Thanks so much for all the reviews, I hope this second chapter lives up to your expectations! Please R&R... Atrice

Part 2 - a trip to the Operahouse

The next morning Lucille woke up all by herself, before Coretta could come and wake her. They had the house in Paris by themselves now, since Lucille's parents were in England visiting some relatives, and had taken some servants with them. When Coretta came into Lucille's chamber, she was already dressed.

"See, it's like I said, I'm no longer needed." Coretta said, but Lucille could hear the smile in her voice. "Are we going somewhere today? You look like it…"

"Yes, I want to take a walk to the old Operahouse. Artus and I talked about it yesterday, because I sang that song for him. Maybe we could hear it again." Lucille explained.

"You sang it to Artus? I had no idea you remembered it so well." Said Coretta, and took Lucilles arm – together they walked down the stairs.

"Such a song… filled with such sadness, is not a song I can forget." The girl said with a sigh, and Coretta put shoes on herself and then helped Lucille with hers.

Together the two girls walked the distance to the old Operahouse. It had rained during the night, but now Lucille felt sunshine warm her skin, and the air was filled with moist from the water. They came to the place, and stood still for awhile.

"Where did we hear it?" Lucille asked. Coretta tried to remember.

"I think we heard it down here… it's on the left side of the house, there's a grating here into the sewers. You know what, miss, I think there's a lake down there!" Coretta said and looked through the grating. Yes, it was definetly water down there.

"I heard about a ghost living down near the lake." Lucille said, and stood still for awhile, thinking. Then she began to sing the song she heard before, because the place made her want to sing. Coretta listened and thought it was really beautiful, just as Artus had thought the other night. After the song was over, it was like the air filled with silence, like it waited to breathe because of the sadness in the song.

"I really feel bad for the person in the song… think to never be loved." Coretta said and Lucille nodded.

"Yes, that must be horrible… Coretta, I want to see the Operahouse on the inside." Lucille then said and grabbed for Corettas arm, and they began to walk to the front again.

"But you… you can't see it, Lucille. And it's probably all destroyed by the fire…" Coretta tried, for she had heard about the ghost too, and it scared her a bit.

"I know that… I can't see like you see, Coretta! But I can feel, and that's what I mean by seeing! I want to see it, there is something in there, I can feel it…" Lucille said. "Now lead me inside." Coretta sighed, but did as her miss said, although she didn't want to. She wished she had kept her mouth shut, she heard the hurt in Lucilles voice, when she answered her about seeing. They climbed the few stairs and were inside. They now stood in the large entrance hall – not nearly as beautiful as in the old days, it was clearly touched by the fire too.

"So… we're here. It looks really shattered, Lucille. There's not much to see." Coretta explained.

"I need to see the opera itself… the stage…" Lucille whispered, like she didn't hear Coretta at all. The maid found the way into the opera, with the burnt seats, the chandeleir still lying where it had landed last year, setting it all on fire.

The only place not filled with damaged things, was the stage, so they went up there. "Think how it must have been like, when the place still worked…" Lucille then said, facing the seats, but not seeing them. Suddenly it was like a strange wind went through the place, and Coretta shivered. She wanted to leave. Then they both heard it – a voice from above, a beautiful and pure voice, an insisting voice filled with gloom.

"Stunning girls, so lost in shadows, why have you come to my game? Golden angel, who sings with passion, can you have a name?" the voice sang, so powerful, and Coretta held Lucilles arm tighter than before.

"You heard me? Who are you?" Lucille just asked – but she had no idea from where the voice came, she just knew she had to answer it.

"I am what you believe me to be… and you, angel with golden voice, who do I see?" the voice then sang, and it sounded like it was sincere – it really was what she wanted it to be.

"I am Lucille… I don't know what I think you are, other than a lonesome creature…" Lucille said.

"Miss… please, can we leave? It scares me…" Coretta whispered.

"Lucille… light, even if you in darkness leave me, I am sure our voices together again will be." The voice sang, and it was not a hope in the voice – it was an order, from someone who wanted to share their loneliness. Lucille smiled and nodded. She then followed Coretta out from the Operahouse again, knowing that she would return. And even if she wouldn't, that beautiful voice would follow her and she would never forget it.