CHAPTER 31

Tonight Erik would take his normally devilish style up just a few quotients, and debut a new Raven mask. He thought it only fitting for his new situation. It would cover all of his face down to the jaw, curving slightly to frame his mouth. The surface had been carefully etched to resemble overlapping feathers, the nose elongated and sharpened to the threatening point of a bird's beak. He liked it, feeling the portrayal as a harbinger of death fit him even better than the deaths mask of a living corpse.

Having resolved himself to follow through with the nights events, be it to whatever end, Erik took up position atop the roof of his theater to watch and wait. A steady stream of costumed park goers filtered into the building. He listened to the strained sounds of music from the players in the orchestra pit as it flitted through the air.

Always the perfectionist, his mind documented each offending note and its perpetrator for future reprimand. Soon the invited attendees would be settling in their seats for the day's final grand performance of Innuendo, a production he'd written and choreographed for the evening. It wasn't his finest work, intended only to feed the uncultured drones the kind of raunchy entertainment they craved. Erik felt it reflected little of the mastery he had once exhibited, but he felt it was the best of what that kind of entertainment could be.

Erik's anticipation was reaching its zenith as the time to curtain call was only minutes away. He had to take several deeps breaths each time his perusal of the shrinking crowd yielded nothing. In a huff of pacing he decided that he had enough of being a pawn to whatever game Lisa was playing. It was then that he lifted his eyes to look across the boardwalk.

There, upon a wooden bench with eyes fixed on him, sat a figure wearing a crimson gown and sporting the feathered mask of a phoenix. Although the distance was too great, Erik felt he could see the glint of those emerald eyes following his movement. He felt vexed. This woman had the uncanny knack of catching him in ways none other had managed, even his Christine. Without losing sight of his quarry, Erik descended the side of the building by climbing down a fire escape.

Lisa knew she'd been found. As Erik reached the fire escape she rose and moved to meet him in the alley way where he'd landed. Her will battled the shakiness of her legs to take her there, and when she'd crossed into the dimmed light where he stood she feared that she might crumble to the ground.

"How long have you been watching me?" he asked in a deceptively light voice.

Normally Erik's attempts to unsettle Lisa with his sometimes menacing demeanor would have little effect except to challenge her, but outside the comfort and advantage of her home she felt the edge to his voice pierce the wall of her bubble.

"I arrived just after sunset and sat over there to watch the crowd and collect my thoughts." Even her natural self-confidence was wavering.

"That was nearly 2 hours ago, and I've been up there nearly that long." He took a few baleful steps toward her, feeling that at the moment he'd gained the advantage.

"Yes, I saw you appear."

"Yet you didn't make yourself known, why?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry to make you wait. Perhaps it's best I go." Lisa's discomfort had quickly progressed to annoyance and she was ready to turn and leave when he captured her hand.

"You've never been so easily frightened before, it's endearing to see you so off balance." He teased.

"Humph, of course you'd find it entertaining. Well, I believe you promised me a show and it sounds like things are getting started." Lisa's grip on Erik's hand had tightened. He felt an equal tightening grip in his chest as he turned to guide her to the side entrance of the theater.

He opened the backstage door and guided her into the darkness of the building. Lisa could see the lights of the stage several feet in front of her, but Erik immediately drew her away and down a vacant hallway. After a short distance they reached a tightly spiraling stair. Erik led the way, never letting go of her warm palm until they'd gone through a door and he settled her in a chair. He closed the door behind them and locked it before taking the seat next to hers.

Lisa was thrilled to discover they were in a small kind of opera box. She could see the stage fully, and had only to lean forward to see the entirety of the hall. It was much larger than she had expected and was decorated in a grim and macabre way to fit the festivities. Below row upon row of costumed theatergoers filled every seat in the house, and a low roar of chatter rose up until the hall lights dimmed.

The stage seemed to fill with a kaleidoscope of color as the dancers filed in and the music exploded like an eerie howling. A light and fanciful type of carnival music began to flow as a parade of performers marched back and forth across the floor, each taking center stage for just a moment to showcase a particular talent or oddity. When at last that platform was filled to bursting the mob converged for a few well-choreographed maneuvers before the curtain fell on them.

After only a few seconds the orchestra began drumming a low Caribbean beat. When the lights came back up and the curtain was once again pulled back the stage was filled with a fresh set of individuals. Each female performer was adorned with a multitude of feathers, making them look like a flock of gaudy parrots. The males came out in tights and face paint that made each look like a great cat. There were lions, tigers, panthers and jaguars. The men played at chasing the prancing petites as they swarmed to and fro.

One girl dressed as a golden macaw led the troupe, singing about the preened and prestige life of the winged folk. They kept an easy arms-length from their hungry pursuers. Then in a quick turn the stage light turned inky blue and the birds let out a shrill cry. From the colorful back drop curtain emerged a large artificial feline being operated like a marionette by men situated above the performance space.

The birdies below shrieked and cowered as the beast pounced one by one, making them disappear behind a quickly slung veil until finally only the golden macaw remained. Nimbly she leapt and avoided sweeping claws and tail until in one great pounce she was consumed by the creature. A wealth of crimson confetti exploded from the rafters as the musicians crescendo echoed in the building. The final curtain fell and the audience erupted in applause.