Strange Angel
Disclaimer: The Characters in this story don't belong to me, they belong to Gaston Leroux, Andrew Lloyd Webber and others associated. If I had the chance to own anything from Phantom of the Opera it would be Erik…. sighs if only dreams could come true.
AN: Thank you all who reviewed and read my story! Here's another chapter, hope you enjoy and keep reviewing! And sorry it took so long with this update, I had to deal with a family crisis.
Lyrics
Indicates the Phantom/Erik speaking
Thoughts
Chapter Five: Angel of Music
Her sobs echoed, the sound returning to her own ears the signal that she was alone here. Slowly she rose from her curled position and looked around slowly, the place… wherever she was, was draped in darkness and shadows. Beneath her hands it was dusty and smelled slightly of wood shavings and that mixed with the musky smell in the air around her creating a most curious perfume.
Soon her eyes were adjusted, and familiar shapes became less ominous and turned into comforting objects. Rows of seats stood vast as the sea low before her. Crimson colored curtains hung on either side of her, the bottom of them covered in dust from being swished back and forth across the floor. Slowly the coldness began to lift as she moved cautiously towards the end of the stage and settled herself at it's edge, her legs dangling over the side.
Her tears seemed never ending, twice since she had figured out her where-abouts, Christine had attempted to cease her tears but with little results as the words of her peers still echoed firmly in her heart and mind, " Oh Angel… have you forgotten me…" Her voice quivered in the darkness as her gaze lifted to the shadowed ceiling, "Or were you just a dream?" For a moment she hesitated, her head tilting as though she might've heard something, but soon it was nothing at all but the sound of silence and her own breathing.
Heaving forth a sigh, Christine stood and moved towards the backend of the stage to leave. Her heart felt heavy, her mind cursing her for having such child-like amusements and fantasies.
…Christine…
She paused, her body whipping around rapidly, her heart racing… could it be? A moment she waited, her heart and mind fighting within her.
… Christine…
Came the voice again, this time with a bit more force as though it's source was commanding her to stay, to answer back to it and it alone, "Angel?" She breathed, her voice falling into a sing-song like quality of reverence as she spoke.
… I am your Angel… Come to me…
Almost instantly she felt herself grow frustrated, "But where are you? I can't see you." Her brown eyes traveled this way and that about the auditorium as she searched for any signs that someone was in fact in here with her. Her petite frame shook slightly in automatic fear of the unknown that seemed to have particular interest in her, " Angel?"
She called out softly, the air around her slowly becoming alive, as though someone had opened a window to let in a strong breeze.
… I am your Angel of Music… Come to me Angel…
Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, Christine turned and beheld a shadowy figure of a man moving inside the control booth above the auditorium. She felt locked in place suddenly, her mind growing cloudy and her attention captivated as she began to move towards the metal ladder that would lead her up above the stage so she could then access the staircase that would take her to her Angel.
" Madame! Quick, the door is locked!" Raoul was worried, he didn't care much for Annette's reactions towards her young charge's actions and attitude, she seemed to know something that he and Meg did not. What did she know? His eyes shifted to the woman's daughter, the look in her eyes also seemed to suggest she knew something more than he as well.
As Raoul waited impatiently for her Mother, Meg knocked and pulled frantically at the door. Perhaps Christine would hear the noise and come and let them in not realizing that the stage door had locked behind her, "Christine!" She called out, her fists pounding on the metal of the door, her blue eyes staring through the small slit of a window for any signs of anyone, but hopefully her friend coming to let them inside.
Madame Giry moved as quickly as her age and injuries would let her, as she moved her fingers cursed with arthritis fumbled with a set of keys, searching frantically for the one that would bid them entrance into the darkness of the auditorium, " Here. Move out of my way Meg, she can't hear you." Practically shoving her daughter from the door, Annette shoved the key into the lock, turned and pulled causing the door to creak open, " Quickly. I will look back stage for her. Meg take the audience, and Raoul check the booths upstairs." She directed him towards the ladder to their right as she headed for the costume closets.
"Christine!" Meg called out as she ran up and down the rows of seats.
…Christine…
"Christine! Where are you!" Madame Giry called as she searched through the endless sea of hanging mothball filled costume racks.
… Christine, Come to me…
" Little Lotte… where are you?" Raoul called up the ladder as he climbed, his toned frame making quick work of it.
