Raoul
It was soon time for the practice to begin and I decided to go wish my darling Little Lotte good luck. I could feel that she was anxious and possibly a bit nervous as well.
I walked casually down the corridors to the dormitories of the Opera House. Memories flowed through my mind of what had happened, of what these walls had seen.
I finally arrived at Christine's door and knocked gently.
"Christine?" I said softly, waiting for a reply that would never be received. I knocked once more before slowly opening the door and peering inside.
"Christine?" I asked once again much louder this time with still not a single reply. I became frantic as I saw not one soul in the room.
I began to search her room not knowing what I was looking for… that's when I came upon a note by a thorny rose that lay glistening on her dresser.
"The Phantom," I breathed. "He has returned."
I slowly picked up the note that lay beside the thorny rose. My hands began to shake as I opened it and read it very slowly. The first time I read I became utterly confused;
I read it three times before it all sank in.
Raoul,
I am sorry, but I can not stay with you. I have deceived you I'm afraid. When you first came here, my heart belonged to another. Do not fear for me for I went willingly. I love him; he will not harm me.
I do not wish to cause you anymore pain. You deserve someone whose heart they can give you fully; that person isn't me. Forgive me, but I must follow my heart.
Please understand,
Christine
I knew it was her handwriting and yet I couldn't believe it was from her. At that moment I thought of the mirror; she went with him through it. I tried to open it without success.
I went to the only other place I knew; I told the managers of what has happened and then we were on our way to the balcony/ceiling door of the stage room where the performances were held. That was the only other entry to lair of the Opera Ghost that I knew of.
We soon came upon the spot where the boat should have been. "Damn, it's gone." I breathed.
"How are we going to get to Christine without a boat?" Firmin inquired, panting for he had accidentally fallen behind.
I looked around... I knew there had to be another way... I finally saw a hidden stairway. We walked up it and I soon realized where we were... We were on the stairway Madame Girie led me to and where I fell through a trap door into a water-filled death-trap. I bypassed it and before I could tell Monsieur's Firmin and Andre I heard a loud clunk and a huge splash; I looked down and saw the two of them splashing around like puppies that were receiving their first bath.
"Hold on! I've found a rope; I'll pull you both out!" I yelled down to them.
They tried to reply but all I heard was spattering and splashing.
After pulling them out, we continued on. They were a bit more cautious and kept close behind me; funny enough. They looked behind them at every moment as if waiting for another trap to ensue... I was praying that there wasn't. We soon came close to the door near the Phantom's lair. I opened it and reluctantly the two of them followed.
I heard sobbing from within as I walked deeper and deeper into the dim light room of the Phantom's lair.