Well then. I'm still one-up on CIC. And now it'll be two-up! (We're competing to see who updates the most…) And considering no one mentioned the titles except to say they'd never noticed them…I guess I'll leave them as is.

The Four Random Ones: Haha. Oh! I heard that rap! It cracked me up…I listened to it like five times… I thought it was magnificent. No less because it was Michael Crawford doing the rap. There's something I never thought I'd hear. :)

Elflover: (glares) Fine. Be that way. I hope you're done now. Hmph. (Oh – one question. Tell me, which elf is it that you love? Hee…)

Babymene17: I'm glad you think so. (grins) Oh, hey, are you in my Yahoo Group? I think I saw your name – musicofthenight?

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Erik stood concealed in the shadows above the stage watching the terrified actors dash out of the auditorium. All he had done was stand there. They invented the terror themselves.

"I ought to have brought the lasso – they'd really break down if they saw that in my hand…" He turned around and started down the ladder at the end of the catwalk, his shoes somehow silent on every step on the metal rungs.

Lefevre had left the auditorium now, and the stage and house were in total darkness. Pleased with the solitude, Erik made sure the doors to the auditorium were locked. Lefevre had unwittingly sealed the Opera Ghost into the huge room. Smirking, he unlocked one door near the end of the row of doors. Erik was ready for some real fun now.

Erik knew that there was most likely someone within earshot of the auditorium. It was locked now, and they had no reason to be afraid of it. Erik knew his business well – he had lots of experience in his particular field…restless spirit.

So all he had to do to frighten the nearby people was settle himself before the piano in the pit – like so – and play a little mysterious music. If anyone were to enter the auditorium to investigate, it was a simple matter to slip into the shadows backstage and make his escape through a cleverly concealed trapdoor of his own making.

He wondered why he didn't leave the cellar more often.

What to play, what to play…Erik started off with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata…always a favorite.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Did you really see him?" asked Meg Giry eagerly. She was one of about seven young ballet girls all bobbing excitedly around Isabelle, who looked like she was about to faint.

"Oh yes," she replied dramatically. "I could feel his icy breath on the back of my neck, and when I turned around, no one was there…But then I looked up, and he was standing on the catwalk, staring straight at me! I've no idea how he got up there so quickly –"

"He flew!" burst one little ballerina, quickly covering her mouth.

Meg, who knew more about the 'ghost' than any of the other girls – but still precious little – was the most desperate for details. "Go on, then what?"

"Well, then I cried out, and he vanished! Right before my eyes! But I'm sure I heard his footstep following me as I walked away. I looked for him – and I saw him standing right by the door! He reached out for me – " Isabelle imitated a passionate extension of her hand, a look of perfect command and hypnotic beckoning " – to seduce me and take me away to be his ghostly bride!" The ballet girls tittered excitedly. "But Armand pulled me to his side and took me out." She sounded positively disgusted.

"Do you think it was really you he wanted?" inquired Little Jammes – who was no longer so little; she'd had a growth spurt – in a hushed, reverent whisper.

"I'm sure of it," replied Isabelle in the same hiss, leaning against the door of the auditorium as if she'd been through a more dreadful ordeal than opera rehearsal. "And I heard a low voice saying as I left – "

But none of the ballet girls ever found out what Isabelle thought the ghost had said to her, because at that moment, a faint music came floating out of the auditorium. Isabelle leaped away from the door as if she'd been scalded.

They all stood like a bunch of statues, listening to the passionate notes of Moonlight Sonata in an emotion a cross between horror and ecstasy, before Jammes dared to break the silence.

"It's Him!"

Some of the girls edged away.

"It's your ghostly lover!" murmured another girl, prodding Isabelle in the back. "He wants to serenade you - go to meet him!"

They all murmured their agreement, prodding her closer to the entrance.

"I can't get in!" hissed Isabelle. "M. Lefevre locked the doors before he left!"

"You!" barked Meg. "Go find M. Lefevre and get the keys!" The little girl she'd singled out whimpered in fright. Meg stamped her foot impatiently. "Are you sure?"

"I saw him lock the doors myself! We can't get in! Look – " Isabelle yanked hard on the door she'd been leaning on moments ago to prove her point…and it yielded.

Again, she leapt away from the offending door, and they all stood staring at it as it swung innocently on its hinges. Now the poor woman had nowhere to run.