… Come to me Angel… Come to me…
Shaking, Christine placed a slender hand on the railing of the staircase, " Yes Angel, I hear you, I am coming." She spoke softly, her the words hanging briefly in the air like notes of a song as she began to ascend the narrow winding staircase, the scenario reminding her of her favorite childhood movie, where near the end the princess in a trance slowly climbs a set of stairs remarkably like these and finds the fateful spindle awaiting her at the top.
At this trend of thought, Christine paused in her ascent… what if some sort of doom was awaiting her just like had been awaiting Sleeping Beauty? For a moment she stood silently at war with her common sense which was telling her to turn back, to run and to resist the pull she was feeling in her soul. Her mind was sure this was nothing but some sort of strange dream, that perhaps she had cried herself to sleep on the stage floor, but her heart said otherwise, it wanted to soar to the top and find something there that might make it feel complete.
" Christine! Wait… stop please!"
…Christine! Come to me!
Shaking her head, Christine swore she heard Raoul's voice… turning her head, her eyes locked with his as she felt a strange cold burst of air sweep by her, causing her to loose her footing and fall backwards with a sharp cry as pain shot from her now twisted ankle.
" Shit." Moving quickly, Raoul caught the young woman as she began to tumble, " Christine… are you okay?" He asked concerned as he turned and began carrying her back down the stairs.
… Christine… Christine!
That voice again, at first so sad and then full of anger, " I… I don't know." She whispered, her eyes peering in delusional fright over Raoul's shoulder, " I swear I see…" She shook her head and closed her eyes a moment trying to chase away the image of a man standing in the shadows, a white mask staring blankly after her and out-stretched hands.
" What? What do you see…" At the bottom of the stairwell, Raoul slowly lowered his childhood friend to her feet and gazed at her face and into her eyes, " You're white… you look like you've seen a ghost." But each time he looked to long into her wide eyes they shifted quickly to stare behind him. Seeing this, Raoul turned and gazed in the direction she had been only to be greeted by shadows and darkness.
" Raoul… please." Feeling cold, Christine wrapped her arms about herself and looked at the ladder, " Let's just go… get away from here. Please." Slowly she placed a cold hand on his and withdrew it when he shuddered, " Sorry."
Feeling her hand on his and the death like coldness that seemed to grip it, Raoul turned and nodded slowly, " Okay, but I think that once we get down from that ladder we find Madame Giry and get you home. You're not well Christine." Moving passed her, Raoul began to climb down the ladder and motioned for her to follow him down, " Go slow okay."
For a moment she simply stared at him, how dare he say that she was not well! He might as well told her she was going nuts or something a little less nice. Slowly her anger ebbed and she moved to follow him down the ladder, her body still shaking as she turned and began her own descent down the rungs, her eyes glued to a space in the shadows that seemed to suddenly take on a life of it's own, " Angel…" She whispered, her movements coming to a quick stop as the pull she had felt earlier once again began to take hold.
" What was that?" Raoul glanced up as he stepped off the ladder and looked up towards the young woman now frozen in place, " Come on Christine, I'm right below you. Don't be afraid."
Her knuckles were turning white the longer she gripped the rung, her legs however were growing quickly tired of their current position, " Angel?" She asked again, this time a little louder.
" Christine who are you talking too?" His concern was growing rapidly, something wasn't right with his once youthful sweetheart, it was as if someone had broken her and then put her back together haphazardly, " Is someone up there? This isn't funny!" Moving quickly, he began to climb the ladder, anger fueling his strength.
She hung there transfixed as the figure in the shadow became more defined. He stood regal and almost proud, his eyes and expression spoke of sadness and trials many. His dark hair was slicked back leaving a chiseled and strong featured face, though half of it was obscured by a strikingly white mask which seemed to make his thunderous blue eyes dazzle even more then they probably would without it. He was dressed like an old fashioned gentleman that was about to attend a play or a ball, or even an opera. He even had on a customary opera cape and white gloves which were now reaching out to her, calling her to him as was his eyes and his very being.
… Christine…
She moved upwards, one shoe leaving the rung it had been on to the one just above and forcing her body up as it did so, her hand mimicking the same motion, her fingers reaching to curl around the next rung when suddenly she lost her grip and slipped downwards, " Angel!" Her body collided with Raoul's forcing them both to plummet towards the stage floor as she landed on top of her friend, " Angel…" She whispered before the world went black around her.
" Christine! No!" But it was to late, she had lost her grip and was now forcing them both to crash to the ground below the ladder. Luckily he had been able to keep her from landing any where else but on top of him, " Damnit." He cursed as he sat up and noticed she had fainted. Quickly he picked up her very light frame and went in search of Madame Giry and her Daughter.
End of Chapter Five
