Second chapter! Whoo! Good job for getting past the introduction/setting chapter! There were some pointless things in the last chapter, yes, but they are necessary for later on! Now we get into the meat :)
I see all of you who have favorited it/alerts! I know you are there! COMMENT! Give me your opinion and share your ideas!
Also, forgot to say before, I obviously do not own any sort of song that I use in this story nor do I own the character Erik (Phantom). If I did, that would be pretty cool.
Ilovetangled: Thank you! I'm pretty excited with it too; I hope its good :P
RedDeathLvr: I'm still deciding where I'm going to be taking this. Several ideas are floating around in my head :P And thank you :)
People say that life is full of chances, of luck. They say that with a simple roll of the dice your entire life is then charted out in front of you; who you will be born to, what will happen to you, who you will meet, what you will do, how you will act. This sort of fate seems far too… random. How can someone decide all of that in one roll of dice? Who is even rolling the dice? What if someone does not like the path that they have been given?
I, for one, do not believe in fate. If I am doomed to live the life that I am, why would I live it? Why should I be forced to do something I do not wish? Was I meant to become blind and abandoned? No; these things were a response to the choices that other people have made. Altering their paths, they have altered mine. Should I chose to create a different path for myself, I believe that I would also alter other people's lives, but why would I want to do that? I am satisfied with my life. Not happy; there is a very big difference between happy and content. There is also a large difference between content and displeased. However, if I were to be displeased with my life, and attempting to change my path fails, why would I want to live anyway? Why would I sit around in my hopelessness and anger, corrupting everything around me?
Beethoven was everywhere; around her, consuming her, enthralling her. She lay in bed simply listening to him play, notes rising and falling, dancing in her ears. The song soon faded away, giving up to the inevitable sound that followed.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Abigail sighed. She hit the button on her alarm clock, swung her legs off her bed, and stretched her arms in the arm. After a loud crack of her back, she slowly made her way into her bathroom and began her day.
Turn on bathtub. Brush teeth. Stop bathtub. Wash self. Shampoo. Conditioner. Drain tub. Change clothes (A pair of jeans, black boots, and a simple black sweater. At least she hoped that they were). Brush out annoying knots in hair. Eat lucky charms cereal. Play piano. Hope nobody was in her house all the while.
The doorbell rang, announcing Aimee's arrival. Abigail heard her jump through the door, heels clicking on the wooden floor.
"Gooooood morning sunshine! And how did we sleep last night?" Aimee yelled over the rapid notes Abigail played. She paused.
"Alright, I guess."
She resumed playing.
Aimee walked over to her and watched her hands move across the keys, not hesitating for a moment. She smiled at them; she was proud of her friend, and slightly jealous of her skills. Abigail had tried to teach her to play a few years ago only to fail when she realized her hands were nowhere near as talented as her voice.
"Well," Aimee said after a minute, "We should get going. It's almost eleven thirty," she stated, looking at her watch, "and we should be there before they officially open."
Abigail finished the song and nodded. Locking the door behind them, the pair made their way into Aimee's car and drove off into town.
"Parking is so annoying!" Aimee complained as she struggled to find a parking spot on the busy streets.
Abigail laughed at her struggles. "Oh look, there's one!" she exclaimed, pointing straight ahead of her.
"Where?" Aimee cried, searching desperately.
Abigail laughed, "God, you're blind Aimee. It's right there!"
Aimee blinked, realized the joke, and laughed, "Thanks Abigail. I can count on you."
After finding parking, the two began to make their way to the Opera House. Abigail listened for some sort of crowd or movement; only the small buzz of a lazy Sunday morning met her ears.
"Aimee, I thought you said that the Opera House was open today."
"Oh! It is." Aimee said nervously, glancing at Abigail.
"Then why are there no people?" Abigail asked, confused.
"Well, it's not opening to the general public just this moment."
"What?"
"Well, it kind of just went into renovation like, last week?"
Abigail grew angry, "I thought you said it was finished! What are you doing?" she hissed as she heard the gates open.
"Well it's open for the renovators, but they're off today. I just thought we could maybe go in and like, take a peek maybe?" Aimee said weakly, clinging to Abigail's wrist.
"Are you insane? What if we're caught? What would we say?"
"Nobody's inside! I just want some kind of inspiration for my singing, you know? The auditions are in a couple days and I need to have some sort of insight on what the people had! It's an acting thing, Abigail, you wouldn't understand."
Abigail sighed. She knew she should have never trusted Aimee. Secret construction on the most famous building in the general area? Please. How stupid of her to believe such a thing.
"Whatever, Aimee. If we are caught, I'm saying you kidnapped me and I have no idea who you are. And you know what? They're going to believe me."
