Chapter 2 of Un Fantome Vous Attend
-The Portriat Gallery and the Grand Staircase-
I'm doing this fic like it's an actual walk through of the ride (so there will be no doombuggy).
And yes, this fic will feature the many features of the Manor, and a few quirks I'm throwing in just to spice it up some more.
Phantom Manor belongs to Disney
--------------------------Chapter 2: Encounters--------------------------
The candles ignite themselves again as your eyes adjust to the dim lights of the flames. You look up to see no phantom, no corpse, nothing except for the haunting pictures on the walls. You can feel the gargoyles' eyes of bronze staring at you as you look for any sign of escape. You hear the doors swing open as you give a sigh of relief and journey onward into the Manor against your horrified will. The aura of adventure has grown immensely around you as want to see more of what the abandoned estate has to offer for horror. The hosts' voice returns with a sympathetic yet eerie tone of apology and thrill.
"Oh I didn't mean to frighten you. Come, let us continue our tour there is much to see, so look alive, and stay together."
You enter a gallery of darkness lit by very few lights and portraits around you. Your eyes travel along the walls and then stop and observe a few portraits. One is of a galiant knight with his strong sword of silver lifted into the sky and his torn crimson cape flapping in the invisible wind behind him. His horse is fearless as it stands on its hind legs over a cliff. The voice returns again as you stare at the picture in awe.
"I'd hate to lose you..."
But now a look of amazement and horror crosses your face as you watch the painting. It's lines bending, the symmetry staying all the same but the objects in the art are now different. The horse is now a skeleton with an eerie trace of black behind its' bones and now has white gossamer for its' once tamed fair mane. The knight himself now is a skeletal anatomy still holding his weapon of choice in the air.
"...so soon."
You look at more of the artwork as it somehow fascinates you. The next portrait you come across is one of a lovely young woman cloaked in the finest of silk in clothing and positioned on a recliner that has a small golden rose on it. In her delicate fingers she holds a white rose just as the ones in her hair. It all changes before your eyes as you now see the hair is gone, but the flowers still remain as they show off her cat like ears of black. The facial features of the being such as her nose and mouth have transformed to that of a panther. Her eyes stare intently at you with a golden luster like the rose on the recliner. The Egyptian pedant her human form revealed still remains as you notice her milky white complexion has changed into a little darker shade.
"As you travel past these...priceless works of art...perhaps you sense a disquieting metamorphosis."
You gaze upon the next portrait which is a simple ship sailing across the majestic ocean of heaven's tears and raindrops. And yes, it too undergoes a change of simple chills and thrills. It's no longer a ship of peace now, but a ship that's being torn by the storm of hell it sails through. Its' sails are ripped as if it came from the River of Styx. Its' hull is stripped by the sea and the storm itself just keeps getting more complicated to sail upon.
"Of course, it's only a trick of light."
You come to one of the last pictures in the gallery in which you see a very enchanting lady in a Grecian temple. She is set in royalty red clothes with a golden necklace to enhance her beauty. Her curls come down to her shoulders as she gives no hint of ugliness. As if you commanded it to change, it begins to. The female is no longer human, but a gorgon of mythology with snakes in her hair galore. Her curls are now coils of snakes as she gives a look of ferocity.
"The real beauty of this house awaits us, far beyond. There's a party in your honor and she'll just DIE if you're late."
Your eyes gleam upon the last picture in the gallery. It is but the Bride herself. She holds no metamorphosis in the painting that stands before you but instead, it holds beauty beyond compare. Her wedding dress is as long as the afterlife as well as her veil of lace. Flowers crown her hair of brown as the bouquet of red roses she bears in her hand give a hopeful sign of love in the future. You can feel your heart race just to touch the portrait and kiss her tender lips. The quote your host just spoke rings out in your mind as you long not to be late to her celebration of the dead she holds for you. You run ahead before looking back and glancing at her once more. Her sincere expression gives no change as you smile and run along into the dark.
"And now curious souls, a carriage approaches to take you to the party, and beyond. I leave you now but I'll be waiting for you on the other side. Have a frightfully good time."
You hear her singing yet again as it beckons you to run faster towards your carriage of patience. You respond by running faster and following the traces of light emitting from the chandeliers above you as you come to a glorious yet ancient staircase. The eyes from the moving head in the background watches you as you can feel the pair upon you. You dare not turn around but venture forward to see that only one carriage is there. It's all for you. The lightning cracks its flash of heaven outside as you see the rain come pouring down.
There's no turning back.
---
You're all the way in and you know you can't go out the way you came in. It wouldn't seem fair to rudely deny the Bride's party she is holding for you. Dimly lit candles illuminate what they have left of their flame along the staircase of faded color. It gives an eerie feel to the room as you search for your carriage. Apparently it hasn't arrived yet, as you wait a bit longer watching the flames, and lightning dance. A long branch of a tree stretches itself outside as if it were pointing to the right flight of stairs. You wonder what lies up there as you watch the lightning dance.
And yet...your curiosity gets the best of you.
You jump over the track on which your carriage is supposed to ride on, and start up the stairs. Red curtains outline the huge window before you as you stop at the second step. The white stairs have a carpet of faded red trimmed in black coming down the center as if someone important was making a grand entrance.
And that's when you get a jump in the bones.
You go to take another step up the beautiful stairs as you suddenly feel your entire body be paralyzed within a mere second. You feel the air around you grow cold and taunting as you hear from within the contents of the Manor, a grandfather clock ring out. It's haunting chime ringing in your ears as you look up to see the lightning once more.
The flames on the candles go out as all is left in darkness, as well as you. The only source of light is from the lightning outside. Dancing still but...there's something about it that makes shivers crawl down your back. That's when you realize why. You start to hear footsteps...first very faint as if they were coming from outside. And then you seem to hear a light tapping on the window. You squint for a moment to see what's making the noise as it becomes clear before your eyes.
It's the Phantom.
He sees you and smiles evilly as he walks through the window. You feel your heart start to beat faster and beads os sweat form on your brow. His stare upon you is welcoming but alarming as you feel the urge to escape this place. He takes a step forward as you take a sharp breath in. He feels your breath and walks down another step. Your heart stops completely as he glides up to you as you meet with him.
Eye to eye socket.
Heart to heartless.
Body to figure.
He keeps that demented smile on his face.
His aged cape flows endlessly in the wind just as your mind races with thoughts of torment and terror. Your heartbeat rings in your ears as it gives satisfaction to the Phantom before you. You still have your guts as he only whispers one word to make you dash.
"Boo."
And that's when you take off. The candles lighting themselves again as the thunder booms with the lightning and you run. Down the stairs and into one of the many rooms of the Manor as you dare not look back. You leave your curiosity to die and question if the Phantom's chasing you or not. The lightning booms again as you find yourself traveling and soon you find yourself completely in darkness. Your eyes search for a light but finds no source as you only hope for the best to come and you realize, your journey through this manor has officially begun.