Chapter 18 – Two Voices Lost, Another Found
Porsche stayed with Christine through the night, watching over her as Erik had asked her to. Christine was now tossing and moaning in her sleep. Porsche got off the bed and ran back to get her master, leaving Christine still dreaming.
"Christine, I want us to be together forever, just you and me." Erik told her.
They were both in the middle of the stage just looking at each other hand in hand, no one else about.
Christine smiled, gazing into his blue eyes. "I know you do and I want the same. I love you Erik."
They leaned forward and kissed passionately. A voice that hit them caused them to pull apart.
"Oh how romantic." It was Carlotta looking at them, fire in her eyes. She appeared from the side entrance.
Erik stood in front of Christine and scowled at Carlotta. "What do you want?"
"I want my limelight back! It is because of you that I lost everything, you the Phantom of the Opera and your lover, little Miss perfect Daae." She hissed in rage.
"Well you will never have it back! Christine is the leading Soprano now, and no matter how much you beg or sob, no one will have you back. Christine has charm and appeal, where as you have none. You are nothing." He shouted back at her.
"I AM SOMETHING!" She screamed. "If you do not get me back my audiences then I will just have to go to the authorities and get you locked up for a long time. After all you are a murderer!"
"You wouldn't dare!" Christine stood beside Erik and reached for his hand. "If you do anything to Erik, I will make you pay, you wretched woman!"
"Well what does everybody else think? After what has happened. He nearly killed me and Joseph Bouquet was not as lucky. He should be locked up as he is a danger to everyone here." Carlotta said.
Erik and Christine both turned round towards the red seats to see that everyone who was involved with the Opera Populaire was looking at them, whispering amongst each other. Even Meg and Madame Giry were there. They all then started chanting the words 'Kill him, Kill him.' Over and over.
"You don't know him, stop it!" Christine screamed.
They all just kept chanting and pointing at both of them, some whispering, some making exclamations.
"But we are in love! And no one can take that away from us!" She continued.
She turned to Erik. To see he was already looking at her. "It's no use Christine, they will never understand."
Carlotta now spoke and everyone else stopped. "Your precious Phantom is pulling the strings for you, so what will happen if I take him away?"
Christine turned and looked questioningly at Carlotta.
'BANG'
Christine turned and looked at Erik, who now had his eyes wide, a red liquid oozing form his chest.
"ERIK!" Christine screamed.
She looked back up to find everyone had disappeared from the room even Carlotta.
Erik fell to his knees then fell, rolling onto his back.
"C – Christine?" He managed to splutter.
"Erik? Don't leave me please." She knelt down beside him, sobs wracking her poor body.
"It's too late for me now…"
Christine shook her head. "SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!" She screamed it rang out and echoed around the room.
She turned back to Erik and cradled him in her arms, looking at him with tears streaming down her face.
"Please take care of yourself Christine; I want you to know that I will always…"
Erik took one deep breath to finish his sentence.
"Love you…" He finished as his eyes began to close.
"Erik please don't!" She whispered as he let out his last breath.
Christine looked up to the ceiling between sobs she screamed out loud enough for the world to hear. "NOOOOOOOOOOO."
"OOOOOO." Christine bolted upright straight into the arms of Erik who was sitting on her bed. He clasped her tightly.
"Shhhhh." He soothed her gently, stroking her hair.
Christine pulled back and looked into his face, her eyes wide, then sighed and leaned back into him, resting her head on his shoulder allowing her breathing pace and heart rate to return to normal.
"Porsche came to find me. Was it a very bad dream?" He asked concerned, still stroking her hair. "You were tossing about a fair bit."
"It's alright now. It was just a dream… Just a dream." She said. Erik now began to rock her back and fourth trying to calm her as she was gripping onto him very tightly.
There was a loud knock on the door. "Miss Daae?" It was Firmin's voice.
Erik quickly slid out from her grasp and vanished just as Firmin opened the door. "Ah, good morning, I have come here to ask if you would care to help out with the auditions for a new Male Lead and an understudy to replace both Carlotta Giudicelli and Monsieur Ubaldo Piangi. They will be held 2 o'clock this afternoon in the main Theatre and we would like to have your opinion. Good day to you." And with that he left.
"How am I supposed to know which ones are good?" She said blankly.
"You just will. Go along with your instincts. I will help you if you would like?" Erik's voice replied
"I think that would be wise, and you have a better judgment than I do."
Erik chuckled. "Don't be so hard on yourself. They wouldn't have asked you otherwise."
"I suppose so. I just hope we can find someone for the productions. But do we need an understudy? It's not as if I'm going to fall ill." She sounded exasperated.
"Well just in case." Erik replied. "Well the morning is young. You had best go and have something to eat. I will speak to you later."
Christine smiled. "Hey come here."
Erik reappeared before her and she slowly slid her arms around his neck pulling his face to her until they locked lips and kissed passionately. Erik wrapped his arms round her holding her tight.
I don't know what I would do if I lost him. I truly do love him. That dream has proven what I feel.
