It was late one night as I drove a small buggy-like car down the streets of Paris. I began to grow tired and suddenly, I nodded off. I woke up just in time to slam on my brakes to avoid a street lamp.

I saw a building in the distance with welcoming lights. Why hadn't I noticed it before?

I left the car parked on the side of the road. Approaching the front of the building, I felt a growing uneasiness. I fought the urge to run away and stepped up to the massive door. I suddenly realized that this building was an opera house. Before I could turn away, the door seemed to open itself.

There he stood, brooding and tall, but somehow comforting. He was dressed in all black, but was very elegantly poised. He started at me. I shrank under his questioning glance. His voice echoed softly throughout the corridors of the opera house as he welcomed me in.

"Welcome to the Opera Populaire," he said in perfect French. His voice seemed to surround me with exquisite beauty. I became fully entranced.

He extended his arm to the corridor, essentially inviting me in. He lit a candle and began walking away, motioning for me to follow him. I started after him and suddenly, the door shut itself behind me. I turned to look at the door curiously.

"A magician?" I whispered to myself.

"I am many things, mademoiselle." His voice startled me.

Down the many corridors, I thought I could hear voices calling to me. I strained to hear what they were saying.

"Welcome to the Opera Populaire.." they called. They were both haunting and beautiful.

He looked back at me as we trod the seemingly endless corridors. I gave a small, shy grin. He simply turned away. I followed after him into a large room with many windows.

"Where are we?" I asked shyly.

Ignoring me, the man walked around lighting candles.

I looked at my surroundings. There was a lovely sofa in one corner and a matching loveseat. My breath caught in my throat as I glanced at the majestic fireplace.

For the first time since I'd arrived, I saw his face fully in the moonlight. He wore a white mask that covered a good part of his face.

"You may stay here" His voice was gentle, yet commanding. He motioned toward the sofa. "It's all we have. This is the only guest room we have."

I stared at him moving about the room. He pulled out some blankets and a pillow.

"What about all the rooms down the corridors?"

He glared at me. "Those, my dear, are none of your concern!" he angrily replied.

"Now, you may sleep there on that sofa. There is a bathing basin over there and if you need the fireplace..." his voice trailed off. He cast a strange, oddly pitiful glance at me. "I don't believe you shall need the fireplace." He abruptly left the room and I was abandoned to wondering exactly what he meant.

I carried my tired body to the wash basin. I dipped my fingers into the water, but it seemed as though there were nothing in it. It was an odd sensation to see the water but not feel it on my fingers. It was then that I realized that I hadn't disturbed the water. My hands were in the basin, but the water remained as though it had not been touched.

At this point, I had a faint understanding of what had happened.

I started to see my surroundings for what they really were. The sofa was old, faded and covered with dust. I glanced at the wash basin in front of me. There was no water there. The candles began to flicker off one by one.

I placed my hand to my heart and felt nothing.

I exhaled on the dusty desk only to find that my breathe had no power of removing any of the little specks of dust.

Yes, I understood now. Still, I began to move toward the door to locate the mysterious man who'd lead me down here. I knew only he held the answer to my pressing question.