Opera Ghost

Chapter Twenty

Christmas passed, and at the beginning of the next week the opera was packed with people preparing for the gala. There was to be a little bit of everything. Some modern dances pieces, and new compositions. And to please the older patrons, some old favorites. The hallways that usually seemed empty with the very few regular company members were now packed with a different set of people every day. Needless to say, the group didn't get much research done. The stage was basically off limits and Dan spent most of the day in the makeshift office typing up parts of his study. He was still angry that Tony and Jess still refused to tell him exactly what had happen to him the last time there were in the cellars.

Tony was resting on his bed, trying to catch a lazy afternoon nap, when there was a knock on the door. Too content in his current position to get up, he shouted "Come in." The door swung open and Jess was resting with one elbow on the door frame. Her other hand was fiddling with the multi-tool she always carried. She looked up at him and with a flick of her wrist; she transformed her tool from pliers into a knife. Tony flinched at the sight of it, and the knife glistening. He never had fingered out how she could do that.

"You have a minute?" she asked. Tony nodded. "Then get up. I have to show you something." She motioned for him to get up and then they both made their way up and down the halls of the opera, Jess leading him down the relentless path. Tony rubbed his shoulder glancing around at the place Jess was taking him. They made their way past the main foyer and into the corridors that encircled the auditorium, leading to the balcony and private boxes. Tony stopped for a moment and sighed.

"What do you think about if we just left now?" he asked her, trying to get her to slow down. "I mean we aren't finding nearly enough evidence or clues that we expected to by now. We have to leave in a month anyway. And every time we go into the cellars, we get nothing but trouble if you know what I mean," he reasoned, bending down to tie his shoe. "I mean what would happen if we up and left now?"

Jess stopped in her track, as if Tony's suggestion had struck something in her brain. She turned to face him, as if the answer to the unspoken secret Tony had seen her struggle with these past few weeks had revealed itself. Her eyes were wide and glossy, as if possessed by hope instead of sorrow. But then she blinked herself back to reality, and shook her head. "No way, Dan wouldn't leave now. And besides… he would never let me leave," she said reluctantly. Tony was certain that the 'he' in her sentence was not referring to Daniel. She turned away and kept on going while Tony followed. She stopped in front of a door, and the light above it used to illuminate the entrance was burnt out. A black number five hung on the door. Jess stopped and pulled something out of her pocket.

"This isn't what I think it is?" Tony asked.

"Perhaps."

"But I thought box five was closed for renovations."

"Like hell it is," Jess said flatly. She pulled a key from her pocket and stuck in the lock, turning it with ease.

"Well what's that key you have there?" Tony asked, now suspicious. "Where did you get that key from?"

"It was a gift?" she replied.

"Like that ring you have on now." Jess stopped working and looked at him straight in the eye. Her right hand covered her left, where the plain gold ring rested. She was shaking but determined when she spoke.

"You'll understand all of this soon enough." She pushed open the door onto the empty box. Tony could almost swear he saw a cloud of dust rising up as the door swung open. Jess walked in causally, and looked over the edge. Tony glanced around at the box that look just like all the rest, but only this one was far dustier and the air seemed stale. Jess scurried around the box looking behind the curtains, over the edges as if you she was a mouse trying to avoid being seen by the cat. Was she actually afraid someone was watching her? Tony held out his arms and stopped her mid walk. She seemed stunned.

"Settle down," he said. She nodded then took one of his hands, leading him by it to a large wooden column that rested in the far left side of the box.

"Here, knock on this." She told him. Tony complied. A hallow echo greeted his action.

"So it's hollow. So what?" he asked. Jess sighed and pushed him back. She took out her multi-tool, snapping out the blade of the knife. Getting down on her hands and knees, her fingers traced out a crack in the column that it looked like someone had tried to fix with glue. Then without warning, she stuck her knife into crack, yanking it up and down and splitting wood as she did so. "Hey!" Tony exclaimed, trying to stop her. But Jess was relentless in her task. Tony could now that to see the column actually wiggle and shake under the pressure until Jess was finished with her task.

"Keep your voice down. Someone will hear us." She instructed harshly, standing back up again. She shook her hands free of debris and even though Tony could see the many splinters threatening to bury themselves in her hand, Jess seemed to pay that threat any attention. Heaving a deep sigh, she then lunged at the column and in a flash, tore away its outer shell. There was another cloud of dust and the both shielded their eyes from it. When it settled, Tony looked to see that a tubular panel of the column had swung outward like a door, revealing indeed a hallow space inside. It was crammed with cobwebs and a layer of dust almost and inch thick lined the floor. Jess boldly stepped forward and placed herself inside. Then she closed the makeshift door.

"See?" she said, her voice muffled. "The perfect hiding place." She then opened the door and climbed out. "For a phantom." Tony was dumbstruck and Jess motioned with her hand that eh should have a seat.

"How the hell did you know that was there?" He asked. Jess took a seat in the chair next to him glancing behind her shoulder once more, as if someone where there.

"I remember Dan told me something about it. It was in Leroux's novel something to the extent of a hallow wooden chamber in Box Five big enough to fit a person. So that's how the ghost used trick of ventriloquism to scare people. I can't quote the exact passage word for word like Dan can." She explained, starting to trail off.

Tony tapped his knuckles against the arm of the chair. "This is a major find. It could give some hard core proof this story is real." He sighed. "To think the story of the Opera Ghost is real," he mused.

Jess nodded her head. "Oh it's real all right." Tony heard her sniffle and turned to see that she was actually crying.

"Jess, what's wrong?" he asked trying to hold her hand for comfort. She pulled it away. "Jess you can tell me the truth. From the looks of it, you need to tell someone. You can trust me." He pleaded with her. Jess gasped and turned her face away. She was silence for what seemed a lifetime before she spoke.

"He did exist Tony. He did." She chocked out. "And in fact, he's never left this place, even after all these years." With heavy shoulders, she rotated about to face him, tears streaking down her face, almost making the skin underneath them seem raw. "Tony…he's real. I know. I've seen him."

"What do you mean?"

She seemed upset that he doubted her. "I mean I've seen him. I've seen him as clearly as I see you now." She reached out her hand and touched Tony on the cheek. "He's touched me, just like this. And it was real." She moved away trying to wipe away her tears. "It wasn't a dream and I wasn't seeing things."

"There's no way. No one, especially not a person like that could be alive. It has to be an imposter. Someone is trying to scare you." Tony reasoned with her.

"I thought so too at first. Unfortunately it's not true. Do remember the night watchman Remy who died when we first got here? Well he didn't just die, he was murdered and I saw it. He was trying to attack me and I saw someone come out of the shadows and kill him. A man with a dark cloak and face with two glowing eyes. But then he rescued me and carried me back to my room. I thought this stranger was just an illusion. But I was wrong," she explained, twitching.

"But if you are sure he'd real, then what is he? Is he a human, or a ghost?"

"I'm not sure really. When he speaks, when he is close to be he is as human as you and I. But he has powers over everything. Powers that are unimaginable. He led me down into the cellars, past everything we have overlooked down there. He lives down there, and I've been there. And somehow I've been able to talk to him, so that I wouldn't end up being his prisoner twice. But I don't know how much longer I can take this. All these broken promises to him and then the lies I tell you and Dan." Her sobbing was becoming harder, and her whole body shook with her tears. "You said you saw something pull Dan into the water. It was him. I was sure of it. When I was there under water, trying to free Dan from his grasp…" She shuddered. "He was so close to dragging him down with me."

"But tell me how…is he still alive?" Tony asked

"He has taken me down into his home, twice now. The last time he told me how it happened. Apparently he never died. He just faded away. You know how they always talk about how ghosts are people who never crossed over because of unfinished business."

Tony nodded. "Yeah I understand. Talk about unfinished business though." He said trying to make a joke. It didn't work. Jess bit her lip in frustration in fright. He fearful eyes still keep checking in the corner. "Are you afraid Jess, that he watching you?"

"He's everywhere. I know it. I'm still afraid that he can hear use right now."

"There is no one here." Tony put his hands over her shoulders, leaning closer to her, feeling her shake. "God Jess, it's like he has control over you."

She looked up at him, surprised. "So you believe me. I'm not crazy."

"There doesn't seem to be any other logical way to explain what has been happening." He sighed. "But you have to tell Dan."

"I know! I just don't know how. I want to leave this place, but I can't drag Dan away now. This has been his lifelong dream Tony. It would just be too cruel." Jess stood up and leaned over the rail in the box, her arms tense.

"Your safety is what is important, Jess." Tony reminded her.

"Erik would never hurt me, Tony. It's just you and Dan that I'm worried about. I'm worried about every one here. I don't know what could happen." She held up the key from her hand. "I found this while I was looking for clues in the managers' office. I'm sure he left if for me to find." Her voice was still cracking when she spoke. Tony rose to his feet and walked behind her. He stood there for a moment then put up his arms to her sides, so that they were almost touching. As an invitation.

Jess accepted immediately by turning around and burying her face in his chest. Tony embraced her, rocking her back and forth as if she were a little child. Jessalyn's sobs were quiet and barely echoed around the box or into the auditorium, but Tony could feel her chest heaving against his. He was glad that he had worn one of his nicer sweaters that day. Perhaps she could find some solace in a soft shoulder of cashmere to cry on. Her hand had circled around to the back of his neck and she pressed firmly down on it for support. He in return stroked her soft blond hair like a father. She looked up at him, a grateful smiling finally cracking through her lips.

She was so beautiful. And Dan was such a fool.

"You'll tell Dan, and then we're getting out of here, big story or not," Tony instructed. She nodded. His gaze went back to her hand and the gold ring that was on her finger. He was concerned that perhaps Jess had already taken it too far. And this was no mere man they would be dealing with, but instead a supernatural being.

"I'll tell him. Tomorrow night," she said

Don't put me this ordeal by fire. He'll take me I know. We'll be parted forever, he won't let me go. What I once used to dream I now dread. If he finds me it won't ever end and he'll always be there singing songs in my head, he'll always be there singing song in my head.

A/N: Ta da another one done. For any of you, who are unclear about what passage in Leroux talks about Box Five, let me explain.
"Finally with full awareness of my reason, I can say to the reader: 'Visit the Opera one day, ask for permission to walk about in peace, without a stupid guide. Enter Box Number 5 and knock on the enormous column that separates that box from the proscenium. Knock on it with your cane or you knuckles and listen. At the level of your head, you'll hear that the column sounds hallow. After that, the possibility that it might have been inhabited by the Phantom's voice will not surprise you; there is room for two people inside the column." (Leroux 325)
It's found in the Epilogue where Leroux dives into Erik's history and explains for his reader more of his findings. Of course I don't think you can just go wander about the opera house now like you could back in 1910 though. I decide to make the column in my story made of wood, with the idea that perhaps they had started to renovate Box Five, stripping away stuff. But since the box was 'rarely' used they just left it alone.
In answer to your concern watrfairie, I think you might be confused by the beginning of the new movie, in which we see old Raoul visiting an opera house that has been burnt to a crisp. I can assure you that the Opera Garnier still stands in Paris today in almost the same condition as it was in the 1880's, and as far as I know, there have been no major fires that almost destroyed it.