They let go of each other, both smiling. It was evident in both faces what they were thinking.
"I'll see you later." Erik whispered, before causing the mirror to open, disappearing into the darkness behind it and it sliding back into position.
Smiling, Christine quickly got changed, and headed down to the dining room, leaving Erik to almost float back down to his lair. He was in love, and it felt wonderful.
-
Christine entered the dining room to see the usual, people talking and a spare place for her by Meg and Madame Giry.
She came to sit down but wasn't very hungry. "Well Christine, what are you going to have today?" Meg sputtered.
Christine shrugged. "Oh I don't know. But the managers asked me if I would help out with the auditions this afternoon."
"Really?" Madame Giry inquired not sure if she had heard correctly.
"Yes, I don't know why they would like me to help. I don't know who would be good or even sound good." She sighed.
"Yes you will." Madame Giry and Meg both said at once. They all started laughing.
Christine felt a little prod on her arm and looked across to see one of the younger ballet dancers standing there looking at her nervously.
"Why hello." Christine said in a friendly manner.
"Bonjour Miss Daae." The small girl replied.
"What can I do for you?"
"No, nothing, my friends and I just wanted to say congratulations." The girl lent closer and whispered in a tiny voice. "And thank you."
"Thank you for what?"
"For getting La Carlotta to leave, we all loathed her singing. Sometimes when she was singing she would end up squeaking, and a few times she sounded like a drowned rat."
'MEOW!'
Porsche jumped up onto the table causing Madame Giry to fall backward off her chair and everyone else in the room to turn their eyes to the table where a black cat was lapping up the water in Meg's glass. The ballet mistress was on the floor looking as if she had seen a ghost. Meg helped her to her feet.
Madame Giry got up and straightened out her dress. "Alright, show's over!" She said sternly.
Everyone looked back down to his or her breakfast. Christine and the young ballet dancer were silently laughing.
"Christine, do something about that cat!" She spat.
"I'm sorry Madame. Come on then." She apologized before scooping the cat up and walking out of the dinning room.
Christine then realized there were other footsteps echoing down the hallway besides hers. She stopped and turned round to see that the young ballet dancer was still following.
"I never asked your name." Christine looked at the small girl, smiling.
"It's Zurie, Zurie Beaumont. Is that cat yours?"
"No, but I think she liked the sound of the word 'Rat'."
At this Zurie began to laugh. Christine couldn't help but laugh when she had seen Antoinette's feet go straight up in the air.
"Well Zurie, it's been nice to meet you. I'm just going to go and put her in my room."
"May I come with you? It's just I wanted to ask you something." Zurie asked timidly.
"Very well." They continued down the hallway not speaking to each other until they reached her room.
"Wow, you're lucky you get your own room. In the dormitories it's cramped and there is a girl in my ballet class called Andrea who snores." She babbled.
"Oh I know. My friend Meg Giry used to sleepwalk. She was like a ghost walking around." Christine replied.
Zurie smiled at this. "You know I would like to learn to sing someday and be as good as you. You're all the girls talk about recently. You have an amazing voice. You deserve to be the Prima Donna."
"Thank you, you know I wasn't always as good as I am now. I used to be terrible."
Zurie looked rather shocked at this. "Really? I always thought you were as good as you are."
Christine chuckled. "No, but then an old chorus girl called Cecilia helped me. She had a beautiful voice. She tutored me for several months but had to move away. So I stopped singing. She was the only person who I would sing in front of." She sighed sadly.
"But your voice is fine now. You must have a tutor surely?" Zurie inquired.
"Yes, he is my 'Angel of Music'. He awakened my soul and has been my inspiration." She whispered dreamily, her thoughts on Erik and their kiss.
"At least you have an angel to protect you from the demon."
"What demon?"
"Why the 'Phantom of the Opera', the ghost that haunts this place, everyone is afraid of him." She said wearily.
If only they knew the truth. Erik is no demon. He is a person and I love him!
"As long as you don't do anything bad then you have nothing to worry about." Christine told Zurie calmly.
"That's not what happened to Monsieur Bouquet." Zurie looked puzzled.
Again, that's something else you don't know the truth about. He did deserve it, well partly.
"How old are you Zurie?"
"Twelve, why?"
"Because I have never known a twelve year old with such an inquiring mind." She chuckled.
There was quite a long pause before Zurie finally asked the question she had wanted to ask Christine in the first place.
"Will you teach me to sing?"
Christine looked startled at this sudden question. "Why do you ask?"
"I've just always wanted to be able to sing, that's all. I'm tired of just being a ballet dancer." She looked hopefully up at Christine.
"I suppose I could, if you are willing to put in a lot of effort." Christine thought that she was now beginning to feel more like Erik.
"Of course I will." She looked positively over the moon about being taught to sing by her idol, Christine Daae.
"Right then..." Said Christine as they reached her room. "How does 6 o'clock tomorrow evening in my room sound for a first lesson?"
"Yeah that would be great. I'll see you tomorrow Miss Daae."
