Opera Ghost

Chapter Eight

After the horrifying experience of that morning, the group decided exploration in the cellars would not be a good idea, and set the trip instead for the next day. Surprisingly, the opera wasn't swarming with police and the other employees didn't seem to have a clue of what had happened. This troubled Jessalyn. It appeared as if the managers were covering up the whole thing. How could they mistake the wound she had seen afflicted on that man for a simple accident of falling on his knife? Jess wondered if the dark stranger who had cared for her could be the same person she had seen murder Remy. No it couldn't be. It had to someone else who had helped her, perhaps another security guard who wished to remain anonymous. But it frightened Jessalyn to know how close she had come to death last night.

The group had decided to split up and do their own research for the day, which left Jess in an awkward position. Tony had a lot of opportunities to explore the architecture of the building and stage. And Daniel had plenty of places to find clues of the Opera Ghost besides the cellars. But Jessalyn had only been brought along as the expert on the backstage area. And since the company was rehearsing on stage all day, she really had no where else to go. She sat in the balcony for a while idly watching the dancers practice and making sketches in her book of the proscenium area. Not finding that either interesting or helpful, she decided to spend sometime in the library to clear her mind.

The opera library contained mostly works of music, originals and copies. Jess casually flipped through scores of several operas including Le Nozze di Figaro, Madame Butterfly, and the score for The Nutcracker as well. There was a caretaker of the library seated at a desk in the front of the massive room, and Jess asked him if there were any books of the history of the opera house. He obligingly showed her a full row of books and almanacs. Jess scanned through a volume set of the history and records of the Opera Garnier that followed each year from the time it was built up until the 1970's. But she was puzzled to find three volumes missing, 1880, 1881, and 1882. Same thing with the copies of the commentaries of the Arts in Paris. Perhaps Daniel had borrowed these books already. She returned to the desk.

"Excuse me, has anyone checked out any of the history books recently?"

"Not recently." The librarian replied. "The books in this collection are not allowed to circulate outside the opera house."

"Oh well, my companions and I are staying here. You haven't seen a young man, American with curly brown hair check out anything?"

He turned to his clipboard looking at a sheet of paper, which were obviously records of some sort. He shook his head. "Sorry, you're the only non-employee to even visit the library in two weeks." She thanked him for his help, took a few books for herself and headed back to her room. It was afternoon and already the sun was starting to set as Jess could see through the many windows. Her stomach rumbled and she was anxious to get some dinner soon.

When she returned to her room, she noticed something different as soon as she walked in. Someone had taken the rose she had found and placed it in a small cup of fresh water. Also several items were left on her dresser, including a bar of soap, a bottle of shampoo, and also a new toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. She sat down on her bed, picked up the toothbrush and stared at it.

Perhaps someone had seen the things she left in the hall last night and arranged to have them replaced? But who could have known it was she, and how did they get into her room? She had locked it this morning. Confused she set the toothbrush back down and threw herself back on her bed. She felt something small poking her in the back and she reached underneath to find out what it was.

A small book with a very faded brown cover lay on the mattress. It could fit right in her palm. She examined carefully. It was very old, its binding was so loose it may as well not be present at all as the pages shifted flimsily in her grip. The golden lettering that had once spelled out the title was all gone and only imprints of where left. But she couldn't even make out what they were. So she had to open the thin cover to see the title on the first page.

"Le Fantome de la Opera"

Gaston Leroux.

The pages were so thin and fragile like the wings of a butterfly and all the words were written in French. The pages wouldn't stay put and Jess realized that the book had been bent so much that it would open to a certain place in the text. So she let the open book lay in her lap and let the pages unfold on their own accord. She watched them turn to a spot in the book. Since it was in French, she could only make out a few words, but there was something else in the pages and the binding, a dark line. Jess ran one of her fingers up against the binding as it became covered in a red sticky liquid.

Blood

She threw the book on the floor repulsed. Jessalyn stared at her fingers in shock, it was blood. But why? The book had managed to stay open on the floor even after she had flung it away. Jess bent down to look at it, with strange regard. In blood, she was certain of that, was written a word.

"Remember"

Jess slammed the book cover down and backed away, horrified at what she saw. She felt as if she were losing her minds. But she was sure she saw the blood. It was still on her fingers. She went to the bathroom to wash her hand, the blood tricking and spinning the drain like the scene from "Psycho."

