As I wake up, I remember where I am along with some of Christine's memories. Particularly about Raoul and her father. I'm also greeted by an intense headache from banging my head on that pole. My head hurts just thinking about last night. I try to find a mirror to check if a bruise has formed, but in vain. I notice there's something pointy in my pocket. I reach down and pull it out. It's the Ice Queen's wand from Narnia. That could definitely come in handy in the future.
I peer out of the bed I was sleeping in, and scan the cave. The Phantom is sitting by his organ (writing dark, angst-y music probably). I've been very curious about what's behind that mask of his. I'm sure it couldn't be that bad. Although he does hide it for a reason, and I should respect that. However, the curiosity is too strong to ignore. It must be Christine's because I feel so strongly compelled and I think I remember something about it in the musical. Slowly I creep through the candles, and slither up the rock stairs to the organ. My hand reaches out, and I try to resist, but my hand is stronger than my will and before I can stop myself I'm lunging forward. I'm feeling indecisive though, and one of my legs steps out and before I know it, both my legs are twisted around each other. The forward motion causes the rest of my body to fall forward too. I fall face first on the floor, intensifying my headache. "Owwww." My moans finally alert the Phantom to the fact that I'm lying on the floor in pain.
"Christine. What did you do?" He bends down and helps me sit up.
"Christine, your head is hurt."
"Yeah. Was it the large red bruise, the fact that I passed out after I walked into a pole yesterday, or the moans of agony that helped you figure it out?"
"Do you need to rest?" Hmm. I have another one of my brilliant ideas.
"Actually," I whimper, putting my puppy dog eyes on. "I do feel rather sickly. I think I hit my head pretty hard yesterday. Maybe, if I went home I could rest up and get proper medical attention." The Phantom seems suspicious. He's onto my plan.
"I don't know Christine. You could rest down here. I could bring a doctor down here if necessary, or care for you myself." Okay. Time to put my acting skills to the test.
"OOOhhhhh. My head! Is it just me or is the world spinning? I-I think I can see the light! It's so beautiful and bright and maybe if I just walk towards it-"
"Okay, okay. Very well. Perhaps you do need some rest at home. Come." He picks me up, and I try to keep a poker face so he doesn't change his mind. We make the long journey back to the real world. It felt a lot longer and more ordinary because we weren't singing or anything. Finally we arrive, and he leaves me off in my dressing room, where I proceed to collapse on the floor out of exhaustion. I think some ballerinas found me or something. Not really sure. The important thing is that after I woke up, Madame Giry came to visit me.
"Christine, you will be playing the part of the Pageboy, and Carlotta will be playing the lead, the Countess."
"Cools." I should be okay because thanks to my super-duper automatically knows all the lyrics powers I can fake my way through the performance.
"You are not upset? The pageboy is a silent role." Even better! No lyrics or singing.
"So? Do I still get paid?"
"Um..Well yes, but…very well." After that she leaves, and I'm not bothered until the show.
I'm just going to go right out and say it, as soon as I put my costume on I start laughing out loud. It is ridiculous. I have this white powdered face and a rainbow maid outfit. Quite literally, rainbow. Carlotta looks even more ridiculous. She has this enormous white wig that is three times the size of her head, and a dress that is four times the size of her body. To top it all off, she walks around like a peacock, flaunting herself. It's just too much and every time I glance in her direction I start laughing like a crazy person, and everyone looks at me like I am one.
Finally the show starts. Unfortunately, Carlotta starts to sing and she sounds like a dying pigeon. I bite my lip so I don't laugh. It would look really bad if someone who is supposed to be silent started to laugh. I react the way I'm supposed to (I think). Everything seems to be going smoothly. I scan the audience. A quick shadow passes behind the large crystal chandelier out of sight. I must be seeing things again. Maybe those drugs that I think the Phantom slipped me in that fog still haven't worn off.
Anyway Carlotta and the rest of the cast sing along to the bouncy lighthearted song. I would too, except I'm supposed to be silent. Instead I just bop with the music.
"DID I NOT INSTRUCT YOU THAT BOX FIVE SHOULD REMAIN EMPTY?" A booming voice proclaims interrupting the performance. What does box five have to do with any of this? I must have missed something here. Whatever. Suddenly some the pollen from the flowers for the next scene waft on stage. I try to cover my mouth, but I'm too late. I sneeze, very loudly and very violently, awkwardly interrupting the dramatic scene going on in front of me (I'm sensing a pattern here).
"Your part is silent, little toad."
"What no bless you?"
"A toad? Perhaps it is you who are the toad, madam."
