Chapter 3

Slowly Christine opened her eyes.

"She's coming to! She's coming to!" an excited voice called.

Christine struggled to sit up and look at the group of people surrounding her. She did not recognize any of them, and yet she could still put a name to each face. "What happened?" She mumbled, rubbing her head. It felt like it had been split in half.

"You were in the middle of singing your line in Point of No Return when you just… collapsed." Christine knew the girl saying this was Meg, and yet she also knew she had never seen her before in her life. So why was she suddenly remembering a time playing games together as children?

"What!" Christine moaned.

The curvy figure of Madame Giry suddenly appeared at Christine's side. Christine sighed in relief.

"Oh Mrs. Giry, I'm so glad you're here, where are we? What happened? I remember the wind, it must've happened to you, too! Where is—"

Now Madame Giry interrupted her. "My dear, I must say I have no idea what you're talking about. You have been here, in the Opera Garnier, this entire time, you must have-"

"The Opera Garnier!" Christine cried in horror.

"Yes, the Opera Garnier, we were doing rehearsal when you fainted. I told you not to skip meals today-"

"No! The Opera Garnier! In Paris?"

The cast and crew now began to laugh at the silly disoriented girl lying on the floor. Lazily, the crowd around Christine dissipated. She was left with Madame Giry.

"Honestly dear, are you sure you're all right? Maybe you should go lie down—"

"Yes, yes, but-- Paris! And why are there candles everywhere!" Christine asked impatiently.

Madame Giry looked mildly surprised. "There are candles so we can see. You would not like to work in darkness, would you? Now I really think you should go lie down."

"But… candles? And-" suddenly something clicked in Christine's mind. "What year is this?" She asked suspiciously.

"1863… Now really," Madame Giry looked seriously concerned. "You must go lie down!"

"Yes," said Christine shakily. "I think I should too." Somehow she found her way to her dormitory and collapsed on the bed. Her mind was in tumult.

She was remembering things that hadn't happened. Her father dying… She was filled with staggering grief at this… A voice singing to her from within the walls of her dressing room…

Yet something told her they most definitely had. Her mind hooked on two things- one being the book that had been lying on the table by the fireplace at her music lesson. The second was Erik. Where was he? Was he stuck in 1863, also?

And how didI get to 1863? Christine thought wildly. It had to have something to do with the spinning, she figured. It had to.

Just then someone knocked on the door. Feeling slightly nauseated, Christine watched-who was it? Ah yes- Raoul- come in.

"Christine! Christine! What happened? I heard you passed out during your rehearsal! Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she said curtly, remembering a certain conversation on the rooftop awhile ago and feeling embarrassed that all she could think of was Erik, and where he was. And also a sneaking suspicion that if she was Christine Daae, then Erik must be her phantom.

"Christine! Truly, are you all right?"

"Yes, Raoul, I'm fine," Christine felt rather annoyed. "I just need some sleep."

"Oh. All right, well, I'll be going then…" Raoul paused. "I love you, Christine."

He said it so sincerely that Christine felt guilty that she couldn't say it honestly back, and so instead pretended to already be asleep. She heard the door click, and then the memories came rushing back.

Raoul was giving her an engagement ring… Erik was staring at her with so much hurt in his eyes at the Masquerade…

Christine knew she had to find Erik. And sporting her new memories, she knew she had to go through the mirror.