Chapter 21

It was deadly still in Erik's room, only the sound of his only breathing told him he was there. He sank to the floor and gazed at the mirror:

He had no idea that at the same time the Phantomess was staring back at him from behind it.

The sunlight fell through his room, and the window split it into patterns on his carpeted floor. He glanced around at the bunches of flowers, they hadn't wilted over night, but some one must have replaced them and put new ones in, for there were a lot more then he remembered yesterday, then again, he wasn't really thinking yesterday, it had all been a blur. All of sudden he found his thoughts on Rachelle, and the scene he had just heard. She sounded horrified that no one was doing anything to save him…save him…she thought he had been kidnapped. Erik smiled at her innocence, she would never, could never know what happened between him and the Phantomess. He glanced out the window at the sunshine and the paved streets where people milled around their lives buying and selling, meeting new people and hugging old ones. It seemed so trivial to him now; it was if he couldn't go back to his old life.

In truth he knew he couldn't.

Erik also knew he couldn't just sit here and stare at the rug. He stood up, then noticing he was still in his clothes from the night before, went to chance. He looked at the mirror, blushed and then ran behind the screen to change. He had no idea that the Phantomess gently chuckled. Erik emerged a few moments later, dressed in more casual wear, one that he had founded wrapped up in a box from a fan. He took another quick glance at the mirror and opened the door.

"I'll be back soon." Erik said softly as he opened the door and closed it behind him. The Phantomess nodded to the empty room and moved off to watch the mayhem she was just about to create.

Erik crept down the hallway, he still wasn't sure where the auditorium was, but if he guessed correctly, the person who had screamed would be La Carlotta in a temper, who would be in rehearsals. It didn't take long to find however, because Erik found to his delight that the hallway he was in went directly to the auditorium and was quite close as well. He was just about to pull open the door, but he thought better of it, not certain if he wanted people to know he was back, and peeked, instead, through the glass windows of the door. He saw many dancers and singers milling around in groups as, he guessed correctly, La Carlotta and Senior Pianji were yelling at the managers, who were desperately trying to find a way out. He noticed that whatever they were yelling about, was causing much interest among the chorus members and the orchestra, but they hid their faces as soon as they thought someone was looking. Erik dashed behind a corner as soon as he saw the managers, Mme. Giry, La Carlotta and Senior Pianji making their way down the isle. The door banged open and they were all shouting at once at each other. It seemed no one could calm them down and restore order. Erik shrank further behind the wall so as not to be seen and he saw the whole group make their way to the staircase of the Grand Hall, now clear of the breakfast and lunch tables.

"Mystery
after gala night,'
it says, 'Mystery
of the tenor's flight!' " Firmin cried in anger above the rest and they all hushed down to listen to him. Firmin stared down at the paper he held in his hand of the news today and heaved a big sigh as he read the read lines aloud to the others.

"'Mystified'
baffled Surete say,
'we are mystified -
we suspect foul play!' " Firmin glanced down the articles and began to read out little bits of bit from each of them.
"'Tenors

Get no easier -
first Pianji,
now Destler!'
Still, at least
the seats get sold
gossip's worth
its weight in gold…" He glanced around at everyone and folded the paper under his arm and began to walk up the stairs with the others following hot on his heels. Carlotta shoved a cleaning lady out of the way in order to make it faster towards Firmin, and Pianji gave a snort of disapproval at the article, which Firmin had just read. He muttered something about his reputation, but Carlotta soothed him quietly and they both regarded Firmin again as he threw up his hands, and placed them over his face.
"What a way to
run a business!
Spare me these
unending trials!
Half your cast disappears,
but the crowd still cheers!
Opera!
To hell with Gluck and Handel -
It's a scandal that'll
pack 'em in the aisles!" He continued to walk up the stairs, unaware that the group behind him was there, let alone waiting for him to speak again. However it was Andre who spoke up again, as Firmin was lost in his angry thoughts.

"DAMNABLE!
Will they all walk out?
This is damnable! " He screamed, joining Firmin at the top of the stairs, while the others hung back with baited breath. Firmin seemed to see Andre for the first time as he turned to him and he glanced down to the auditorium doors and the group behind. He placed a warning hand on Andre's shoulder and hushed him with a finger to his lips.

"Andre, please don't shout ...
It's publicity!
And the take is vast!
Free publicity!" Firmin was cut off by Andre, who lowered his voice to match Firmin's. Both of the managers looked terrible, lack of sleep, constant tantrums from their stars and the Opera Ghost had not made them age as well as they would have liked.
"But we have no cast..."
"But Andre,
have you seen the queue? …" Firmin asked Andre, trying to comfort him, but interrupted himself when he saw Andre carrying a cream coloured envelope, much the same as he was himself. Erik took the opportunity where all of them were leaning in towards the managers to step away from his dark corner and hide just beneath the stairs, in order to hear them better. It looked like they were reading from a piece of paper.
"…Oh, it seems
you've got one too..."

"'Dear Andre
what a charming gala!
Erik enjoyed a great success!
We were hardly bereft
when Pianji left -
otherwise
the chorus was entrancing,
but the dancing was a
lamentable mess!
' " Firmin glanced over Andre's shoulder, as Andre read the letter which had been recently sealed with red wax in the form of Death's Head. Firmin clutched Andre's shoulder tightly and gasped in shock at what the Phantomess had written. Andre finished reading it and turned to Firmin as if to ask for an explanation, and Firmin waved his own letter in front of Andre's face. He read it aloud:
" 'Dear Firmin,
just a brief reminder:
my salary has not been paid.
Send it care of the ghost,
by return of post
P.T.O.:
No-one likes a debtor,
so it's better if my
orders are obeyed!'
" Firmin snapped at the end of it and stuffed the thing into his pocket while Andre stared in awe. They both looked at each other and shook their heads as if the Opera Ghostess was in their heads and they were trying to get rid of her. They tuned their backs to the group and Erik leaned a bit closer in order to hear what they were whispering to each other.
"Who would have the gall
to send this?
Someone with a puerile brain!" The two managers said together and furrowed their brows in concentration and frustration at being used like puppets.
"These are both signed 'O.G.'... " Andre exclaimed in fascination as he turned over his own letter and examined the tiny, child-like writing of the signature.
"Who the hell is she?" demanded Firmin to no one in particular. The frowned for a moment and stood in silence before a sudden and terrible realisation dawned on them both and they whispered together.
"Opera ghostess!"
"It's really not amusing…" Andre said quickly, but Firmin interrupted him.
"…She's abusing
our position!"
"In addition
She wants money…"
"…She's a funny
sort of spectre…"
"... to expect a
large retainer!" The together they snapped their fingers and stared back, wide eyed at each other and shouted.
"Nothing plainer -
she is clearly quite insane!" They turned back to the group behind them; Mme. Giry, Senior Pianji, La Carlotta, and the hidden Erik, all looking thoroughly confused at the sudden change in the managers. They all returned looks at each other in silence for a few moments until a huge bang broke the silence and everyone turned on their heels just to see a wild looking woman running through the front doors.

A/N: I wasn't so sure about this chapter, didn't really care to write it, please review!