XX
"Hurry up Christine," Meg whined, "don't be such a fraidy cat."
"But Meg," Christine objected, "its dangerous, Madame has told us not to come down here."
"Oh, you're such a boring fart," Meg said, stomping her foot, "maman will never know."
"But Meg, what about the ghost?"
"That's who we're looking for," Meg informed her, "he lives down here."
Christine frowned, "How would you know that Meg? No one knows where the ghost lives."
"Well no one knows is a lie. He must live down here, where else would a ghost live?"
"I don't know…does a ghost even have to live anywhere. I don't think ghosts have to eat or sleep or anything."
The two girls considered this for a moment, after all if the man haunting the theatre truly was a ghost, then he wouldn't need a place to live.
"Well…he lives down here," Meg finished, "and we're going to find him."
They navigated their way down through the cellars until they reached the third one. The third cellar was where all the old props were stored after their use, just in case there was ever need for a fake tree again.
"How do you know the ghost is a he?" Christine asked, tripping over a piece of wood.
"Oh, because he's spoken before," Meg informed her, "once he got really angry and yelled at the manager during a performance and it made the chandelier shake."
"Really?"
"Yup, then everyone left because they were frightened."
Christine gasped softly at the notion, Monsieur Lefevre always complained when only a few people wanted to refund their seat. If an entire auditorium of people demanded it he would have a fit.
They continued there way through the cellar, not noticing when a shadow quickly slipped behind a large set piece. The girls were too busy giggling and gossiping; after all they were going to be starting en Pointe in three days. That meant that they would soon be able to dance on stage in front of everyone.
"Won't it be fun?" Meg asked, eyes shining with excitement.
"I guess so, but won't it be frightening. I mean all those people watching us…what if we do something like trip?"
"Then we'll be just like Lulu," Meg giggled, "we won't be on stage for a while still, but at least we get to dance en point. Isn't it exciting?"
"I don't think he's here," Christine said.
"No, neither do I…should we keep going to the fourth cellar?"
"I think supper is soon and Madame will murder us if we are late and she finds out where we were."
"Fine…let's look there tomorrow and then the fifth cellar as well."
"Alright."
"Did you know that there is a lake under the stage?"
"Of course! Everyone knows that Meg."
Giggling and chattering the girls navigated their way back up through the cellars. By the time they reached the first one they decided that there were far too many stairs and that they were quite late for supper. This of course led to the concocting of an excuse for their tardiness.
Erik heard their voices before he saw them and was barely able to dart behind an old scene piece before they came upon him. If they had been careless stagehands he would have given them quite a fight, however it was Christine and little Meg Giry who were stalking the bowels of the theatre.
Upon listening he learned that they were in fact looking for him. It seemed that Meg had convinced Christine to aid her in the search for the opera ghost. They continued to search as they talked, Meg coming within inches of his hiding place. He pushed himself further into the shadows and silently willed her to turn away, she did and he let out a held breath.
"I don't think he's here," Christine said.
This send a small wash o relief over him, being found by two ten year old girls would certainly be an interesting way for the Opera Ghost to be found. The two girls clattered off and Erik allowed a heavy sigh to be released from his lungs.
He waited several more minutes before leaving his hiding place, just to be safe. However it seemed that the girls had gone to supper, though by the time they reached the second cellar they would already be very late and most likely very sick of all the stairs.
"Too many stairs," he said out loud, "that is for certain."
Then he turned and made his way back down through the cellars. After all Christine had already had her lesson and he had already sent the manager a note regarding his salary and box. It had been used in the last performance and if it happened again the next person would receive more than a fright.
"Christine are you ready?" Meg hissed.
"Ready?
"To go into the cellars again, hurry up."
"I can't Meg I have to…" she chewed on her lower lip nervously, "I have to go do something."
"Fine pouted."
"It won't take long Meg, I'll be right back I promise!" she called as she hurried towards the chapel.
"You are late Christine," the voice scolded.
"Practice ran long, I'm sorry Angel…should I do my scales?"
"Of course, warm up your voice and then we will start."
Christine ran through her scales and a few simple songs before waiting for her Angel's instruction.
"Do you remember verse the aria I had you sing yesterday?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Good, sing it again."
Christine did as she was told, making sure to keep in mind all of her Angel's advice and instruction. It seemed that no matter how well she did he could always criticize something. Today was no different.
"Your breathing needs improvement," he informed her lazily when she yawned, "don't you remember what I taught you?"
"I'm sorry Angel, I'll try harder."
"You're distracted today," he replied, "you may go now. After all there is no point in practising if your mind is elsewhere. Be gone child."
Christine nodded her head and left the chapel. She had been thinking about exploring with Meg instead of singing and he could tell by the way she performed. She could feel tears prick at the corners of her eyes and wiped them away before they could fall. The Angel could be so stern at times, especially if she wasn't paying attention.
"Are you ready Christine?" Meg asked eagerly.
"I guess so," she replied glumly, "the fourth and fifth right?"
"Uh-huh, hurry or we won't have time."
Meg then grabbed Christine's hand and half dragged her to the entrance of the first cellar. Several hundred steps later they would be in the fourth cellar, only one above where the ghost actually dwelled.
"Nothing here," Meg announced after several minutes of searching, "only one more to go!"
The fifth cellar proved to be far different from the others. It was where the labyrinth began. Meg and Christine crouched in front of the water and frowned slightly. There was a ring where a boat might be tied, but no boat, and no sign of any ghosts.
"Maybe he doesn't live under the theatre," Christine suggested, "maybe he lives in it. There are seventeen floors you know?"
"Maybe," Meg said, disappointment evident in her voice, "or maybe he lives in the walls!"
"The walls?"
"Uh-huh, ghosts can live in walls you know? They can even walk right through them. Maybe that's why no one ever sees him, because he can walk through walls."
"But people have seen him," Christine pointed out.
"Yeah, but then he disappears, vanishes into thin air. Maybe he goes into the walls."
Christine considered it for a minute before nodding her head in agreement. It did after all make sense. Very few people had ever seen the ghost, and many of them no longer lived in the theatre.
"We should go," she murmured, "there's a lot of stairs to climb and I think we'll be late again."
"Maman will have our heads!"
Erik had nearly sprinted the entire way to the gondola, little Meg and Christine were really going to become a nuisance if they continued to search for him, especially at times when the boat was actually across the lake. Leaning heavily against the pole he rested, then again if they had found the boat it wouldn't really matter. He doubted that anyone would believe them when it would be gone once they returned.Another chapter for your reading pleasure, hope you enjoyed it. Lotte Rose 37 yes boredom and Erik are a dangerous combination, when I'm bored I write when Erik is bored well...watches Erik design torture chamber things like that happen. Thank you for complimenting the way I get across the operas rhythm and I have plans...oh yes, many plans... InuLvr7, yeah I know it was short and that kind of sucked, but never fear I don't think I'll have any chapters that short again. So yeah, read and review and if you are reading and I haven't heard from you I will find you.
