Opera Ghost

Chapter Four

Jess had to restrain herself from letting her jaw drop to the floor when she saw the room that lay beyond the door. It was huge. Compared to the room that Daniel and Tony had been given, this room made the other one look like a broom closet.

Bernard explained. "You see when we heard you would also be bringing a lady along with your group we had to scramble to put together a new room. This is an old dressing room hardly used anymore. We thought you could also use this as an office space as well as a sleeping quarter." Jess noticed many of Daniel's boxes stacked up in a corner near a large red wood vanity table. She still couldn't get over how wonderful the room looked. Like right out of an old Victorian picture as if they had preserved it just that way. The baseboards were a bright cream color and gold decor hung scattered about the room. A soft inviting bed made up in the corner, white sheets cleanandbegging for an occupant. This did not look at all like a room that had been 'scrambled together'.

Jess stopped in the center of the room, still looking all around her in awe, and gave a low whistle.

"So I take it you like it?" Bernard asked. Jess looked over at the large mirror that stretch from ceiling to floor, a masterpiece in gold and wood work.

"Indeed. I do." She answered nodding.

Claudine pointed to a spot on the wall. "We also have an internet connection and cable hook up for your convince." She said. Jess turned her attention to the place Claudine was referring to and saw two small boxes in the wall with the outlets. In fact they were the only thing that appeared modern in the room. Daniel and Tony came walking by the hallway, and stopped at the open door, noticing her, Claudine and Bernard inside. They poked their heads in.

"Wow Jess nice room!" Daniel commented.

"Thanks but it's also part of your office Dan." She saw him give her a confused look until he saw the boxes in the corner. Now with everyone in the room, Bernard turned to address Daniel.

"Well it is getting rather late, and I have everything prepared so you can meet the staff and have a grand tour tomorrow. But would you need anything else this evening?"

Both Jess and Tony shook their heads. "No I think we'll be fine. I think a good night sleep will cure us of our jet lag."

"Well then I leave you to that." Bernard said nodding. "It was nice to have met all of you. I hope you enjoy your stay here in Paris." He turned and walked out the door.

Claudine went to shake their hands again. "I look forward to spending more time with you all." Daniel's smile got wider at that comment. "There are bathrooms down the hall. And I'll be upstair in the tourist office for a while in case you need anything. It's actually right above this room."

"Thank you." Jess said, glancing over at Dan and Tony. Claudine glided over the door.

"Well then au revoir!"

"Good night" The three of them replied in unison. After she left shutting the door behind them, Tony took a closer look around the room, mostly at Daniel's things. "Dan, you do have a lot of junk here, man." He paused looking down at his wrist watch. "I guess we better start unpacking."

Dan had just returned from his shower, feeling at the same time very refreshed and very tired. The trip had taken its toll on all of them, and even the simple task of unpacking clothes madehim feel exhausted. He went into his room, disappointed on its size. It was simply two beds, and two dressers in a small room with no windows, while Jess has the luxury of residing in a diva's dressing room. But her room had no windows either and she was sharing it as a part time office.

He sat down on his bed, drying is hair with his towel and pushed aside his laptop that lay next to him so it wouldn't get wet. Tony was already in bed reading a book. There was a knock on the door. Dan reached over to his dresser, grabbing a tee-shirt to slip into before calling "Come on in." The door creaked opened, revealing Jessalyn behind it. "Oh it's you. I want to thank you again for letting me store the media equipment in your room Jess."

Jess leaned on the door frame, the white strap of her tank top moving up her shoulder. "No problem. The TV and stuff are all hooked up and ready to go."

Tony looked up from his book. "Really maybe we could watch a movie?" But when he saw Jess shaking her head in a warning no, he backed off.

"I don't think we need another one of Dan's Phantom movie marathons. Besides I think I can provide the entertainment for the evening." Jess chimed in. The boys started at her for a moment confused.

"How so?" Tony asked

"Oh I do impressions."

"Really?" Dan inquired partly excited.

"Yes like this one." Then she stuck out her chin and made a horrid face, her mouth open trying to drool. More blank stares followed. "Give up? It's you two starring at Claudine." She explained in a tone that let them both know her comment was not made entirely as a joke, as she left the room.

Even though her body was begging to go to sleep, Jessalyn's mind was not tired yet. It was their first night here in Paris she wanted to explore more. She threw a hoddie and sneakers on over her pajamas and went out to get a better look at the opera house, especially it's backstage area. Surprisingly she noticed how easy it was to move through the dark halls undetected after hours. She had at least expected to find a security camera, but perhaps they assumed anyone who was currently taking resident in the opera, had the right to be any where they want at any given time. So a curious wandering guest didn't seem the cause of much alarm.

Still, the silence was strange. Very unlikely.

Yet she managed to make her way back into the auditorium, still sure that no one saw her, she went directly back toward the stage. She glanced briefly up at the grand tier boxes again, thinking of that afternoon. She was sure she saw something in that box, like someone was watching them and ran away when she noticed something was there. Now Claudine and Ambler probably thought she was a crazy spaz.

