starving." She mumbled to herself walking away from the mirror and called for a young boy to come and draw her a bath.
Once the boy left, she removed her clothes and her garments and slipped into the hot water. It felt good and soothing. She rested her head on the porcelain tub and slowly closed her eyes. Just seconds after she closed them she opened than. She saw that she could see the tall mirror through the bathroom door. She stepped out of the tub quickly and shut the door before returning to her bath.
About an hour later she left her bathroom with a towel in her hair and a robe tied loosely around her petite waist. When she made her way toward her bed to pick out an outfit to wear that evening, she saw something on her side table and gasped.
She slowly walking over to a dish covered in all kinds of fruit. It hadn't been there when she had gone to take a bath. Beside it lay a red rose tied in a black satin ribbon, and a letter addressed to her. It had a skull shaped stamp on the back that she ripped open nervously. When she pulled the letter out, she slowly began reading the red ink.
Dear Mademoiselle Blyth,
Welcome to my Opera House. I hope you find your stay here rather suitable for you. I also hope you enjoy this bundle of fruit I have left you. I cannot have our new pianist starving now can I? Let this tie you over before your dinner tonight with Meg Giry. And remember, no matter where you go in this Opera House, I shall hear what she has to say to you.
Signed,
O.G.
Post Script: Try the apples, they're delicious.
'O.G., O.G., O.G., Opera Ghost!' This was running through Crystal's head the moment she finished reading the letter. 'Does this Opera Ghost still exist? No Crystal, don't be silly, its someone just playing a joke.' Crystal thought to herself. She put down the letter and smelt the rose and picked up a shiny red apple and bit down into it. It was juicy and delicious.
She than put down the apple and walked to her bed where a few of her dresses still lay. She picked a dress and found some clean garments and began walking to her bathroom to get changed. She gave the mirror a furious look before shutting the bathroom door behind her.
"This is crazy. Why am I in here? I have nothing to be afraid of!" With this, Crystal turned on her heel and opened the door. When she looked up she gave a loud gasp and dropped her clothes to her feet.
Than from in front of her, a man dressed in all black, reached out and covered her mouth with his gloved hand. He smiled, the same smile she saw up at Box 5 earlier that afternoon, saying, "But don't you?"