(Good lord, thanks everyone for waiting for this chapter. School's been a crazy town, junior year STINKS! Stay tuned, I'll try to get another chapter in for either this story or Once Upon a River by next week If I'm not clogged with homework. Peace out, and sorry this is short!)

My next few days at the opera house were none too exciting. Dominic had given me the "most important job" of handling the maid duties. I scrubbed, cleansed, polished and deoderized practically every surface in the Opera House's main floor. It was a whole month before the first opera began, and it was Romeo et Juliette by Gounod. I could barely remember the play's plot, and I certainly couldn't ask Dominic what it was. I decided to just wait and see the preformance to find out. One day, one of my fellow maids (her name was Berenice, a kind girl, two years my junior) came up to me with mischief in her eyes. "Oh, Rhyder!" She squealed. You must follow me, the Opera's new patron has arrived! He's very handsome! Come, quickly!" She scurried out of my sight. I shook my head, scrubbed the last bit of dirt from the floor, and followed my young friend.

"Have you seen him?"

"He must be rich!"

"He's gorgeous!"

Three of the chorus girls chattered about the Patron, while Berenice and I looked for him. "He must be around somewhere," She said, pulling me around like a toy. I was dragged to the main stage, where most of the chorus girls were hanging about. There, across the stage, was Dominic, adressing a finely dressed and strapping man whose back was to the girls. He looked handsome, but he was vaguely familiar looking, though I could not see his face. Maybe I can sneek around the crowd...

I skirted behind Berenice, and headed behind the massive curtain. I crept like a mouse, dodging scenery and props, looking for the other end of the stage. The dim light backstge made it damn-near impossible for me to see anything. Suddenly, the dim light was extinguished, and I was plunged into darkness. I took a deep breath, and ordered myself to calm down. Nothing to be afraid of, I thought, as I groped about in the dark. Suddenly, someone snatched at my outstretched hand. "How do you enjoy my opera house, ma belle?" An all too familiar voice growled into my ear. My mouth popped open in a silent sceam, and there was no sound, excet the faraway voices of the ballet girls.

"I have a proposition for you, mademoiselle," The phantom whispered as he slipped something into my hand. "Read this when you are alone tonight, but tell no one of this meeting. Not even Dominic. We will meet soon again." With that, he vanished. The hairs on the the back of my head stood up, and I felt what he had placed in my hand. It was a small envelope, sealed with red wax with a skull imprint. I tucked the letter away, and made my way back from behind the curtain. Unfortunatley, the new patron had left. I sighed, and spun around only to come face to face with Dominic, who greetedme gleefully.

"Good Morning, Rhyder!" He beamed, and noticed the look in my eyes "Rhyder? Everything alright?" I knew I couldn't tell him the truth, so I mimed waving a fan in front of my face. "You tired, my dear? Well, I think you deserve a day off. The opera house does look incredible, all thanks to you." He gave me a gentle nudge forward, and I flashed him a smile. I kept the smile on my face til I was out of his sight, then worry flashed across my face. I knew I would have to face him sooner or later, but I had wished it was later.

I made it back to my room, clutching the sealed letter in my hand. Sinking onto my bed, I opened it with shaking hands, and read the following note.

Mademoiselle Rhyder.

I do believe I know your truest desire, child. You wish to speak, to laugh, to... sing, perhaps? I can help you do these and much, much more. I know what you think. That I am a monster, non? That will change, for I will preform for you a miracle. Come to the old Prima Donna's room around midnight tonight, and we shall meet, without secrecy or violence. Au revoir, ma belle.

-O.G

This... man... he could... No, impossible! But the doctor did say...

If he could give me my voice... I decided, Then I can tell Dominic my feelings for him.

The rest of the afternoon seemed to spin by in a frenzy of building the last of the set for Romeo et Juliett. With all the hustle and bustle, I couldfind time time to sneak into the old Prima Donna's room. You see, ever since the accident, the management -meaning Dominic- built a new room for the current Prima Donna, a Madame Francine Dubois. She demanded a new room to be built because she believed the old one was cursed by the Opera Ghost. So, five minutes till the new day, I snuck through the hallways to the abandoned room.

I grimaced when I came into the room. What sort of creature... I thought, gazing along the walls, ...Would require this much pink in one room? Though the room had been vacant for five years, it seemed to have been preserved; not a speck of dust was too be seen on any surface. Though there was something there I didn't intend on finding. Atop a small makeup table there was a single rose, but it was no a normal bud. It was black, black as midnight and adorned with a blood red ribbon. How can a rose be black? As I fingered the strange flower, I noticed the giant mirror in the back of the room. It was enormous, and there was something off putting about it. My puzzled reflection gazed back at me, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle in anticipation. This is a bad idea, I slowly backed out of the room, and reached out for the door, when the voice came from seemingly no where, rang through the dark room.

"Bonjour, young Rhyder. Come to your master, and gain your song." I looked all around the room, searching for the mysterious Eric. Then suddenly, my eyes caught sight of the mirror. There was movement reflected on its surface, but there was no one else in the room. But then I saw it again. a flash of white!

"Come to me, little one. Come, and you shall face the music..."

Then, he appeared. To my horror and shock, the figure clad in black came forward, from the other side of the mirror!

"Look at the face in the mirror," He sang, drawing closer and closer, like a lion stalking its prey, "I am there, inside!"

My thoughts of terror froze, and the voice dulled my senses. Even if this man would lead me to certain death, I would always be entranced by that voice. I followed my heart, and met up to the man in the mirror. "I am the Angel of Music!" He sang triumphantly, reaching his hand out to meet mine, "Come to me, Angel of Music!"

What could I do? I took his hand, and prayed for this miracle he promised me, as we travelled down... down... down...