Chapter Five
The Morning After
The day dawned in the Opera Populaire with a beautiful radiance. It was gorgeous day like always ad Meg rolled over. She had barely been able so sleep, thinking about Maria being out with Raoul. She grabbed her robe and quickly went to Maria's room. She knocked lightly three times, but there was no answer.
"Maria," Meg called softly.
There was still no reply. Meg gently pushed the door and found that it was unlocked. She slowly walked in. She looked around; noticing that the bed hadn't been slept in and the dress Maria had taken had not been worn. She kept probing but found nothing was out of place. She crept out and started toward the costume room. She stopped suddenly. The door to Carlotta's dressing room was opened slightly. She cautiously walked inside. The room was empty except for flowers. She peaked behind the dressing screen and saw a small, bright light coming from the mirror. She started toward it and saw the light was coming from a crack. She walked over and touched the mirror. The glass moved as she studied the light. She saw that there was a passageway behind it. She then looked at the back of the mirror and discovered it was double-sided! She slowly passed through the mirror and found a long corridor filled with cobwebs. She started to walk.
The air was stale and wet. She stopped suddenly at seeing two huge rats. She wanted to start back, but she felt drawn to go on. She walked slowly, looking around the dismal place. She could feel someone watching her. Slowly she felt something reach for her. She spun around and was face to face with Madame Giry.
"Mother," Meg stammered.
Madame Giry pulled Meg out of the passageway. She then placed the mirror backing in perfect condition.
"Mother, Maria is gone," Meg said.
Madame Giry turned to her daughter. She sighed. "I know Maria is gone."
Meg's eyes widened. "Where is she?"
"I can't tell you for sure."
"Mother!" Meg shouted.
Madame Giry was taken aback by her daughter's outburst. She led Meg out of the dressing room and down to her room. She ushered Meg to a nearby chair. Madame Giry took a seat on the small bed.
"You can not speak of this to anyone," she said.
Meg only nodded. She leaned forward, waiting for her mother to begin her tale.
"Maria has gone," Madame Giry said, playing with her braid.
"Where?" Meg snapped.
"To the Angel of Music."
"Mother, please stop speaking in riddles."
"Meg, I'm speaking plainly. The Angel came and took her last night."
"I'm not a child," Meg paused. "If Maria died you can tell me that honestly."
"She isn't dead, but she may be in hell before this is finished."
Maria awoke to the sound of a chiming music box. She rolled over and found herself in a small bed with pink sheets and a black, lace curtain. She looked over at the small music box that was playing. She pulled the curtain rod and sat up. She watched as the little monkey, sitting on top of the music box played the cymbals. She smiled, even thought her memories were jumble. She remembered mist, music, a lake, and lots of candles. She slowly stood up and started walking out of the small room. It was then that she heard more music coming from an organ. She walked out and then looked over at the organ. And there he was--- The Phantom of the Opera.
Maria slowly started toward the organ. Her heart was pounding against her chest as she got closer. Slowly the Phantom turned to Maria. They locked eyes. Maria felt herself become lost all over again.
"How did you sleep?" he asked.
"Quite well," she replied, walking up next to him.
He turned back to the organ. Maria looked at the sheet music he was writing. She sounded out the notes softly and looked down at him. She wasn't even sure what she was doing. She tenderly put a hand on his shoulder. He froze at her touch. She then turned his face toward hers. He fought to look away, but she held him fast.
"Who is the face in the mask?" she asked.
Slowly and as gently as she could, Maria pulled away the white mask. The illusion of beauty suddenly fell away as the Phantom pushed her to the floor.
"Damn you!" He roared.
Maria looked up at him. His face! It was a horrible red color with the skin underneath his eye hanging loose. There were little blister like spots that had popped and left deeper scars. Maria had never seen anything so horrible, except once.
The Phantom stormed off from her. He had placed his hand over the scars to hide it. "How could you?"
Maria felt tears flooding down her cheeks. The fear had passed along with the shock. Now it was replaced with pure sadness.
"I brought you here, I trusted you, and you do this to me!" He yelled. "Can you bear to look at me? I'm a loathsome gargoyle who burns in hell."
Maria looked down at the floor. She had only wanted to see his face, now she cursed her curiosity. She went to pull herself up when she saw the white mask laying next to her. She picked it up.
"Oh,
Maria, you can never be free now," the Phantom sighed as he sat
down on the stairs next to her. "I know I must seem a monster, but
I do know how to love."
Maria let his words sink in. She didn't
see a monster before her. She saw a man with terrible scars that had
probably become his prison as well. She slowly held the mask out to
him. He went to reach for it, when suddenly she snatched it back.
"Give it back," he said jumping to his feet.
"Let me see!" Maria yelled. "Pull your hand away and let me see."
"I would rather die."
"I have seen horrible, terrible things. I'm not afraid of you."
"But you can't bear to look at me."
"Yes," Maria sighed as she stood up. "I can."
The Phantom reluctantly dropped his hand. Maria looked up at him. His face was gruesome, but Maria could see something hidden there. She kept staring, and slowly the mask fell from her hand. The Phantom quickly grabbed it.
"I told you," he snapped.
"Did I turn away? Did I scream?"
The Phantom turned to her. He hurriedly put the mask back on. "You were still afraid."
"No, I was in shock," she paused. "I have seen many men with scars and I can assure you, that you are no monster."
The words hung in the air. They had been spoken in great truths and held so much weight. The Phantom let them sink in. Even if they were true, he didn't see it.
"Come," he said, taking her hand. "I must take you back. Those two fools who run my theatre will be missing you."
Maria could only nod. She cast her eyes down to the stone floor as he led her to the boat. She could feel the salt of her tears burn against her eyelids. She took her seat as he pushed the boat off.
The entire ride was silent. Maria searched for the words to say to make her apologizes but none would come. She only watched as the water floated by. Finally they docked. The Phantom slowly turned and helped her out.
"Go up the stairs and follow the tunnel," he ordered. "You will come out in the dressing room."
Maria nodded again. She wanted to scream that he wasn't ugly, and that he was perfect in her eyes. The words, however, wouldn't come. They would be too easy to fake and too hard to believe. Instead she found a question to make the parting longer.
"Do you have a name?" she asked.
The Phantom turned to her with a strange look on his face. He sighed but never answered.
"All I have ever heard you called is the Phantom or the Opera Ghost. Do you have a real name?"
"Erik," he said shortly. "It's not my real name, but I can't remember being called anything else."
"I'm Maria, Erik."
Erik felt something go through him as she said his name. It had been years since anyone had said his name. Now as he looked at her, he felt more human than ever before. He turned away and climbed back in the boat.
"Will you still give me lessons?" Maria asked before he pushed off.
"Will you come back to me?"
"You know the answer to that."
Erik only nodded. Who was this girl? She had seen his face and not screamed and ran away. She had asked his name and said she would return to his lair. He pushed the boat off and turned back to see Maria still standing there, watching him leave.