Aimee rolled her eyes before quickly dragging her friend inside the gates, shutting them behind her. As they made their way up the large door Aimee couldn't help but marvel at the beauty; not even a hundred years could take away from the pure excitement that it drew from people.
Aimee grabbed hold of the handle and gave it a tug. It wouldn't budge.
"Fuck. Abigail, its locked." Aimee said, pulling a small hair pin out of her hair, "I need you to open it."
Abigail narrowed her eyes as Aimee placed the pin in her hand, "I hate you."
"I love you too." Aimee said quickly, putting Abigail's hand on the lock. Abigail got to work, feeling and listening as she twisted and turned the pin until a small click told them the doors were now accessible. Abigail pushed the door open and handed the pin back to Aimee.
"Now look what you've done Aimee. My powers have been used for evil."
"Hush up," Aimee said as she grabbed Abigail's wrist, "You could have said no."
Abigail frowned. It was true, why did she not simply say no? It's not like she wanted to be here, right? After all, what did she have to see here? Nothing; she couldn't even see. The pair made their way inside.
"Ugh! I can't see anything, it's so dark!" Aimee cried.
"You poor soul." Abigail said, taking her folding cane out of her boot and opening it, "I'll lead then."
Abigail tapped the cane against the ground, feeling the vibrations off the walls and listening to the small echoes it created. Since her eyes had become useless, her hearing and other senses became much stronger to compensate.
"I can't believe a blind person is about to lead." Aimee laughed.
"You're so incompetent Aimee." Abigail smirked in reply, "This way."
Abigail moved slowly through the grand hall, her cane occasionally hitting against a statue or wall. They eventually made their way into a much larger room.
"Hmm…" Abigail said, tapping her cane and moving it around. She hit into something. Grabbing at it, Abigail felt something squishy. Upon further inspection, Abigail laughed and said, "Aimee, these are the seats! We're in the opera room!"
Aimee squealed with glee as they continued down the aisle. After locating the stairs leading onto the stage, Aimee's eyes had adjusted enough to see things very dimly. She quickly made her way into the middle of the stage, looking about, abandoning Abigail.
Leaving Aimee to herself, Abigail explored backstage. She ran into several abandoned props, a couple of dusky ropes, and then ran directly into a large object. After feeling around, she realized that it was a piano. Overwhelmed with excitement, she dropped the cane and quickly took off the covering on the piano. Her hands hovered over the keys for a moment, frozen with anticipation. What should she play on an actual piano in the actual Opera House where the actual Phantom lived? She quickly decided to play a piece from the musical itself. Why not? The Phantom of the Opera was the only choice!
She began the piece; its dramatic beginning made Aimee yell in fear for a moment before realizing who was playing. Abigail ignored her, already consumed in the song. Even though it sounded different on a piano rather than an organ, its melody was still unique; it drew you in and did not let you go until the end. Aimee began to sing.
In sleep he sang to me in dreams he came
That voice which calls to me, and speaks my name
And do I dream again? For now I find
The Phantom of the Opera is there inside my mind.
She continued to play, getting more and more into the song as her hands danced across the keys. She couldn't help it; once she began a piece from the musical she had to finish it. If she stopped, it would plague her mind until she finished it later on.
It was the phantom's turn to sing. Abigail could almost hear him singing his part, it seemed so clear in her mind.
Sing once again with me our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me to glance behind
The Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind.
Those who have seen your face draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear, it's me they hear.
Abigail sensed Aimee walking towards her slowly, still singing. Although, it sounded more like the Phantom to her now for some reason. She pushed off the thought, assuming it was simply her music playing tricks on her.
My spirit and my voice in one combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind.
Abigail almost laughed at Aimee as she got the line mixed up, but continued to play. She couldn't stop now, she was far too deep into the music to care.
Beware, the Phantom of the Opera!
Is that the Phantom of the Opera? ABIGAIL!
Her hands froze at Aimee's scream. She sounded nowhere near her, and yet she felt her so close. So close in fact that she felt her breath on the back of her neck.
"Aimee?" she sputtered
"Play, my angel... do not stop now." Came a dark voice from behind.
Abigail jumped, falling off of the seat. She frantically felt around for her cane, only to hear it picked up by the strange voice.
"What is this?" It asked, puzzled.
"P-please… Leave me alone." She cried, sliding further back behind the stage. She heard the soft footsteps stepping closer as she backed farther away.
"SILENCE!" the voice boomed
"AIMEE!" she screamed before a hard object connected with the side of her head, and then nothing.
Aimee sprinted from the Opera House, gasping for breath. She slammed the doors behind her and charged through the gates, racing to her car. Her hand dove inside her pocket, wrenched the keys from its inner depths, and rapidly pressed the unlock button as she stopped next to it.
