The shameless self-promotion is back. Please don't hurt me, but the poem that this line is from is my favorite piece that I've ever written, and the line was perfect for the title! Here's the excerpt:

…The restless symphonies of radiance composed
Till the loss of light removes all error of emotion
Lying in the quiet alleyway…

Chapter Thirty Two: The Loss of Light

Eric

"No Laurent! Absolutely not!"

Galen Debbine continued on with his enraged ranting as his partner attempted to stutter a reply.

"Galen, you … you don't understand. I cannot …"

"Yes, yes. You cannot defy the agonized soul of your old partner."

"Then you understand!"

"Laurent! We arrived here at nine o'clock." He strode over to the mantle and pointed to the elaborate china clock. "As you can observe, it is now nearly ten o'clock. You've spent the better part of an hour repeating yourself, man! I don't care how damn superstitious you are. I will not allow you to harm business with your senile delusions!"

"But Galen, …"

"No! I will not agree to this lunacy!"

"Lunacy? Lunacy! How dare you! I am not mad!"

"No? You wish to revive one of the least popular opera's of our time, and at the height of the season no less, and you wish me to believe that you are not mad? Do you have any idea how much we stand to loose?"

"I am perfectly aware of the financial situation, Galen. But we have nothing to fear, I swear it to you. He promised that the theater would thrive as never before! And all we must do is follow his orders." Poligany paced about franticly.

My plan was coming along swimmingly.

"I apologize my friend. I was quite mistaken. You are not mad at all."

"Finally, you see the light!"

"You are not mad, you are insane! You ought to be locked away in a cell of the asylum! Incompetents like you should never be allowed to see the light of day!"

"But Galen, he threatened to …"

"I don't care if he threatened to hang my under-linens upon the opening curtain for all the world to see! I will not allow you to …"

The door slammed behind them as they headed off to announce my choice. They would obey me, whether M Debbine believed in me or not.

I was well prepared for such an occasion.

I perused my unknowing victims from within my dark passages. I knew exactly how to bend Galen to my will. By the end of the morning, he would be as pliable the wet silt that lined the banks of my home.

I hurried ahead, arriving in the practice hall before my newest employees. I saw the hostile pair enter beneath me from my seat behind the back wall. The view was limited to only the front half of the stage, displaying a good number of the house's ballerinas. This would be the first place too hear the announcement of the new opera.

I rarely had a reason to grace this room with my presence, so I had only constructed one vantage point here. But only one was necessary.

Everything I needed was at my fingertips.

I had finished my contraption only the night before. A complicated system of knots and pulleys was attached to a particular section of catwalk, hanging high above the stage. It was controlled by a thick cord that ran above the length of the seating, a mere ten rows of chairs. The strong rope was threaded through each of the four tresses that supported the roof of the hall.

The tail end dangled just above me, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Leah

It was the perfect opportunity.

Sorelli would never know what hit her!

"I'm sorry about this, Señor Araña." I whispered quietly to my little captive as I edged along the rough wood of the catwalk.

Perfect.

I was directly over her head. But the managers were mounting the stairs of the practice stage, ready to announce their mysterious choice. Perhaps I could wait a few more minutes to enact my revenge.

The general tittering of the students ceased as each girl noticed the important entrance of Debbine and Poligany.

Clearing his throat, Debbine began in his most official voice.

"As you all know," He boomed, "Today I will be announcing the next performance for the Garnier. I am proud to say that our next selection will be … Laurent, what is it?" He muttered as he jabbed his partner in the ribs.

M Poligany seemed to be staring straight at me, his eyes vacant and disbelieving. That was impossible! I knew he shouldn't be able to make out my form from the stage below. What was he looking at?

I was further puzzled as he turned to Galen and gibbered softly, looking very lost.

The both of them glanced up at my hiding place before M Poligany spoke to the waiting audience before him.

"C … Carmen …." He stuttered. "We will be producing Carmen …"

Carmen?

That was one of the most terrible flops in the history of the Garnier! What could all of this mean?

Making sure that no one was looking up, I snuck my hand down to the underside of the plank that I was crouched upon. It was wet!

I recoiled quickly to examine the substance on the tip of my finger.

Paint. Red paint.

What on earth?

I had little time to wonder, for the board beneath me began to sway. Suddenly, everything gave way under me in a tremendous roar.

And then everything went dark.

Author's Notes: I know the chapter is really short, but at least I finally got around to the big turning point! What do you think?

Araña – Spider