Cherik smiled, admiring his work.
"Isn't this quaint?" He asked Kerik, turning the pumpkin over to his yellow eyes.
Kerik rolled his eyes, "Have you missed the concept of this holiday? It's suppose to be scary."
The redhead sheepishly turned his carving back around. "But they're crows? Crows can be frightening sometimes."
"You carved DOVES!"
"I think it looks alright," Gerik interjected.
Kerik scoffed, "Ok, and what have you got there Gerry?"
Turning his around the novelized man was albeit a little impressed.
"Well now," He breathed, "That's quite artistic. He flipped through the stencils Cherik had brought. "What pattern did you use exactly?"
"I made my own actually. I um…I rather enjoy crafts." Gerik mumbled.
"Ah yes! That explains the drawings and dolls in your room."
Gerik pointed a finger accusingly.
"Those are NOT dolls! They are ceramic figurines I crafted thank you monsieur!" He exclaimed.
Gerik blinked, "Wait. When were you in my room?"
Kerik waved his hand innocently, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Cherik was oblivious to the masked men's banter back and forth shakily avoiding Destler's grin as he proceeded to mangle and stab rather than carve his jack o lantern.
"Yes, and here is the parlour, now mind you the organ can't simply be used whenever you please. But given the respective time, you're more than welcome to it." Crawford explained.
"This all seems quite extravagant. I'm surprised how well secluded such a large house like this is." A deeper male voice commented.
The masked men glanced up at the new voice.
"Yes, Monsieur Fantome has gotten the odd visitors, but he prefers privacy."
"New tour?" Warlow asked Wilkinson, whom glanced up from his paper.
"It would seem so. Sounds like we're welcoming a new face into the house so to speak."
Winslow wrinkled his nose in distaste, "What is that awful smell?"
Lerik scowled at his seat at the pipe organ and started scribbling on his board turning it to him, "I wouldn't know would I?"
Carpenter sniffed the air and his face crinkled in disgust, "No you're right, something does smell rather foul."
The men heard a squick squeaking noise and turned to see a rather damp Jerik enter the main parlor.
"Too cold, they're too cold…" The long haired man mumbled, passing by the men as he trudged upstairs.
"I hope the first place he's heading is the shower," Winslow noted pinching a gloved hand over his nose.
Carpenter cocked his head, "Isn't Harley still staying in his room?"
All of the sudden they heard an ear splitting screech.
"RATS! THE RATS THE RATS!" A frightful voice shouted.
"Not anymore," Lerik scribbled before turning back to his music.
Jones sighed closing the refrigerator, adding enough cream to turn his coffee almost totally white. As much as he yearned for something with caramel, every time their coffee order came his sugary frappucino seemed to always disappear.
Even this morning he'd rushed downstairs. Davis being the new man it fell on his turn to bring the abnormally large order-this being to the poor baristas displeasure to make every morning. But no matter who placed the order he was left with sad, steaming black coffee lacking any flavor except bitterness. He just couldn't figure out whom was stealing his hot beverage.
So flavoured cream would have to do.
Jones glanced up, hearing a harmonious sound.
Elle sort de son lit
Tellement sure d'elle
La Seine, la Seine, la Seine
Tellement jolie elle m'ensorcelle
La Seine, la Seine, la Seine
Extralucide la lune est sur
La Seine, la Seine, la Seine
Tu n'est pas sou
Paris est sous
La Seine, la Seine, la Seine
Mug in hand, the Merik walked into the main parlour. Cherik sat by himself on the sofa, totally in tuned to the television.
"What's this?" Jones asked, noting the screen was the source of the music. "A cartoon?"
Cherik's face turned pink behind the full mask. "It may seem juvenile. But I find it rather enlightening."
The Merik sat down, listening to the song.
"That doesn't sound like the voice I heard earlier?" He inquired.
The redhead shrugged his shoulders.
Jones features softened as he smiled. "That was you singing wasn't it?"
Cherik's lip curved upward, "It's a rather nice song if you ask me."
"Well, I think so too."
Hitting the rewind button, Cherik asked. "Care to join me?"
"Of course."
Knocking on the door Gerik tapped his feet impatiently.
When Kerik answered the door his hair was wild and unkempt, his shirt undone in the front hanging off his frail frame. He rubs his eyes, looking as though he just woke up.
"What?" Kerik croaked.
"Where is it?" Gerik asked. "Can't you ask before you borrow it?"
This only caused Kerik to smirk. This was not the first time the mannequin had gone missing.
"Don't worry it's safe, I've been keeping him company while you were out. You're right, it is very life like. Especially after you incorporated Mr. Y's adjustments."
The film adapted man sighed and turned to leave but was yanked from behind.
"I'm not doing anything right now if you'd care to join 'us?" Kerik smugly smirked.
To tell the truth, while Kerik did admire the realistic craftsmanship the film adapted man had made, he moreso took the mannequin knowing Gerik would seek him out.
"Another night wouldn't hurt would it Gerry?" Kerik teased.
"I was intoxicated that night," Gerik sighed.
"You still seemed to enjoy it. Besides you could demonstrate for me your newly acquired vocal skills our friend in the basement has been giving you."
The novelised masked man had a victorious look on his face as Gerik turned back around, walking past Kerik and into the dimly lit room.
On this night of All Hallows Eve, known to most as Halloween, the night was young and just beginning.
And it seemed all sorts of strange creatures were running amok tonight.
Cherik admired these children and their creativity.
"That one looks quite imaginative!" Cherik beamed as a small group of giggling children zoomed past he and Jones.
"I'd like to think you were too," Jones added regarding Cherik's getup.