"Haha. I get it. It's a metaphor." I say while nudging Carlotta. She glares at me and instructs the maestro to continue playing. I roll my eyes. Just trying to start some friendly conversation. Carlotta begins to sing with the music. Everything seems normal. The audience just seems really confused by what just happened. Carlotta gets to the peak of her note, and then suddenly croaks. I blink in shock. She seems scared and confused, but starts to sing again. No sooner does she start then she croaks again. This time I laugh out loud. Screw being a silent role, this is just too funny. Carlotta just keeps attempting to sing which makes it even funnier. I'm just rolling on the floor at this point.
Finally Carlotta runs off stage crying. The managers run onstage, one grabs my arm and pulls me up. "Ouch. Couldn't you be a little gentler?"
"The part of the Countess will be played by Miss Christine Daae."
"Oh yeah, don't even ask my opinion on the matter. It's not like I'm the one who will be performing." Whatever. I know the performance doesn't even go on. Still bothers me though.
"We will take a short intermission now. Please enjoy the ballet from Act III of tonight's performance." They shove me offstage as I hear ballet music start. Through all the chaos that ensues, I catch sight of Raoul. I think now would be a good time to tell him about the Phantom. Then someone screams at the top of their lungs. Something shocking must have happened. If I remember correctly I think someone was murdered. Now seems like a good time to make a run for it. I manage to escape in the chaos, grab Raoul's hand and start walking up the first flight of stairs I see.
"Why have you brought me here?" I guess now's a good time to start singing.
"Don't take me back there. Although I do think we should call the police to let them know someone just DIED."
"We must return"
"Were you not listening? His eyes will find us there, those eyes that burn. And if he has to kill a thousand men, the Phantom of the Opera will kill and kill again." We get to the roof.
"There is no Phantom of the Opera." I turn to Raoul and just stare at him.
"Are you joking? He just killed someone, and you're telling me the Phantom doesn't exist? Are you-Raoul I've been there," This singing on demand is really starting to irritate me. "-to his world of unending night, to a world where the daylight dissolves into darkness, darkness. Raoul I've seen him, can I ever forget that sight? Can I ever escape from that face, so distorted, deformed it was hardly a face in that darkness, darkness" That was so harsh. How can Christine say those things? Worse how could I say those things? "But his voice filled my spirit with a strange sweet sound in that night there was music in my life and through music my soul began to sooaaaaaaaaar." Or it could have been the drugs in that fog. I'm telling you there was something trippy in that stuff. "And I sung as I never had before."
"What you heard was a dream and nothing more."
"Okay that was not a dream, are you even list-" But Raoul puts his hand over my mouth and starts to sing.
"No more talk of darkness, forget these wide-eyed fears, I'm here nothing will harm you." Tell that to the guy who was murdered downstairs. "My words will warm and calm you." Singing about problems does not make them go away. Raoul tries to hug me closer, but I just shove him away. He doesn't seem to really notice anything.
"Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears, I'm here, with you beside you to guard you and to guide you."
"Just cause I'm a woman doesn't mean I need someone to guide m-Say you'll love me every waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summertime." What is that supposed to mean? "Say you need me with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of you."
"Let me be your shelter, let me be your light. You're safe, no one will find you" Unless they think to look on the roof. "Your fears are far behind you." Raoul again tries to embrace me, but I just take a step back and put my hand up.
"All I want is freedom, a world with no more night. And you always beside me to hold me and to hide me." Christine needs to learn to be independent.
"Then say you'll share with me one love one lifetime. Let me lead you from you solitude. Say you need me with you here, beside you. Anywhere you go, let me go too. Christine, that's all I ask of you"
"Say you'll share with me one love one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you..." Christine is a setback to the entire feminist equality movement. But I can't voice my complaints because now we're singing in unison.
"Share each day with me, each night, each morning."
"Say you love me."
"You know I do." That is the most egotistical answer that he could have possible given. I'm trying so hard not to duct tape his mouth shut just so I won't have to deal with this ridiculous baloney anymore.
"Love me that's all I ask of you." Raoul leans in for a kiss, and I 'accidentally' punch him in the nose. He falls backwards and lands hard in the snow. The music is awkwardly continuing to play, even though we're not singing along with it.
"Sorry my hand, uuhh slipped." I shrug and smile, secretly very satisfied. Raoul gets up with his hand to his face.
"Does it look bad?" He takes his hand out of the way, and I cringe. There's a lot of blood.
"Ummmm. No. No it looks fine. Let's just um, go back inside and get you cleaned up. Maybe go to a hospital, get a plastic surgeon. But really, it looks fine. Here let me help you." I help him up and we leave the rooftop. I swear I can almost hear singing from behind me, but it must just be an echo or the wind or something. We're halfway down the stairs, and suddenly there's an awful crash and screaming.
"I have a feeling the chandelier just fell. It's just a hunch though." We head back downstairs as Act I ends.