"Go!" all the girls chorused.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hana made her way down into the cellars. It hadn't taken much effort to retrace the path she herself had taken the day she'd met the Siren. On the return journey, she'd marked her progress with luminous masking tape in the right places to make it easier to follow. Now all she had to do was follow the tape's highlighter-orange glow to the edge of the lake. This time, she did not fall in.

The boat was on her side of the lake again. Didn't Erik ever use it to get to the house? Unless he wasn't in the house at the moment…

But that didn't occur to Hana at this moment. She just climbed into the boat and attempted to get across.

The poling wasn't any easier this time than it was last time. She pushed off the edge with the pole…and managed to end up floating in the middle of the lake.

With a sigh, Hana stirred the waters of the lake with the pole. She bumped something with the end.

The Siren rose out of the disturbed waters, clutching the side of her face and a dark look on what wasn't covered.

"You poked me," she said sullenly.

"Sorry," said Hana. "Listen, can you get me over to Erik's side of the lake?"

"Won't do you any good – he isn't in right now," replied the Siren, massaging her forehead. "That's going to leave a mark…"

"He's not in?" Hana sat back in the boat, at a loss what to do now.

"No, but you can wait for him until he comes," said the Siren helpfully. She pulled the boat to the opposite side of the lake and held it for Hana to climb out. She sat on the earthy ground to wait for Erik's return, in the company of the Siren.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The door had opened. Erik smiled in his shadowy corner and changed the music.

Meanwhile, Isabelle and her gaggle of ballet girls edged nervously into the auditorium. It was completely dark – the Opera Ghost could have been standing right in front of them for all they could see. This possibility occurred to a few girls, and they edged closer to Isabelle.

Suddenly, the calm serenade of Moonlight Sonata turned into a burning passionate song that none of the girls present had ever heard before. Entranced, they all stared at the piano.

"It's your lover, Isabelle!" cried the little ballerina before she could stop herself.

Erik chuckled to himself. Her lover? Well, if that was what they wanted…no harm in helping along the rumors. What was that girl's name again? Isabelle…yes, that was it…

With the help of his ventriloquism, he sent a whisper to the very back of the auditorium.

"My love…" The girls all leaped away from the sound, which seemed to be only a few feet to the left.

"I thought he was at the piano!" squeaked Jammes.

"My Isabelle…"

All the girls squeaked now, and shoved Isabelle forward with amazing strength. The pounding music grew stronger, and began to frighten the girls.

"Come to me…"

The voice was drawing away, moving down the aisle between the rows of seats toward the stage. She followed it, but the others stayed where they were. Trembling, they watched her follow the whisper to the powerful music.

Suddenly, the song ended in one jarring chord, and Isabelle screamed. Meg ran for the lights, and lit one lone lamp over the pit. Isabelle lay sprawled on her back in the pit, a look of sheer terror on her face.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Erik rather liked that song he'd improvised in the auditorium back there, he'd have to remember to write it down. A well placed whisper, a flash of his eyes, and a flutter of his cape in Isabelle's face before his departure was enough to complete the game.

Isabelle's lover…He'd have to keep that one going for a while…

Upon leaving through the trapdoor, he ran into Nadir.

"Daroga!" he hissed. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," replied the Persian quietly. "Hana is waiting for your lesson."

"What? Where?"

"Down in the cellars."

In the cellars? Oh, damn! Without another word, Erik darted around Nadir and down the trapdoor.

He'd completely forgotten about Hana! Of course, she had a lesson… He'd been so wrapped up in his little charade, that he forgot about her.

"Well, how was I supposed to know she'd go and wait for me right away?" he muttered.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hana was extremely cold now, especially after the Siren had tried to rub her arms to warm her, thereby dripping cold water all over her already cold skin. Finally, there came a bang from inside the house – Erik had evidently entered through the torture chamber – and the door swung open.

"Where have you been?" shouted Hana. "I've been waiting for ages!"

Erik turned a cold glare on her. "And did I ask you to come straight down here on your own, mademoiselle? I have got other occupations, you know, than taking care of you every waking moment. I hope you have your music, because this rehearsal is going to be murder." Erik swept her into the house and shut the door without a look at the Siren floating expectantly in the water.

Well, Hana was certainly in for it now…

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And that's that! Well, I find this chapter rather inspired, don't you? (no answer) Well, fine, be that way. Hmph. At least review! I only had four for the last chappie! (cries)