"Get a grip." She kept muttering to herself as she walked back to her room. She just had to be seeing illusions, and none of this could be real. Not the book, or the cold wind, or even her caring stranger, it was just figments of her imagination she decided. But the book was still there when she returned. It had been opened again and the menacing blood letters, "Remember," still scrolled over the pages. She snatched the book up and ran out to find Daniel. She plowed through the halls recklessly until she found him in an upper passageway staring idly up at an archway. He turned when he heard her approach.

"Hey Jess. What's up?" Jessalyn was so intently frustrated in her pace that she almost ran into him.

"I'm not in the mood for jokes now Dan!" She challenged him. He placed two firm hands on her shoulders to steady her.

"Whoa, what are you talking about?"

"You know what." She held up the book in front of his face. "This!" Daniel stared at the book in shock as his eyes grew wider.

"Where did you get that?" he asked softy and slowly.

"Ha, so you did leave this in my room. Admit it." Dan took the book out of her hand.

"No, I haven't seen this before and I'd never thought I get a chance to." Excitement rose in his voice. "Jess don't you know what this is."

Annoyed Jess shook her head. "It's the Phantom of the Opera."

"Not just that. This is a first edition copy, Jess." He pointed to the inside cover. "Granted it's not mint condition. See, Paris France 1910. This book in nearly a hundred years old. How did you get this? The library?"

Jess stood frozen in confusion. "Someone put it in my room." She said slowly. "And there was blood inside too."

"What are you talking about?" Dan asked. Jess grabbed the book back from him.

"But I saw it! There was blood here, right in the pages. And there were words written in blood." She ran her fingers through the book.

"Jess, be careful, you might tear the pages." Dan warned her.

"Oh screw the pages!" Jess grunted in frustration. Daniel's hand went to shut the book. He looked at her concerned.

"Jess there is nothing here. You must be seeing things." She looked up at him, almost on the verge of tears.

"But I saw it, Daniel. Believe me, I'm not crazy." She whispered.

"Hell, I know you're not crazy. You're just stressed. And after what you saw this morning I can't blame you. Look how about we get out of this place for a while. How about dinner?"

"Really?" Jess asked like a hopeful child.

"Sure, you, me, Tony and Claudine. We'll go somewhere nice, get out of the place before we all get cabin fever." His hands wrapped around her in a friendly hug which at that moment felt like heaven to Jess. She squeezed back. "It's all right, you're not going crazy. You've just had a bad day."

Jess laughed into his shoulder. "You have no idea."

They went out around eight o'clock to a cozy bistro near the opera house. The food was pleasant, but Jess didn't care too much for the French style of coffee which was too sweet for her taste. But it wasn't the coffee that annoyed her.

It was Daniel. All through the evening, he had ignored her and Tony to more or less flirt with Claudine. Yes, Jess had noticed that their guide was attractive to her friends, but this was ridiculous. They had sat through most of the dinner with their backs facing Jessalyn and Tony, watching the performers on stage, laughing in their own private conversation. Tony had brought his digital camera to the restaurant and was showing Jess the lovely snapshots he had taken around the opera that day.

"Tony, these look great!" she complimented.

"Thanks. I took some photography course my freshman year." He explained. Jess nudged Daniel on the top of his shoulder.

"Hey Daniel, come see these pictures Tony took." Jess said nudging his arm. But Dan didn't even bother to turn around and just replied.

"Not now. Maybe later." Even Tony looked upset by his comment. Jess was so shocked by his rude behavior that she stepped outside with Tony for a cigarette, even though she didn't smoke.

Tony took a long drag on his cigarette, starring down at the sidewalk. "Look at the cobblestones. I wonder how old this street is?" he stated nonchalantly.

Jess shoved her hands into her pockets. "I don't understand. Why is Dan acting like this, like he doesn't care? This isn't a vacation, we're here to study. I know we've had some setbacks but..."

Tony cut her off "Don't get too worked up about it, Jess."

"But this isn't like him at all. He usually so shy he wouldn't have the nerve to talk to a girl, much less flirt. What so different now with Claudine? It seems he's a totally opposite person every time she's around."

