Chapter 5
The Order's seats filled as a crowd of nobles filed in to watch the production.
The pit band began to play and the curtains opened on the performers.
The opera opened with the ballet dancers dancing to the opening song, which was followed by the Countess, Lenalee, singing about her lover the page boy, Kanda.
"Did I not instruct that box 14 be kept open?" A voice rang through the Opera hall.
Everyone gasped and looked around nervously, quite scared.
"What's going on?" Asked Kanda's friend, Alma.
"It's the Phantom." Kanda whispered in reply.
"Your part is silent, little dog!" Lenalee growled at Kanda.
"No, it is you madam who needs to be silent."
"How dare you?" Lenalee cried. "I'm done! I don't need this!" Lenalee collected her dress and stormed off the stage.
Everyone looked around confused by what was happening. The curtains closed trying to settle the confusion.
"Everyone! Please calm down!" Komui exclaimed as Reever and him scurried onstage. "The show will go on with the role of Countess being played by young Mister Kanda." Komui found and pulled Kanda out from behind the curtain.
"Yes, as this situation is sorted out please enjoy the ballet from act two."
Backstage, the dancers scurried to get dressed, set up props, and prepare for the unscheduled change of plans.
The curtains opened on the ballet dancers, when the music from the pit band began to play. The dancers began to dance, but stopped when something attached to a rope fell from the rafters.
Everyone screamed as they recognized the figure dangling from the rope; It was the stage hand, Chaoji, dead.
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The Phantom opened a trap door and creeped through to stand on a balcony above the audience. He was rather upset that the owners gave his boxseat away, but casting Lenalee as the lead was the main focus of his anger. He quickly cleared his throat, "Did I not instruct that box 14 be kept open?"
A chorus of frightened gasps echoed through the hall.
Allen heard Lenalee snap at Kanda. "No, it is you madam who needs to be silent." He watched as Lenalee threw a hissy fit and stormed off the stage.
The curtains closed and the two owners announced that Kanda would now be playing the lead.
Allen was pleased with the results and noticed a man climbing the stairs.
The Phantom opened the trap door and slipped inside, but the man saw and followed. The Phantom tried to lose his pursuer by walking through the winding tunnels, but the man still followed. Allen opened another trap door and ran onto the rafter riggings. He looked up and climbed a roped to be above and behind the trap door.
The man ran out from the trap door and looked around the room, confused.
Seeing his perfect chance, Allen jumped. He landed on the rigging platform next to the man, terrifying him.
The man stumbled and fell backward off the rigging, pulling ropes with him. The man hung onto the rigging, with the ropes hung over his body.
Allen slipped off his gloves and leaned over the railing, "Grab my hand. I can pull you up."
The man's eyes widened and he cringed away from Allen's hand. "Don't touch me! Not with that cursed hand!"
"Please!" Allen begged as he noticed the man's hands slipping.
"No!"
"Please!" Allen begged, but was too late as the man's hands slipped off the rigging. Allen heard the horrified screams of the audience and the performers. Allen quickly climbed the riggings and exited through another trap door that lead to the rooftop, deciding it best to stay away from all the fear and confusion that will follow.