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Chapter 2

'No, no, no and no!' boomed the unmistakable voice through the whole opera house. 'It's still not a high C but a D! Do you understand? A D!'

'I sang it correctly!' shrieked the arrogant diva.

'No, you didn't! And this was at least the hundredth time!'

'Ooohohoooo, our honored composer is nervous' said the red-headed on the stage clapping her hands with false concern. 'Well just to know I'm on the edge too! And I'm not going to take a part in this cabaret anymore!' shouted the Prima Donna hysterically and stormed off the stage.

'Yes, go just go and don't face the fact, Miss Carlotta Giudicelli, that YOU CAN'T SING!' yelled the composer after the quitting woman.

'What?' Carlotta stopped dead in her tracks. 'I can't sing? Then tell me, Mister Erik Destler, who has been your leading lady through the past four years? The usherette?' she screamed on the top of her lungs.

'Even that would be better than you!' Erik wailed. 'You don't come to rehearsals, you don't learn your roles, last time you didn't even come to the performance! At least the usherette is always here when she's needed!'

The two stood over against each other. Carlotta's face was red from anger and Erik was having difficulties with his breathing. They seemed as two bulls waiting for the right moment to attack. Everybody else in the theatre stood quietly praying a silent prayer that finally they would get rid of the neurotic soprano.

'Get out of my theatre' said Erik after some moments which seemed an eternity. His voice was low and dangerous and his eyes burnt with rage.

Carlotta stood for a little more then suddenly wheeled round and dashed towards the exit. From the door she turned around and squalled. 'You'll hear from me I can promise you that!' and with that she disappeared through the grandiose entrance-door.

Sighing Erik sat down on one of the seats of the auditorium and buried his head in his hands. True, there were three more months left until the opening night but he was tipped out. His temple throbbed and his whole head felt like it's going to explode. He didn't know exactly who will be the new leading soprano since Carlotta refused to have an understudy. He was sure that an audition was inevitable but he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to find a woman with the sufficient voice. Because despite that Carlotta couldn't sing she had an exceptional range.

When Erik looked up again he realized that the whole cast was watching him. Obviously they waited him to make a miracle. But even he couldn't conjure a prima donna from the air.

'Okay everybody, that's all for today. See you tomorrow at the same time' he finally said standing up from his seat.

'But who will play the role of Carlotta?' asked one of the chorus girls.

Erik didn't answer but his burning glare caused everybody to slip out of the place. About ten minutes later he was totally alone in the building. When he glanced at his watch he saw that it was only four in the afternoon. 'Well, once even the cast can get a short day' he thought and went out to his car.

When he was inside the car he turned on the CD player and System of a down howled from the horns. After this little incident with La Carlotta he really did need some hard music to have his fling.

Life is a waterfall,
We're one in the river,
And one again after the fall.

Swimming through the void
We hear the word,
We lost ourselves,
But we find it all?

Cause we are the ones that want to play,
Always want to go,
But you never want to stay,

And we are the ones that want to chose,
Always want to play,
But you never want to lose.

Aerials, in the sky,
When you lose small mind,
You free your life.

Life is a waterfall,
We drink from the river,
Then we turn around and put up our walls.

Swimming through the void
We hear the word,
We lost ourselves,
But we find it all?

Cause we are the ones that want to play,
Always want to go,
But you never want to stay,

And we are the ones that want to chose,
Always want to play,
But you never want to lose.

He sang or rather shouted along with the music and didn't realize the car that was coming towards his on full speed.

Woohoo, Erik is in an accident too... guess who is in the other car...:))))

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