Hello my readers! I do apologize for not posting for nearly 2 weeks. I have been working my butt off trying to pay for textbooks and I had to go to my parent's for a week to care for my grandmother and mother. I will try to post more of the final chapters of The Phantom and the Stagehand as the opera is just around the corner! For those who are going to be watching the eclipse tomorrow PLEASE USE EYE PROTECTION! The Dean of my department has been stressing this a thousand times over so I want to pass the warning along. Tomorrow is my first day of classes like many of you so good luck with this semester and kick butt! I remain your obedient servant;
~The Southern Rose~
Days bleed into weeks as we all work with due diligence on my opera. I rather enjoy being the star of my own art; more rather a known star of my own art. Last time I was a part of an opera I killed the lead male and took his place. Not that I am rather proud of my killing streak, but cornered animals are very dangerous. We are just a week away from opening the opera, and a week until I am free of the damned diva forever. I have come to believe in a law of the natural word; if it can go wrong, it will go wrong, and it will go wrong just before the big event. Everything from Belle's costumes mysteriously being ruined, to Christine's ever present flirtatious attitude toward me, to Madame's ever growing temper. Everyone on and around the stage was fully aware of the forced romantic atmosphere that Christine was trying to create with me, even Meg was beginning to grow tired of her once dear old friend. I would do my usual skulking across the catwalks during scenes I was not needed and listen to the gossip that was running wild through the cast and crew. Some claimed that Christine's son was my son, others claimed that I had once again seduced her. They remained just that; rumors, until during one break in rehearsal.
"I am going to do it Meg. Once I win this petty competition with this stagehand turn star, I will have my angel of music back and we shall be wed…"
"Christine don't speak such nonsense!" Meg hissed. The agitation in her voice was a clear as day. Christine was a cloud blocking out the rays of logic.
"Meg I can't be with Raoul anymore! He's more interested in money and drinking than with me. He's not the man I fell in love with 3 years ago." My heart briefly softens before growing cold and laughing to myself at her interesting predicament.
"But what about your son? What will happen to Gustave if you leave Raoul? You adore your child; anyone can see you are good mother."
"Erik will be a good father to him! He can teach him to sing. Meg hearing his voice again makes me weak, like the first time he led me through the mirror." Well you can't me now. And I do not want seconds… Through their chatter I can hear the voice of Madame calling out counts for Belle. I quietly make my way to the stage where Belle is being drilled once again with her dancing. If one didn't know better, you would take Belle to be a professional dancer instead of a girl from the street. Her kicks and poses were flawless, at least they were doing well to suffice Madame. Soon the managers and maestro came back to the stage to rerun the scene where the sisters make a bet to see who will win Christian's heart. I listen to their voices bicker back and forth from my hidden perch. Through every line and note I could feel something in Christine's voice. Something about her was slipping, almost creating an alternate reality in her mind. Her voice was not the pure and angelic voice I once trained, it was becoming more and more like Carlotta. The higher she went the shriller the notes became. Her voice still astounded everyone, everyone but me that is, her original teacher. The scene came to a close and that was my queue to come out of hiding and rejoin the rest of the masses for rehearsal. Today we would rehearse the ending where Madeline would win, having me kill Anastasia. I was not happy to say the least about this horrid ending, and neither was Belle. Every move Christine and I made I could feel her eyes locked on me. Just after the act had begun, I steal a glance over at where I last saw her, but she was not there. All through the rest of the scene I looked around for her, only to be met by a pair of chocolate eyes and curls. I look into her eyes, just as the script says, and that's when she goes and does it. Her eyes were hopelessly locked with mine, her face almost radiated with bliss and joy. I was to pull her into my arms as the curtain falls, but she pulls me into her and our lips lock. She refuses to let go of me until she has satisfied her lust for the time being. Everyone on stage is silent. I shove her back from me, that same blissful smile now riddled with lust and seduction. I wanted to spit in her face, but settle for wiping her kiss away with the back of my gloved hand. That's when a loud pop rang through the stage. No one paid any mind to it, for we all took it for a rope breaking or a glass shattering. Maestro Cadenza begged us run the scene once more for the orchestra's sake before we retire for the day. I look again for Belle, but she is still nowhere to be found, which does not settle well with Maestro Cadenza. He rolled his eyes and bid the orchestra start again. The sound was full and filled every unoccupied space of the opera house. The scene ends this time without any surprises and we are soon bid good evening. Where the hell is Belle? The opera house settles back into its normal rhythm as I disappear from view. I push myself further into the opera house. Past the seamstress's room and into the warm up areas backstage.