The scenery was still in place on stage, and Jess walked among the back drops painted houses and false buildings, as if she was walking through her own private city. The extremely tall ceiling allowed the sets to be so big. Bigger than any she had built and or seen one any other theater. She turned to the empty seat and playfully bowed to them as if she were the grand opera star for only a moment.

Next, she went to examine the pin rail, that controlled all the flying scenery. It was twice as long and three times as high as the one back at her college, with almost forty separate lines sets she guessed. Pulling herself up onto the ones of the ropes she remembered the time her and her theater friends used to play on the ropes of the pin rail, swing back and forth, leaning against them, pretending to be acrobats and enjoying their other silly games. Some of the stronger more cocky boys would attempt to climb up the ropes high into the air, without any safety lines, like dare devils.

She had seen the male stage hands snicker and pointing at her during their tour. She gathered by her odd appearance to them that there weren't many women of her profession in France. Well let them point and laugh. She didn't become the most recommended deck chief in the Wellion Theater department for nothing. And she wasn't a fully enrolled student in the technical department.

But after her brief inspection of the opera's equipment, there was another thing that caught her eye. Even though she knew that it was late and she shouldn't be wandering around any more in place where she wasn't wanted. But she couldn't resist the temptation to see what was concealed in the massive grid above the stage. She headed towards the ladder scaling it in excellent time until she reached the top. She was surprised to find the ladder was clean, not a speck of dust anywhere. She climbed higher and higher feeling giddy almost with each step she took, not looking down to see how high she had climbed, any not caring really. Until she reached the top, stopping only for a moment to tighten the laces on her shoes.

Her shocked turned to awe as she quickly surveyed the endless frames and catwalks. Indeed the stage's ceiling stretched up higher than the grid. The light however had gotten substantiality darker up here, but from the reflection of the clean grey steel from the work lights below, Jessalyn could make here way around without too much strain. The grid had always been her favorite place. It was the perfect place to hide from the world to be alone with your thoughst, yet still be so high up above, you could see the people below and feel bigger then all of them. And they could never tell you were looking down on them. She glided along the steel frame, relishing that feeling. But her curiosity drove her to go even higher.

She made her way to a large spiral staircase that extended high up into the dark ceiling that Jess could not tell where it ended. There was also a sign posted next to the stairs. Jess's French wasn't entirely accurate, but she could make out from the worlds that this must lead to the roof, or maybe to a passage that would lead there eventually. The roof of the Paris opera, she thought. Even though it would be pitch black and cold outside, the thought of seeing Paris from the rooftop at night, drove her to take the chance. Glancing around one more time, she turned and grasped the railing.

And was suddenly knocked down to her feet but what she could only describe as a heavy wind. And it was freezing. She landed several feet away from the base of the stair she was ready to climb and her body refused to move. It was as if in one moment she had been struck, she had been literally chilled to the bone. Her whole being convulsedand shivers and her teeth chattered wildly. It was a challenge for her to roll back to her feet and only there all she could do was sit hugging her knees trying to keep warm. The cold wind was still around blowing furiously through her hair, and it's icy blast frosting her skin. It was if she had been left in a snow storm with nothing on, the layers of clothes she had on prove nothing against the cold. She sat there stunned, wanting to call out for help but not sure she would be heard or if she could even make the sound

Then as soon as if had came, the wind died out leaving the opera house again silent as the grave. Jess looked at her fingers which were red and sore as if they had already become frost bitten. She glanced around the semi-darkness confused. What the hell just happened? That wind or whatever it was had appeared out of nowhere and knocked her cold. She struggled to stand up, her body aching as her glanced returned to the stairs to the roof. It was as if someone or something did not want her to go up to the roof. She shook her head trying to think straight and agreed that she was just letting her imagination get carried away.

A sudden thud echoed down below, as if someone had kicked a can on stage. It was then followed by a low muttering sound, as Jess noticed the clean white beam of a flashlight dancing across the stage floor. Crouching up against the stone way but still able to see, she peered down between the crack to see what was happening.

"Anyone there. Hello!" came cracking dry voice, as a man, stout and heavy wander on stage. She assumed it was some sort of watchman. He glanced around shining his flashlight back and forth. "Who is there?" He challenged to the empty auditorium. Jess prayed silently to herself that he would not point his light up at the ceiling. He gave a small grunt and Jess watched him bring a flask to his lips. Satisfied that no one was around, he turned and left. Jessalyn put a hand over her chest to steady the pounding of her heart. That was a close on she thought. When the night watchman finally was out of sight, Jessalyn followed, returning to her room before she stirred up more trouble that night.

A/N: So sorry about the mix-up between the two first chapters. I must have been either very blind or very stupid not to notice it. slaps wrists my bad. Anyway, to come clean I have to say I have never been to the Paris Opera House and all my research on the place comes from books, pictures and the rest I have to leave to the imagination. But I do however work in a theater so I do know what I'm talking about in the backstage area. Thanks for the reviews. Be on the look out for a familiar stranger in the next chapter