Behind the Mask [ON HOLD until SUMMER]

Chapter Three: Angelina Rosette

Chapter Three

Angelina Rosette

It had been almost eight months since Monsieur L'Visten's men (and a few of the ballerinas) started rebuilding the Opera House. Most of the debris were now gone and the only ones that remained were either too big for them to push or carry that they would have to break it, or that it was supporting one of the floors of the Opera House that moving them will cause the whole building to collapse. And, fortunately, they had already thought of a way to take them out without having the whole Opera House fall apart again. They were making very good progress, far quicker than they expected, even. It seems that the tides had changed and the sun has shown for this Opera House, one of the older men thought.

Recently, rumours had been spreading that some of the ballerinas who stayed up at night and wandered around the Opera House had seen the Opera Ghost, this time though he was larger, paler and much, much more terrifying. One of the ballerinas who had said she seen him told the rest of the corps de ballet that he had, for no reason, attacked her and, had she been lucky, she escaped with only a twisted ankle and that was why she couldn't dance that day. Oh, these foolish children! Making up stories just to skip lessons and have people notice them, Madame Giry thought when she first heard her story. Erik would never attack a GIRL! Men maybe, but he has a strict rule against hurting women.

When Monsieur L'Visten first heard the rumours, knowing that Madame Giry knew something about the Opera Ghost, he went straight to her. That day, Madame Giry left the hallways un-lit, knowing that the fop would come looking for her. And she also knew that the new manager was easily frightened, like a girl, she would say, so she decided to give him a little scare. She draped herself in a white bed-sheet and waited patiently in a corner. After a few moments of waiting patiently in a dark corner, she finally heard his foot-falls coming closer and closer. Oh, this is so mean, She thought, but who would care if I did do this...

She jumped out of her hiding place and right in front of him then shrieked a loud, blood-curdling scream.

And as predicted, Monsieur L'Visten ran all the way to her office.

Madame Giry, grateful that she had discovered one of Erik's secret passages that led to her office, bolted right through it, and arrived only a mere second earlier than the new manager who she now calls Richard, la petite fille. 

The man arrived in her office covered in sweat and panting. Erik would've enjoyed this, only if he would stop thinking about Christine... Madame Giry thought before she was showered by questions from the new manager about how to appease the Opera Ghost or how to stop him from scaring everybody.

"Monsieur L'Visten," Madame Giry sighed, "There is no way. All you can do is to do as he says, when he says it." It was half-true, but most of her just wanted to frighten the man. So she then quickly added, "And stay away from the dark! That is where HE dwells!" emphasizing 'HE'. The new manager's reaction to this looked so funny to her that she couldn't help but laugh in triumph as he walked out the door, only falling off of her chair, laughing when he was out of sight.

And from then on, the new manager never walked in dim and isolated places without another person accompanying him. Two is better than one... He thought, one would escape and call for help and the other one would face-who knows what!

Now, today, he was coming to check on how much improvement the Opera House was showing. The sun shined brightly and the cold summer breeze caressed his face, a wave of relief hit him and he felt most happy that he had chosen to bring someone special on this wonderful day for everyone to meet.