"Maybe because she's available? Maybe he's just trying to impress her? Guys are like that Jess. I know, I'm one of them" Tony offered

"Well, at lest you are remembering your manners." Jessalyn starred back through the lite windows of the bistro and sighed. "I just don't understand."

Tony patted her shoulder. "Don't read too much into it. You'll just stress yourself out even more." He threw his cigarette butt on the ground, stamping it out with his heel. "Come on, let go back and get a long night sleep. It will be good for all of us."

They paid their bill and Daniel insisted in hailing a cab and escorting Claudine home before returning back to the opera. The guard who let them in the front door, mumbled something about not making these late night trips a habit. Dan stopped outside Jess' door. "So good night" he said. She greeted him with a cold hard stare. "Hey what's that for?"

Jessalyn rolled her eyes at him. "Great not only are you rude, but clueless." She mumbled. She was so repulsed by his two-faced actions, being so concern that afternoon, than ignoring her the rest of the evening. She wanted to blurt out what happened last night, tell him she almost died and was still frighten by this very place. Perhaps then he's show a little sympathy. But she had decided to keep that secret.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know . . . Claudine." Jess explained letting the name roll off her tongue like a quite curse. He gave a lopsided grin.

"Oh that, well I was just having a little fun you know"

"Really because I didn't know we where here to have fun." Dan looked at her shocked.

"Well I think you're being rude. I was just trying to be nice."

"Rude?" she shot back. "You are the one who totally ignored not only me, but Tony all through dinner. We're your friends, Dan."

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her sternly. "What I can't make new friends now?" he paused for a moment only to swallow. "I think you're jealous."

Jess took a step back. "Jealous?" she hissed.

"Yes you keep trying to grab all the attention and now you're jealous that I'm paying more attention to Claudine instead of you." She could tell everything from his tone. He thought Claudine was prettier than her, more attractive, therefor worth more of his time.

"How can you be so mean?" she asked. Daniel's scowl deepen and his voice raised in volume.

"Quit pestering me and stop being such a bitc.." He stopped himself, almost shocked of what he had just said, his frown fading. But Jess glared daggers at him.

"Just say it!" she whispered. She didn't know whether to slap him or cry. How could he act like this? She felt like she was starring at another person in Daniel's body. Without another word, she slammed the door in his face.

His footsteps disappeared from behind her door. Jess crumpled to her knees, her back against the hard wood, head in her hands. Tears started spilling down from her eyelids, even though she didn't want them to. Jealous. "What need do I have to be jealous?" she asked out loud. She couldn't understand why Daniel was acting this way, it wasn't like him at all. He was so serious and intense it wasn't normal for him to blow things off, especially over a girl. Jess starred up at the rose laying on her dresser. No she wasn't jealous of Claudine, just upset at what lavishing all these affections on her had done to Dan. For God's sake, Daniel had been her best friend for years and that was the first time he had spoken so harshly to her. Over a girl, Jess laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

But it still hurt her, and she wanted to cry about it more than anything. She cursed her need to act so damned stoic all the time. She sat there against the door in silence for endless minutes. Until she heard a soft noise echoing around her room like a breeze. She got to her feet looking around as the noise grew louder and more distinct. She wiped a wayward tear of her cheek as the soft whisper became music in her ears. A light yet edgy male voice singing a wordless tune.

Jess stood in the middle of the room transfixed by the sinfully beautiful melody, letting it surround her like a caress. She couldn't tell where it was coming from and for a few precious moments, she didn't care. But her curiosity got the best of her and she opened her door. Stepping inside the dark hallway, the song faded into nothing, but as soon as she went back into her room, the song was back louder this time.

Now she was confused and startled as her senses darted back and forth trying to locate the source. She looked in the full length mirror on one side of the room. There she stood, her image reflecting truths back at her. Her plain jeans and white turtleneck which had some old stain on it. Her stringy blond hair hanging down unfashionable. Nothing like Claudine's who seemed pretty and prefect in every way. No wonder Daniel was attracted to her, with golden curls and a pretty face.

"Who's there?" Jess asked to the mirror.

And the song stopped, its echoes vanishing into the very walls. Jess sighed sadly.

"Yep, I'm going crazy."

A/N: Sorry for the long update, but I was opening a show for the past two weeks. New chapter coming soon, in the cellars