Chapter 5
Disclaimer- See chapter 1
A/N: Here it is!! This is Chapter 5 of my fan fiction story, Dreams and Realities. Enjoy!
Think of me
think of me fondly,
when we've said goodbye.
Remember me once in a while
please promise me
you'll try.
My voice came out and it was nothing I ever expected. It sounded like a church bell, ringing gently out into the empty theatre. Unlike Carlotta's voice, which was loud, high-pitched and slightly off-key, mine was (and I'm not bragging, just explaining) softer and more controlled. I knew that my "character" had been trained by the Phantom so I played it like so. I looked to Madame Giry almost ready to back down, but with a wave of her hand as encouragement and Meg's sweet smile I was able to continue to sing.
When you find
that, once again, you long
to take your heart backand be free
if you ever find a moment,
spare a thought for me.
As my voice died away, thunderous applause came through my trance and broke it. Everyone on the stage was cheering. Bravas and Bravissimas were being screamed from the rafters.
"Well, I do believe we have found our Elissa." Andre said to Firmin. Firmin smiled, walked up to me, put his hand around my waist and led me gently offstage.
"My dear girl, Serena, is it?" I nodded looking back at Madame and Meg, pleading with my eyes for help. I knew this man was a conniving, disgusting, perverted slimball and I wanted his greasy hand off of my body. To my great relief, Madame Giry answered my silent cry for help. She walked up to me and took my hand.
"Excuse me, Messr. Firmin, but we have to fit Miss Daae for her costumes. I must steal her away from you." Mme Giry said as she pulled me from his hands. Firmin looked disappointed. Apparently he thought he was going to get some from a chorus girl turned star. Boy, were his priorities messed up.
"Oh dear," he said smiling suggestively at me. "Well my dear, as much as I would like to watch, I suppose I shall have to occupy you another time. Perhaps after the gala." He bowed and walked toward the stage to join Andre and the rest of the cast.
When he was out of hearing range, I hugged Mme Giry tight and began to cry softly into her dress. She hugged me back and walked me to my new dressing room formerly Carlotta's dressing room. When we walked into the room, she sat me on the settee and held onto me.
"My dear Serena, it is alright. He cannot harm you whilst I am near. I will make sure that if he tries something like that again, I will have someone steal you away once again. There there, dry your eyes, you must be fitted and the dresses make to fit your size for Carlotta is two sizes bigger than you I believe." She pulled me up and walked to open the door. When she had opened it, three seamstresses came into the room and stood me up. They were chattering about how lucky I was to be playing Elissa. They pulled out the dresses for Elissa and had me try them on. There were several, including the beautiful one for "Think of Me", the aria that I had sung to impress the managers.
After what seemed like forever, they were finally finished with me. After about two to three hours of pins piercing my skin the dresses finally fit perfectly. I walked out onto the stage in the costume that Carlotta was wearing when she left, in full makeup and continued with dress rehearsal. I felt the lump in the pit of my stomach return as we ran through the play song by song. My nervousness was in vain, however. The cast was more or less relieved to know that Carlotta was gone. No one really liked her for she was a spoiled little diva who always got her way and when she didn't she would threaten to leave or start crying. I saw this in the movie when I watched it many times with my friends. As the rehearsal came to a close and we were all dismissed, I walked back to my dressing room and sat on the settee again. A knock came on the door. Sighing, I got up and walked to the door. It was Meg.
"Serena, can we talk?" her face was ashen as she walked into the room. She looked like she had just seen a ghost.
"Meg, dear, what is the matter?" I asked as we sat on the couch, holding hands.
"I have endured a terrifying experience and I couldn't tell Mother or she would rip him limb from limb and I had to tell someone." She said shaking slightly.
"Who? Who would your mother rip limb from limb and what has this person done?" I asked as I retrieved a glass of water and handed it to her.
"Messr. Andre." I gasped.
"What did he do Meg? Did he hurt you?" Meg shook her head.
"No, but if I hadn't made an excuse and left as soon as I did, he would have." I became angry. Who could do something to such a sweet and innocent young girl? "What happened?" I asked mentally preparing myself for the answer.
Cliffy!!!!!!!!!! (Nah, just kidding! This is too good to leave here!!!)
"I was stretching my legs to get the cramps out of them, when Messr. Andre walked up and started talking to me. He was telling me what a wonderful dancer I was and asked if I would like to dance for him privately. He even offered to pay me. I knew I had to get out of there immediately. He had started to touch me. Mainly my face and neck, but he was moving his hands lower and that's when I told him I thought I heard my mother calling me and ran off as fast as my legs could carry me. Oh Rena, I can still feel his fingers on my face and neck. It feels like slime has touched me." By this time Meg was crying and I was holding her. After a half hour of holding her, Meg fell asleep in my arms. I laid her down on the bed. She needed rest so that she can have energy for tonight. I walked out of my dressing room and went in search of the one person who could help me. Madame Giry.
"MADAME GIRY!" my voice echoed in the rafters. The stage looked so strange and empty when no one was on it. It really was huge, but you couldn't tell when so many people were on it. I walked in the wings looking for the ballet mistress. When I found her, she was warming up at the barre.
"What is it, Serena?" she asked, taking her leg down from the barre. I repeated the story that Meg told me. I told her that Meg was resting in my room, and then waited for a response. There was not a big one. She just looked put out. She hid her anger well.
"Thank you for coming to me, Serena. I think Meg's description of my reaction was quite accurate. I shall talk to the Vicomte and see what he shall do." There were noises which meant that the dancers and the other actors were coming back to get ready again.
"Go get your costume on, my dear. And tell Meg that she needs to straighten her make-up." Madame Giry walked back to the barre and continued to warm up. I walked away slightly confused at the events that had just occurred. This dream was so bizarre. Oh well, I still have to play along until I can wake up. I walked back to the dressing room and started getting ready for tonight's performance. Meg continued to sleep until I was ready. I got her up, helped her fix her make-up and we both walked to the stage and one of the most exciting nights of my life.
I know it is a strange way to end a chapter but I got writer's block in the middle of writing this. When my block is broken, I shall post chapter 6. Til then, constructive criticism and compliments on what I have so far, if you please.