The full masked redhead wore a dark leathery material robe with a golden emblem pinned on his label, a maroon belt tied around his waist and adorning tall black boots.
Cherik couldn't help but blush behind his mask.
"I rather like yours too," He smiled.
Jones laughed nervously, "Yes, though I wish I knew Wilkinson was going as the same thing."
The Merik wore a blue and red coat and black trousers. Instead of his slicked back well kept wig he wore a longer, more frazzled and grey one. The facial hair he wore slightly itched against his mask, but it was just a minor annoyance that Jones could ignore.
Destler had to admit the gloves were a little irritating since the knives attached prohibited alot of use for his hands. But it was worth it getting a few good screams out of people he passed. Funnily enough he blended in not wearing any prosthesis on his face, but at the same time still struck fear in peoples eyes.
A gleam twinkled in his brown eyes as he spied a small boy with his back turned. He was ready to tap the child's shoulder with his knifey finger when a hand clamped on his stripe sweater adorned shoulder.
Destler turned quizzically, "What are YOU doing here?"
Mr. Y stepped past him, "Please refrain from scaring my son monsieur."
The child wore a similar coat to the taller man, his dark hair was combed and gelled back, wearing a white mask over half his face.
"Father look!" Gustauve pointed, sprinting to another well decorated and illuminated house.
Destler smirked, "Interesting costume, Y Jr?"
The older man shrugged, "He insisted, I said he could be whatever he wanted."
Crawford was feeling a little tense. Not only allowing the Meriks to run amok the Parisian streets, but the fact that the other adaptations were out and about unsupervised.
Lerik scribbled on his board-his coat lacked big enough pockets so the mute had no choice but to carry it around. Tonight was one of the few occasions he was not wearing his mask, however he did adorn a dishevelled looking wig.
It read, "Why so nervous?"
The older Merik shrugged, "Not nervous. Just…a little apprehensive."
He hadn't intended to dress for the occasion, but the others implored him to once Halloween fever seemed to strike the house-though that started more specifically when Kerik started drinking pumpkin spice lattes.
While his costume was a little more extravagant-from the large collared cape, the long grey white wig and false fang teeth-it made more sense for the occasion than a a grey suit and straw top hat would.
Lerik tried to re-adjust the large lump on his back but was getting frustrated trying to do this whilst holding the board.
"Let me," Crawford said adjusting the hump piece. "How did you very well get this on in the first place?"
Meanwhile while most of the house residence decided to go out and enjoy being someone else for an evening, some had called it a night early.
Kerik frowned when he opened the door, expecting to see more children to scare. Instead Karimloo and Panaro passed him.
"I understand you, but whom exactly are you suppose to be?" The yellow eyed man asked.
The men turned, Karimloo dressed in a black cape with a raised collar, a maroon vest, and a poet's shirt. A small smear of red 'blood' ran down from a corner of his mouth.
Panaro was dressed a little more raggedly. The white shirt he wore was partially open, torn and red stained, his exposed throat wracked with teeth marks-whether they were painted on real Kerik wasn't too sure. The Merik's wig looked purposely dishevelled and little blips of red had dripped along his unmasked side of his face.
"The Count and Renfield of course," Panaro answered.
"Hm," Kerik mused, "I would have pegged you to be the vampire honestly."
Panaro shrugged awkwardly, "I was going to but that didn't exactly work out."
The Broadway man felt himself be yanked by his collar, Karimloo flashed a toothy grin.
"The night's not quite over yet," The West End man smiled, dragging Panaro up the stairs.
"Yes master," Panaro smirked, following his companion.
Kerik shook his head, "And their lot called me strange for dressing like a spider."
This chapter was originally posted back in October, hence why his chapter has a halloween feel.
-If you pay attention in the 2004 film during the MotN scene, Gerik has several drawings/paintings, along with his stage diorama featured in two scenes, as well as doll like figurines. So therefore, Gerik is artsy.
-Derrick Davis primarily played the Phantom in the restaged North American tour of the ALW musical this past 2017
-Cherik is watching 'A Monster in Paris', an animated movie dubbed in French and English. The lyrics quoted is from the song 'La Seine/The River' it's an adorable movie with several PotO elements to it, highly recommend.
COSTUME TIME:
-Cherik is dressed as Tywin Lannister from the television series 'Game of Thrones' as Charles Dance also plays this character.
-John Owen Jones is dressed as Jean Valjean from 'Les Miserables'. He and Wilkinson dressed as Valjean as both are very well known for playing this character (Colm Wilkinson originating the role in 1985, JOJ playing this character several times as well as for the 25th anniversary concert of Les Mis in 2010).
-Destler is dressed as Freddy Krueger, Robert Englund's most well known role from the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' series of movies.
-Crawford is dressed as Count Von Krolak from 'Tanz Der Vampires/Dance of the Vampires' debuting in 1997, Crawford stepping into the Count's role on Broadway in 2001. Also noting unlike it's original German counterpart the Broadway production was not a huge success and ran for a short running time.
-Also the reference to a grey suit and straw top hat refers to Crawford co starring in the movie musical of 'Hello Dolly!' in 1969 as Cornelius Hackel.
-Lerik is dressed as Quasimodo from 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' which Lon Chaney Sr also starred in back in 1923
-The comment Kerik makes about Panaro being a more likely vampire than Karimloo is a reference to Hugh Panaro starring in 'Lestat' a briefly ran Broadway musical in 2006 based on Anne Rice's 'Vampire Chronicles' novel series. Panaro was cast as the title character Lestat De Lioncourt. Like the Broadway run of 'Tanz Der Vampires', this was also not a huge hit. (I guess for some reason vampires and Broadway just don't mix well together ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )