Chapter Six – Stranger Than I Dreamt It
Christine woke with a start. Louisa was stood over her with a worried expression on her face.
"I was getting worried!" She said, "I've been trying to wake you for over half and hour!" Christine sat up in her bed. "I know you wanted a lay in, but half past 12 was pushing it…" Louisa stopped mid-flow. The worry was still on her face.
"Sorry," Christine mumbled, "It was a very good dream; I didn't want it to end..." Christine looked up at Louisa, who now had her hands on her hips.
"Well, sorry to wake you from your dream, but I thought you might fancy some lunch." She brought forward a tray of sandwiches. Christine took three greedily, she had forgotten how hungry she was.
"Fanks" She said to Louisa, mouth full. Louisa just smiled, the worry now gone from her eyes. She left silently and Christine polished off two more sandwiches. She showered and dressed, then sat again at her dressing table holding the necklace. She stroked the mask, and suddenly her mind filled with the voice of the Phantom. She shut her eyes and saw him, in the shadows, his white mask covering half his face. He was stood by a glassy lake, with a boat upon it. Candles rose from the waters and cast a little light into his dark world. The Phantom went to sit at his organ, and she silently followed. He began to play, and Christine found herself being brought, closer and quicker than she meant, towards him. Her fingers reached out, and she caressed his mask. Her fingers strayed towards the edge and she pulled it off. He spun round and she saw why he wore this mask. His face, so distorted. All down the right side of his face, his skin had natural boils and blisters that bubbled and twisted together, making his face seem grotesque. His eyes bore into her, and she saw so much sadness in them. And she looked deeper; his eyes were filled with adoration, for her. Christine opened her eyes.
'Strange...' She thought, this echoed her dream, but she had not seen the Phantom's face in her dream. She hastily put the necklace away and went downstairs to do some much needed homework.
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She went back to Paris again that night. She rose from her bed in her leading lady's chambers and dressed. Christine then went to find Madame Giry.
"Ah, welcome back my dear," Madame Giry said, when Christine entered her room. "I trust you had no trouble getting home?" Christine sat on a plush chair.
"Well, it was half past 12 when I woke up," Christine began, "And Louisa had been trying to wake me for nearly half an hour." She folded her arms, "But other than that, no such problems" Madame Giry was also now seated across from her.
"About the time change, Christine, when you vanished, you were away for quite a while. Time only stops for a little while, a few hours at most. You over-ran your time and times moved forwards. I came to you as soon as possible though, to restore you to your time." She crossed her ankles and hands. Her face now somber. "I must warn you, if ever that happens again, and you stay for too long, you may not be able to return again to your time. You would have transferred into our time forever." She finished. Christine's heart beat faster.
"I'd be here forever?" She asked quietly. Madame Giry nodded. She turned for a moment to her dressing table, and repapered with a note in one hand.
"My dear, could you please take this to the Managers office? I'm planning the next ballet..." Christine took the note. It was rough, creamy paper, bearing a skull in blood red wax as a seal. She looked at Madame Giry. "Of course," Christine replied and she left. She walked along the many winding corridors and arrived in the main Foyer. Christine spotted the managers office and began to stride towards it. In that moment, Monsieur Andre burst out of the door.
"Ah, Mam'selle Daae! Quite a night last night! I must congratulate you!" He said, and kissed Christine's hand. She blushed,
"Oh merci Monsieur! But, I have a message, sir, from the Opera Ghost..." She held out the note, and Andre snatched it away and tore it open. His smile vanished and his hand began to shake as he held the note.
"I'll be going then..." Christine murmured and she slipped out of the office again. She turned and made her way back to the ballet dormitories.
"Where were you last night?" Meg asked, when Christine came through the door, "Everyone wanted to speak to you, but Maman said you were asleep..." She trailed off. "Christine?" Christine looked up sharply.
"Sorry, yes, I was very tired...I'm sorry" She replied. Meg stood and led Christine to the dressing tables. Then she sat Christine down and began to put up her hair. "It does not matter, but you were amazing last night. Who is your great tutor?" She asked. Christine gazed at Meg through the mirror, a glaze in her eyes.
"I don't know his name..." She said quietly.
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Once Meg had finished putting up Christine's hair, they went to change into their practice dresses. The atmosphere in the ballet dormitories was electric. A new play was about to be announced, new dances and songs to be learnt. Meg chattered on endlessly, only stopping for breath, Christine glad of the company. Madame Giry swept in elegantly, but with a very serious expression on her face. The room went deadly quiet.
"Come with me to the stage girls." Was all she said, each word cutting the silence like a knife. The girls all filed out in silence. What was going on? Meg and Christine looked at each other. Many other girls were doing the same. Finally they all arrived on the main stage. The chorus was there too, as were all the other members of the cast. Flymen and prop managers all looked on in stunned silence above and around them. The Managers took center stage and began to talk.
"As you may know, our Prima Donna, Carlotta returned to us last night. She will be taking the lead in our new production, Il Muto." Firmin announced, he produced a list from his pocket. "Miss Daae will be playing the Pageboy, Meg Giry the maid..." He carried on reading till everyone had a part. Andre then took over. "We received a letter from the Opera Ghost this morning," He said. A wave of nervous chatter ran round the room. Madame Giry silenced it with a severe glare.
"However, we will not be paying any attention to his demands; he does not recognize a star when he hears one. And he is clearly quite insane." He finished. Firmin tilted his head at Andre in a mock salute,
"Well said old boy! Now, if everyone is ready, I think we had better begin rehearsing!" Firmin rubbed his hands in glee then he and Andre retired to their office. The cast remained onstage, still deathly quiet.
"So..." boomed a voice, "It is to be war between us! If these demands are not met, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur!" The Ballet Girls twittered and twirled in fear. The voice soon faded and general unease remained. Madame Giry broke the spell.
"GIRLS!" She cried, "Put on your Pointe shoes! We rehearse NOW!" The girls regained their composure, and ran to do as they were told. The flymen returned to their work, and the cast went to collect their scripts. Soon the Opera Populaire was alive with activity again, the notes soon forgotten.
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Seated in his usual seat, Erik watched the rehearsal in silence. They had gone against his wishes again...and he never went against his word. If he said a disaster would happen, it would. He stood up and leaned against the balconies railing. Miss Daae was in her costume, Carlotta prancing about in an overly large pink dress. He snarled quietly to himself, his handsome features that weren't covered by the mask twisted into a scowl. How he hated the Prima Donna's voice. So harsh when compared to Miss Daae's soft, angelic vocals. He sighed just remembering. Erik snapped back to Earth.
'I must ready myself,' He thought, 'Disasters can be hard to plan...' Striding off towards his Lair, his genius in his mind at work already.
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Christine decided to have a few days not going to Paris after her last visit. She was growing enormous bags under her eyes and Madame Giry had said to rest before the show.
A few days into her break, Louisa came into Christine's room.
"Christine?" She began cautiously, "Christine, I'm getting worried about you. You teachers have been saying you don't seem to be...to be...well, to be quite all there. If you know what I mean..." She trailed off. Christine looked up.
"They are saying I'm not concentrating then." Christine replied tartly. Louisa wrung her hands,
"Yes...in other words. I've been noticing it too. You don't talk anymore. You don't have friends over. Are you sure you're ok?" Louisa said. Christine stood and put an arm around Louisa's shoulder.
"Don't worry about me, I haven't been getting much sleep," Christine said softly. 'It's partly true...' She thought. "My friends have told me some things about getting a good nights sleep, so I'm trying them out tonight. I'm sorry Louisa. I promise to try..."Christine finished and gave Louisa a hug. Worry was still etched on Louisa's face, but not as deep.
"All right then, I'll be in the office if you need me." She returned the hug and left Christine in her room. Christine heaved a sigh of relief. She'd have to be more careful in future. She turned back to her desk and began to finish off her homework. Her mind was whirling again. The show was in three days time; tomorrow was Monday, so that left two days to give a good performance in school and to get plenty of sleep. She glanced up at her clock, 9 o'clock. She rubbed her eyes.
"Better get some shut eye..." She mumbled to herself. She clambered into her PJ's and slid into her bed. It only took a few moments, and then sleep claimed her.
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