"Stop squirming… you're just going to make me get angry again…" the voice softly demands. A quiet whimper escapes when the voice begins to growl once more.
"Please let me go… you're married…" Another pop echoes in the air, just like before.
"I told you to stop squirming and shut up… you're just another whore in this opera house… MY opera house…" soon both voices go quiet, the only sound now is quiet creaking of springs. Soft crying begins to pepper the air as a man moan out. "Crying are we little whore? You should be used to this by now… men would love a night with an exotic beauty like you" the voice cooed. "Auburn hair and blue eyes…" the voice paused, moaning out once again "More than Christine could ever be…" I stopped breathing, I was ready to kill, and I wouldn't stop until that Vicomte's blood was like paint on the walls. Like death I slid to the door when all of the commotion stopped. I waited until the vile offender opened the door so I could personally strangle him with my bare hands but he never came. I heard another door open, then shut. Sobs broke the eerie silence. Sobs that were gut-wrenching, pitiful, broken like a mirror. I throw the door open and let light flood the dark room. Belle screams and cowers by the head of the old and dusty bed.
"Mon Amour it's me…" she looks up from her cowering and begins to weep. I come to her side and gather her in my arms. It's all I can do not to leave her side and strangle the monster.
"Please…don't leave… me alone…" Through the light I can see the extent of the damage. Her face is bruised and burning fire red and the rest of her is tender to the touch. "I can't… I can't do this anymore…" I brush her hair from her face and kiss her forehead.
"You have to mon ange… you are almost done with all of this and we shall be wed. Just as I promised you." Her arms wrap around my neck as she buries herself in my chest.
"Take me home please Erik…" I smile and wrap her bare body in a blanket before picking up the ripped dress and carrying her home. I vow to kill him once and for all. No more games, no more foreplay, just Raoul and I. One last fight, devil take the hindmost. Belle cries herself to sleep in my arms as I walk through the maze of traps. I lay her in bed and begin to unwrap her from the blanket when she jolts awake. She's poised and ready to fight, but the only fight she has is a losing one with tears.
"It's alright mon ange, I'm right here. He's never going to harm you, I will protect you…" I coo softly as I hold her to my chest.
"He knows Erik… he knows… about us…" I freeze. This is not going to end well… I look down at her pleating eyes. "He found me backstage trying to fix my costume. He pulled me away and began to kiss me. He knew Christine was in love with you and she was going to leave him. He offered me his fortune to be his wife and I slapped him and told him to go to hell. That's when he pushed me to the wall and… and took what he wanted. He saw the ring and demanded to know my fiancé. I didn't answer and he put it together… Erik please… I can't do this…" That's when I lost it. On instinct I pushed Belle aside and screamed with everything I had. I pulled my noose from the nightstand and stormed out the door. I would kill every last person who got in my way, be it sword, lasso or bare hand, that go in my way of the Vicomte. That's when I tripped over a small box that had fallen from the nightstand. A small velvet box with precious cargo. The fall to my knees must have gone all the way to my head, for now I was thinking clearly to see that in a week, all of this madness and nonsense would be over. Belle's cries for me soon pierced my ears and brought me back to reality. I dropped the noose and picked up the box. Once back in our room I came back to Belle's side and slid the silver band from her finger, replacing her ring.
"No more hiding. Let the world see you are my bride to be…" my hands cupped her face and pulled it to me. The kiss was soft, reassuring.
"Oh my Erik… MY Erik how I love you so…" Her Erik, MY Belle. We belonged to each other for all times. I held her in my arms for what seemed like ages. The soft tone of the clock reminded both of us of the time. Thirty past ten. I quickly disrobe and help her into nightgown.
"Don't you worry mon amour, I will never leave your side." I curl her into my chest as we lay in bed, letting her hair spill over my arm and onto the bed. I begin to sing her favorite song while running my fingers through her hair, her eyes closing in sleep in mere moments. I kiss her forehead and soon let myself slip into sleep.