"Yes, see you then Zurie." And with that, Christine opened her door, Porsche still clutched in her arms and Zurie headed off down the hall to the dormitories.
Christine set Porsche down on the floor, then headed over to her bed to lie down. She watched as Porsche curled into a ball, and drifted off to sleep. Christine however, stayed awake. She wondered if she should go and see Erik.
Yes Was the immediate answer to that question, then she remembered that she had to go and help out with the Auditions in around thirty minutes. Feeling that the best thing to do would be to get there early, she got up, crossed over to her door, opened it and then set off to the main Theatre.
Once there, she saw that a table had been set up a few seats into where the front row of the Stalls would usually be. This was obviously where she, the two managers and whoever else was watching the Auditions would be seated. The 'hopefuls' would be up on the stage.
A few minutes later, Christine saw a note flutter down onto the stage. Walking over to it and picking it up, she saw that it was from Erik.
Christine,
I can tell from here that you are nervous about this, and I must tell you that there is nothing to be nervous about. It is the people who are auditioning that should be nervous. Anyway, I thought that you would like to know that there are 40 hopefuls auditioning for the part of leading male, and if you would like to come down and see me afterwards, then please tap your feet on the stage...
Christine tapped her feet as hard as she could on the stage, then almost instantly, another note fluttered down beside her.
Good, I look forward to seeing you again.
P.S. Could you please make sure that Porsche gets back as well? She looked very tired when you put her in your room...
It took Christine a while to realize that Erik must have been watching her through the mirror. This thought however, did not seem to bother her as much as it would have done about a week ago. She smiled weakly to herself.
"Ah, Miss Daae," called Firmin's voice from across the room. Christine stuffed the letters out of sight and turned round to see the two managers and Madame Giry heading towards her. There was also a fourth person who Christine knew by sight as the new stage manager. "Glad you are here. It is almost time for the auditions." He checked his watch. "...may as well get started now."
Christine took a seat in the middle of the table. On her right sat Madame Giry, and to her right the stage manager. To her left sat Firmin and to his left André.
"Could we have the first person please?" Called the stage manager in a surprisingly calm voice which contrasted with Bouquet's tremendously.
A rather large man walked into centre stage.
"What is your name, please?" Asked Madame Giry.
"Jean Paul." He said in a very low voice.
"And what will you be singing for us?" Continued Madame Giry.
"Le Petit Negre." He replied.
"In your own time." Said Firmin.
He began to sing. If the truth be told he was not all that bad, though some of his high notes sounded a little strained. He finished the song in about 3 minutes.
"Thank you very much." Said André. "We will let you know if you have got the part when we have heard everyone."
The time dragged by. During the time between the auditions, Christine was asked her professional opinion on who had just performed.
The seventh one was terrible, though he had great stage presence. The tenth was like a male version of Carlotta. Christine had to suppress a laugh when one of the people that auditioned actually sang Frère Jacques, although he did sing it relatively well.
"Next!" Called the stage manager, sounding very tired. A slim man walked onto the stage, looking nervous, yet determined.
"Your name please." Said Madame Giry, sounding equally tired.
"Byron Larogue." He replied, a trace of nervousness just noticeable in his voice.
"And what will you be singing for us Mr Larogue?" Asked Christine.
"A short extract from Romeo and Juliet." He replied, sounding a bit more confident.
"Good, in your own time." Said Firmin.
Byron Larogue turned out to be a very gifted singer. His top notes sounded very natural, as did his low notes. He also did not seem to be putting too much vibrato in his voice. The only bit of criticism that Christine could find was that it sounded a bit over rehearsed, yet this did not make a huge difference.
He finished, looking nervously at them all.
"Excellent!" Boomed, André.
"Outstanding!" Agreed Firmin.
"Spectacular!" Added Christine. At this comment, he seemed rather pleased with himself at being given a compliment by the new leading lady.
"We will let you know as soon as the auditions are over... though I doubt that anybody will top that!" Said Madame Giry.
He left the stage. The five of them then immediately started conversing.
"He is even better than Piangi!" Said the stage manager, sounding much more enthusiastic than he had been before Larogue had performed.
"Indeed." Agreed André. "Well we had better listen to the rest, just in case they are better..." He trailed off, sounding very doubtful.
They soon learned however, that he was indeed the best. As soon as the last five people had performed, the stage manager summoned the rest of them back out onto the stage.
Christine got to her feet. "Well, it has been a very long audition..." She began. "And after hearing all of you sing, we have finally come to a decision..." There was a short silence, during which Christine sensed the tension in the air. "It is my great pleasure therefore, to congratulate our new leading man..." She paused again. "... Byron Larogue!"
There was some polite applause. Larogue, however just stood there stunned, lost for words. The 39 other hopefuls left the stage. The five judges got up onto the stage and each congratulated Larogue.
When all was said and done, Madame Giry went up to Christine. "Thank you for helping." She began. "And now I'm sure you will want to get some sleep. It has been a very tiring afternoon's work."
Christine simply nodded, then headed off back to her room, remembering that she was shortly going to be seeing Erik.
