Chapter 5
Erik woke up and lay still in his bed before he even thought of moving. He had been dreaming of his day yesterday again, which Erik classified as one of the best ever. Even Richard hadn't been so bad, he had been used to far worse, so he knew he could handle himself. He chuckled silently, even nuns can't be Saints, he thought quietly. Rolling over, away from the wall, his eyes caught the face of Steve in the bed next to him, still sound asleep. According to the occasional movement and mutter, Erik could be sure that the rest of his roommates were asleep as well. He carefully removed the covers, making sure not to make any noise, for fear of waking the others and slipped on the clothes he had from yesterday. Erik didn't own any other clothes and so had to either sleep in his own, which was the norm, unless he was in a bed and borrowed some night clothes which was what happened this time. He stuffed his night shirt underneath his pillow and hastily made his bed and crept quietly out the door.
Once outside, Erik was quite unsure where to go. The hallways were still silent and the occasional snore was heard from adjoining rooms. The lamps were turned down low and many were out, due to the sudden gust of wind that happened to blow through the corridor. Erik was never chilly, he was used to the fact that he had little to keep himself warm and had learned to adapt. Trying to remember where to go, Erik blindly made his way in the half darkness to a stairwell, which led upstairs. Step by step, he climbed the stone stairwell and approached a door that was like the one he saw yesterday. This however did not silence Erik's fears about where to go, since all the doors in the Opera House looked the same and Erik wondered briefly how anyone could possibly know where everything was. All of a sudden, out in the darkness he caught sight of a small shadow further down the corridor. Erik was sure it had seen him because it darted off quickly back into the darkness. Confused, Erik hurried along quietly trying to keep up with the shadow, but eventually lost track of it, and now he was completely lost. A silent knock was heard behind him and he spun around and instinctively dived for cover. A small patch of light fell on the floor where Erik had been second before and the small creak of the door sounded.
"Mme.?" Said a tired sounding Andre. Erik shifted his position so that he could see Andre's face and the back of the woman.
"Monsieur, you know I would never bother you at such an early hour unless it was important." She whispered quickly, Erik just catching what she was saying.
"Don't tell me…"said Andre as he raised a hand to his brow. "God, not again."
"I'm afraid so Sir." Muttered the woman, "Please Sir, can we go to your office." Andre sighed heavily.
"I can't dissuade you can I Mme?" She shook her head in reply.
"No Monsieur, this cannot wait."
"Very well then." Muttered Andre as he disappeared for a moment and then reappeared with a dress coat on to cover his night shirt. "I suppose we must rouse Firmin then?"
"Oui Monsieur." The woman said as they headed down the hall together and Erik suddenly realising he did not want to be left behind quickly followed after. They only went a few doors before they stopped outside another identical looking door and Andre knocked quietly on it only once. No noise was heard from behind the door and the Mme. stood impatiently as Andre extracted a key from his pocket. He fitted the key into the lock and turned but nothing happened. No click. Nothing. Andre tried to open the door again and it ended up in failure again. "Oh this is ridiculous." Muttered the Mme. behind Andre.
"Mme. Giry, please." Said Andre quietly. "Firmin?" whispered Andre through the keyhole.
"Step aside Monseuir." Said Mme. Giry's briskly as she took a key out quickly and shoved it into the keyhole and it immediately sprung open.
"Ah...well…" replied Andre, clearly embarrassed, but Mme. Giry paid him no attention and stepped into the room. "Um…Mme.?" said Andre as he followed her in. After some moments of shuffling, silent curses and hurried whispers, Andre and Mme. Giry reappeared leading Firmin, who was very dishevelled looking, apparently just dragged out of bed.
"Oh…honestly…at this hour? Doesn't she ever sleep?" yawned Firmin looking quite annoyed at his early awakening. Mme. Giry gave Firmin a silencing stare and he took the hint and fell silent as the three of them continued to the end of the hallway. Erik assumed that Firmin was talking about Mme. Giry and he gave a light chuckle. No sooner had he did that then Mme. Giry spun around with piercing black hawk eyes. Fool, thought Erik, silently scolding himself for being so stupid. Luckily, for the second time that morning Erik was hidden out of sight, but just barely.
"Mme.?" asked Andre, "What's going on." Mme. Giry frowned, looking straight at Erik and he was sure that she had seen him. He started to sweat. He hadn't even been here a full day and he had almost been caught sneaking around and eves dropping on a conversation, which clearly he wasn't supposed to be listening to and could very easily be thrown out. However, to Erik's enormous relief, Mme. Giry turned around again and strode directly into Andre and Firmin's office. Both managers glanced behind them, then locked eyes and shrugged to one another. They both filed in the office, then the door was promptly shut and the light was diminished in the hallway. Erik, sure the coast was clear, crept out and headed over towards the door, which he pressed his ear up against, desperate to hear the rest of the conversation.
"Gentlemen, sit."
"Look Mme. Giry, couldn't this have waited 'till morning? I'm dead tired and need my beauty sleep." Moaned Firmin.
"Monsieur Firmin, I advise that beauty sleep for you is a lost cause." Erik stiffled a giggle, and Firmin quickly fell quiet again. "I received this…" However Erik had no idea what 'this' was, since he could not see. He lowered his body to the floor and looked through the crack at the bottom of the door, but only managed to see 3 pairs of feet. "…half an hour ago."
"You know Mme. Giry, we don't have to know exactly each time you receive her letters. You could have waited until morning." Replied Andre in a bored tone. "Probably just demanding her salary, or telling us to leave her box open, or telling us how to run the theatre."
"The usual." Added Firmin.
"Messieurs, like I said, I wouldn't have woken you unless it was truly important. The letters...they've been more threatening, more demanding."
"Nothing we can't handle Mme." retorted Andre. Erik could imagine Andre waving his hand in dismissal just as he had done at his audition and Erik smiled to himself.
"If you don't believe me, I shall read it for you." Replied Mme. Giry in a hurt voice. However before she could continue a loud noise rang throughout the Paris Opera House. Erik would recognise it anywhere, it was the 7:00am town clock, which stuck every hour. The noise reverberated through the halls, completely masking whatever Mme. Giry was saying to the managers. Erik knew that he had to get out of here before anyone found him, struggling to get to his feet the door to the manager's office was thrown open and it crashed right into Erik's head. He fell backwards sharply and landed on the floor, his head pounding angrily, and the clock chimes making it worse. His vision blurred only for a moment and when it cleared he could see Mme. Giry's dark figure looming over him.
