Chapter 29: Diva's Lament

Christine stood horror struck in the middle of the stage for a very long time before she actually noticed that there were people around her. She could not believe the words that had issued forth from the Phantom's mouth. She watched as he and Meg disappeared into the darkness together. She felt numb, unable to yell or cry or move, it almost seemed surreal, like a bad dream or a joke that she would seen snap out of but it didn't come. There was to be no relief from the nightmare.

Soon she became aware of the angry stares from the other members of the cast and the whispers of who would take her place. Monsieur Andre and Monsieur Firmin had rushed onto the stage, anger raged in their faces and she could tell that they were yelling at her but she couldn't understand the words that came out of their mouths, nothing at all registered.

"Andre I am having terrible deja vu," Firmin hissed as he spun around and looked at his partner, "ruined, she's ruined us!"

"Who is it replace her?" Andre moaned, "we open in days, mere days!"

"Well there is a very bright young lady in the chorus," Madame Giry said as she pulled a little woman from the ranks of her ballerinas.

"Oh not this again," Andre cried.

"It is the Phantom's decision, let him make the final cut!" Firmin yelled and stormed away.

"As for you," Andre hissed, "remove that costume at once and return to your place in the ballet dormitory!" he cursed under his breath as he followed Firmin angrily from the room.

Christine walked away from them as if they weren't there at all and off the stage. She moved through the theatre as if she was floating out of her own body. She didn't remember much of what had happened. It all seemed unclear. She had been on the stage, she had been proud and beautiful and then center of attention and now she was alone and Meg was the center of the theatre's universe. She walked into the darkness of her dressing room not even realizing that she had arrived. She had locked her door behind her and sat herself down at her little vanity table to admire herself, surely what was happening wasn't really happening. It couldn't be true, she wouldn't let herself believe it.

She waited for hours for the Phantom to come to her, to start her lessons, to apologies for his anger and to plead for her forgiveness but he never came. Never was the darkness broken by the light of his candle. Never did she hear his soothing, passionate, sorrowful voice through the darkness.

She finally snapped out of her daze when there came a knock at the door. She slowly stood, convinced it was someone coming to apologies and tell her how much they needed her to return to the stage. She carried herself proudly to the door and with a grand sweep of her arm, and an unmoveably look on her face, she swung open the door.

"What in gods name are you doing?" Monsieur Firmin yelled as he pushed passed her into the small dressing room and lit the lamps. A group of men followed him in and looked anxiously around the room, "you will return to the ballet dormitories at once and remove that costume. The Phantom has ordered that Mademoiselle Fillande needs this room and the costumes for the performance," he said angrily as he thrust a piece of folded parchment into her hands.

Managers:

Mademoiselle Genevieve Fillande is to replace Christine Daae, Tonight!

O.G.

"What are you talking about," Christine asked furiously as she crumpled the note in her hands, "do you know who I am, who you are taking to. You will address me as Madame when you speak to me," she scolded.

"Yes and you are as bad as La Carlotta!" Firmin yelled, "would you like me to have you thrown out, Madame?" he asked, "you will vacate this room, now!"

Christine stood in shock as men started to pick up her things and remove them from the dressing room, "unhand my things"! She screamed as the vanity table was lifted off the floor.

"Yes, let that go, it will remain for the new Diva," Firmin said motioning to the vanity table, "as for you," he yelled spinning to face Christine, "get out now!" he yelled gabbing her by the upper arm and pushing her toward the door, "you are lucky we haven't thrown you out completely for angering the composer," he shouted into her face as he handed her off to another, much bigger and much more frightening, man, "take Madame Daae to the ballet dormitory and leave her to Madame Giry for punishment, she is no longer of my concern," Firmin said and went back into the dressing room and ordered the movers around.

She struggled desperately against the man's grip as he pulled her through the dark corridors of the Opera Populaire, yelling hysterically at anyone and everyone she came to pass, until she was shoved roughly into the crowded ballet hall. She stumbled and fell to someone's feet. The young ballerinas that gathered around gasped as Christine shouted at them in a language not appropriate for any woman. She stopped as a crack like thunder sounded through the hall, followed by a great silence. Before her, dressed all in black and gripping her cane furiously was Madame Giry, staring down at her condescendingly.

"No on is keeping you Ms. Daae," Madame Giry hissed, almost in a whisper but her tone was angry and displeased, "you may leave if you wish. The door is that way," the old woman pointed off in the direction of the door.

"What?" Christine gasped not believing what she had just hear come from the woman's mouth, not after what she had confided in this woman.

"You heard me," Madame Giry hissed.

Christine stopped her hysterics at these words, everything was terribly real. She had been kicked out of her roll. She was back where she had started, a no body and now with hundreds of people angry with her and more soon to know of her humiliations.

"I've no where else to go," Christine whispered as tears filled her eyes and she sobbed as the realization finally hit her.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Madame Giry asked.

Christine's face grew red with anger, how dare this woman allow her secrets to be revealed to the entire ensemble, "I've no where to go," she hissed a little louder.

"No where to do you say, then I suggest you behave yourself or you will be kicked out," Madame Giry hissed angrily, "let that be a lesson to you all, there will be no special treatment for anyone, we will throw you out with nothing to your name and only the humiliation to accompany you. Do I make myself clear?" she asked.

"Yes Madame," rose from the sea of ballerinas.

"Christine, I didn't hear you, was what I said not clear?" Madame Giry asked as Christine did not answer her.

"You were clear as crystal," Christine said as she stood, furiously, before the ballet mistress.

"Good, then I suggest you retire to the dormitory, you know where it is, and remove that costume, for it is needed by the new young lady who will be taking your place. We will discuss tomorrow where you stand, with this company, and what punishment is necessary," Madame Giry said sternly and turned to conduct her ballet rehearsal.

Christine could put forth no protest. She could only do as she was told, there was no other act to perform, no cards to place. She had been struck down in her act and was now to pay the consequences. She sulked off to the nasty whispers and glares of the rest of the ballet troop.