"SHIT SHIT SHIT, OPEN!" she screamed as she frantically pulled at the handle. She finally paused, let the door unlock, and dove inside before locking it behind her. She stared wide-eyed at the Opera House gasping for breath, waiting for the world to stop spinning.
What just happened?
She remembered standing on the stage, Abigail starting to play. She then began to sing too until she noticed something moving along the upper floor of the room. She had paused, looking around until hearing something other than Abigail's music. Aimee remembered looking towards her and seeing a massive dark figure slowly walking towards Abigail. She had stared at the apparition wide-eyed, wanting to warn her. She had just been so frightened...
She then sang out the warning in the song until her normal voice had come back to her and yelled out to Abigail, but it was too late.
She remembered hearing her hit the floor and yelling. She was so confused and afraid. She left her friend and saved herself.
Why would she do that? What kind of friend was she? Aimee burst out into tears. She couldn't go to the police; they would then know she had trespassed onto private property. She couldn't go to Doug, how would he react when he found out that she had abandoned the girl he loved and cared for? She let out another sob. Abigail might never know how Doug felt about her now. Excellent.
But what would happen once Doug found out she was missing? He was bound to find out. Aimee was a horrible liar. An actress, yes. A liar, no. Figuring that it would be better to rip off the band-aid than to let it peel off slowly, she started the car and headed off to Doug's.
Beethoven was everywhere; around her, consuming her, enthralling her. She lay there, listening and feeling the notes rise and fall through her mind. It slowly died away, and Abigail waiting for the inevitable beep of her alarm clock. It didn't come.
Rather, she heard footsteps walking from the source of the music slowly to her general direction. She sat up and opened her eyes to the usual darkness. It was cool in this odd place, and smelled of water. Feeling around her, she noticed she was not in her own bed, but of a much softer one.
"Who are you." A dark voice demanded.
"What?" Abigail asked the darkness.
"Who. Are. You. It is a simple question and I demand a simple response."
Abigail raised an eyebrow. She reached out only to discover that there was a curtain surrounding her, "Well, I could ask you the same question."
"Do you try to trick me foolish girl! You came into my Opera House, search around, and you think I do not know for what? I have seen your people come in and out of here for the past week, tidying the place up, trying to make it look nice again, looming about. I thought I made it quite clear with every other last person who has come looking for me that I will not be bothered!" the voice shouted.
Abigail froze in horror. His opera house? She raked her brain through memories of Aimee describing the musical to her, trying to picture where she was. Suddenly she remembered Aimee telling her that the Phantom's lair was underground, surrounding by water. She tried to swallow, but found her mouth dry.
"Are you… The Phantom?" she asked nervously.
"Are you blind, you insolent fool? Of course I am!" the phantom screamed, jumping up to the curtains and throwing them back, surely exposing himself to her, she imagined.
"Yes. I am." She stated angrily, looking at what she hoped was his face.
Silence. It lasted for awhile. She wasn't sure how long it took, but finally the Opera Ghost came to his senses.
"I did not know." He explained, "If I did, you would not be here."
"Why?" Abigail asked, furious, "Because I'm useless? Can't do anything, eh? Gotta have someone to look after me all the time, make sure I don't trip over a fucking dandelion!"
"No. I did not want someone who is blind to have to navigate an area with water around it for the rest of their life."
Abigail froze. The rest of her life? What was he talking about?
"What? My life? Are you insane?"
"No. Simply unwilling to kill a foolish little girl." The Phantom replied. Abigail frowned.
"Where is Aimee? Did... you kill her?"
"Your little friend?"
"Yes!"
"She ran off at the sight of me." He hissed.
Abigail slowly dropped her head. Aimee had run off without her. It would have been too much of a hassle to have to drag her along to freedom. She was alone with a mad man. Nobody would come after her. They probably thought she was dead.
The Phantom threw something on the bed, "I believe that this is yours then."
Abigail felt around before finding her folding cane. She nodded quickly.
"Yes. Thank you." She murmured.
"You might as well… what is it, get your bearings? Feel the place out? You shall be here for awhile." The Phantom said sharply before he started to walk away.
"Wait! What do you mean? Why don't you just let me go?" Abigail called after him.
"Why would I let you go when you know that I am alive?"
"But I can't even fucking see you! They would think I am insane! How would I lead people back to this place? I don't even know what it looks like!" she cried, throwing her hands up in frustration.
"IT MATTERS NOT WHAT MY REASONING IS," the phantom screamed as he rushed back to her, shoving his face an inch away from her own, "Only that I have made the decision, and YOU SHALL OBEY IT!"
OoooOOooo! I hope you liked the second chapter better!
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