Chapter X

The Fall

All the other chorus girls had already put their things in place in the new dormitory. Not knowing what to do, I went back downstairs and into the ballroom that is almost always empty. When I first entered the room, I felt a chill and shivered slightly as I moved to the very center of the ballroom. The room was completely empty except for golden statues of unclad women holding a torch high over their head as if they were lighting the ballroom.

This ballroom was never used. After the Opera Populaire was burnt down, they decided to make another ballroom. I never saw the purpose though. It's never been used. The only time I've ever seen anyone in there was right before performances, chorus girls and boys would sometimes come down here during the night and secretly practice. Even I have done it a few times.

I looked around me. There was a huge golden staircase at the exact opposite end of the entrance. The floor was tiled in black, white, and gold. Even though, there was absolutely nothing in the ballroom except the statues, it looked extraordinary. I kept walking until I reached the golden staircase at the other end. I slowly sat down on one of its huge steps and put my head in my hands. What was I to do. Lights Out was in an hour, and I hadn't the slightest clue where my things were. It may have been foolish of me not to go to Madame and tell her that I couldn't find my things, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. I was afraid she would get mad at me and tell me I'm irresposible. I sat there on the step thinking hard of what to do. Why would anyone take my things? What would they want to do with them?

I heard laughter and footsteps running down the stairs from the dorms. I knew that all the girls left their dorm for an hour of fun before they had to go to bed. It seemed as if everyone simply forgot about Isaiah. I knew they would. And, of course, any thought of a Phantom was immediatly pushed away in fear.

Just as I was about to get up to leave the ballroom and possibly go to Madame about my situation, I heard a voice call to me. "Rose..." Chills ran down my spine. It was the same haunting voice that I heard the night the Phantom came to me. I knew it was him. Not only from his voice, but my heart told me it was him. "Walk forward, Rose..." the voice commanded. Blindly, almost as if under a spell, I obeyed, standing up and slowly walking forwards, taking several steps away from the huge staircase. I kept walking until suddenly the floor beneath me gave way and I felt myself falling down a tunnel. I shrieked in complete fear, not knowing at all what was happening.

I could barely breathe and my heart felt like it was in my throat. My head buzzed and I felt like I was going to pass out. I continued falling until the tunnel seemed to end and I fell into deep water. I sunk to the bottom of the lake then pushed up from the bottom quickly. As soon as my head broke to the surface I gasped for air. I was in complete shock. I was almost positive I had fell the many levels of the opera house, and into the Phantom's lake, but I had no idea how I survived. I looked beneath me and terror struck me as I saw that the water was so unimaginably deep that it appeared black. The water wasn't cold as it was before. I didn't know at all why. I glanced around to see what was before me. Walls surrounded me everywhere I looked. Dark, stone walls that looked as though they threatened to move in and crush me. I shivered, not from cold, but from the very thought of what could happen to me. I continued glancing around, and that's when I saw the Phantom. He was laughing. Not in a cruel manner, but a friendly playful laugh. I couldn't help but smile, though I was sure that the fall I took could have killed me.

"Having a bit of fun?" he smiled. I looked at him, no longer smiling, though.

"That could have finished me off..." I replied stiffly.

The Phantom gazed at me with eyes still dancing with laughter. "Ah, but it didn't...and it wouldn't have." The Phantom moved out from against the wall and walked over to the edge. Getting on his knees, he held out a hand to me. I swam towards him and took hold of his hand. He pulled me up with little effort and I struggled to get to my feet once I was on the stone floor. Aeron stood before me, watching my every move. I looked up at him and saw a slight smile on his face, almost a smirk. I smiled at him, wondering how on earth he had become so volatile.

"Come with me," he said quietly, he was no longer smiling, but his eyes were warm with comfort. He held out his hand, and I took it without a second thought.

He led me swiftly around stone corners and through tunnels that I never knew existed. It all seemed to be a maze, and everytime we turned a corner, I instantly became lost.

The Phantom glanced back at me with a keen look in his eyes, as if he had something special planned. I felt my heart beating rapidly in my chest, wondering what he had in store. I wasn't really sure if I wanted to know.

After what seemed to be hours of endless walking through tunnels, we came upon a curtain that seemed to cover an opening. The Phantom moved the thick black curtain aside and revealed his bedroom. The familiar huge bed lay before us, and at the foot of it were my things. My eyes widened at seeing them. I wasn't sure if I was angry or relieved. The Phantom looked back at me and smiled slightly at seeing the expression on my face.

Without speaking, the Phantom continued walking towards the bed, then turned us around so that I was right in front of the side of the bed.