Next day I woke up, rubbed my eyes and slowly sat up on the blanket. First thing I felt, before my eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room was a noose around my neck.
My eyes straight up opened. I looked up and saw the Phantom standing above me, holding the other end of the rope. With eyes big like plates, I didn't dare to move. Erik's eyes were giving out no emotion. He simply sighed and took the lasso off me, saying:
"You failed. One more time."
He took a swing and threw it again. This time I raised up one hand, which allowed me to catch it.
"Better." He summed up. "Remember, keep your hand at the level of your eyes."
"At the level of your eyes..." I repeated quietly to myself, taking the rope off of me. I was still baffled about what was happening.
Erik let go off the cord, so now I was holding it. He stood, not moving at all, like a soldier standing at attention. I got up from the floor and eyed him, confused. He smirked and gestured at what I was holding.
Hestitantly I threw the rope at him. It landed perfectly around Erik's neck and he nodded as a sign of approval.
"You're not bad." He said. I was completely puzzled.
He handed me back the lasso and went back to his position, suggesting that I try again.
For quite some time he was making me practice it, and I didn't know why. It was weird, after all it was not a common skill to practice. But one thing was for sure, Erik was nice to me. Even after what had happened the night before. He didn't talk about this at all. And this whole time he was smiling.
Well, maybe not exactly smiling but... in his way...
Then he summed up the whole lesson and gave me some advice regarding the technique of throwing a lasso.
"Maybe I am like you." I said and noticed that look of happiness appear on his face.
"Do you want to be?" Erik asked and saw me raise my shoulders and blush. I can only assume he took it as a positive answer, as his grin went wider than it was before.
Without any words he went to play his song on the organ. I followed him with my eyes and then turned around. I looked at my familiar window and noticed how much light was coming through it. It had gotten pretty late, surely it was after mid-day, considering I had probably woken up at 10am.
I walked up to the place where I had left the pot the previous day. It was empty... so was my stomach. I stood up with the pot in my hands. Erik heard me and turned around. And just as if he could read my thoughts, he said:
"If you are hungry, then go buy food. Don't steal."
I turned around in surprise and then watched him walk up to his desk and taking out some money from one of the drawers, before handing it to me. He could see the spark in my eyes as I touched the valuable pieces of paper. I looked at him surprised.
"I may be hideous, but I'm not hideous enough to do that." He stated with a little smile.
"Thank you, Erik." I said under my breath, my eyes still jumping between his face and the bills.
Then I ran to the nearest trapdoor, but soon realized it was locked. He came up, smiling at my confusion and opened it for me. I lively stepped into the dark hallway. A few steps in and I stopped and turned around. I looked him in the eyes before he could close the door and assured him:
"I'll come back soon."
I felt like I needed to add this, in case he thought that I'm just going to run away with the money and never return. He smiled at me and nodded.
"If you want it so..." I heard him and was about to leave, when he added:
"Maya," I turned around once again, upon hearing my name. "Alright, go." He finished with a smile. I left and heard the door being locked behind me.
I came out of the dungeons through one of the basement windows and for the first time in two days felt the sunrays on my skin. The breeze hit me nicely and there was not a single cloud in the sky. A rather unsurprising weather for this time of the year.
Next to the opera house there was a marketplace, but I didn't want to go there since I the sellers and I weren't exactly on good terms at the moment, after a few bread thefts I had committed. So, through the narrow alleyways, I found my way to the other part of the city, where I could safely move around.
While walking, I counted the money that Erik had given me. It was more than enough for one meal for me. So technically I could just run away and forget all that happened in the cellars of the Opera Populaire. But... why would I want to.
Erik said that I could come back if I wanted to. He wasn't making me stay, he wasn't making me leave. If the relationship, slowly building between us, was going to be based on mutual respect then I was fully convinced to be his friend. Thinking about all of this I went to buy said food.
The cruise for something to eat went without any problems. No crime and no chases. I enjoyed that.
It was getting late when I returned. I snuck into the tunnels underneath the opera house through my window. I quickly found a way back to the Phantom's lair in the fifth cellar. But when I entered, I was greeted only by silence.
I looked around confused. Erik was nowhere to be seen. Even though there was nothing more I could possibly see from there, I came up to his desk and saw some clothes, neatly folded. And at the top lied an envelope, sealed with a red wax skull.
Was the letter for me? I felt a slight blush on my cheeks as I raised it up and saw my name written on it. The mystery made my heartbeat go faster.
Dear Maya,
This is a formal welcome to my home. You can live here for as long as you wish.
My heart breaks, when I look at your clothing, so here you have something to change into. Once you're ready, meet me in Box 5.
Opera Ghost, Erik
I laid my hand on the pile of clothes and slowly set the letter down. Not even wondering anymore I quickly put them on. They were amazing!
My new outfit was really similar to Erik's. It consisted of black shoes, dark blue trousers, white shirt and a vest in the colour of the trousers.
I hopped in front of the mirror and admired my new attire. I looked just like the Phantom, but shorter and lighter (since his vest and trousers were black and mine were blue). I was aware, that it was a manly outfit, but for someone like me, clothes were clothes. And I loved it.
I kept the letter to myself and rushed to Box 5. Now that I knew where every tunnel led, it wasn't really hard. In about 10 to 15 minutes I ran out from the underground and climbed the stairs to the boxes above the audience in the theatre hall.
I saw Erik already sitting in his usual spot. I ran over to him and hugged him. He seemed rather surprised, even considering the fact, that it was him, who told me to come.
"Thank you so much, Erik." I said excitedly.
He turned around and admired his choice of clothes for me.
"Do you like it?" He asked. I nodded with a great grin on my face.
He patted the seat next to him, wordlessly commanding me to sit down. I did so.
"What are we waiting for?" I asked after a few seconds of silence, visibly bothered by lack of action around us.
"In about 5 minutes the audience shall start gathering for the premiere of 'Hannibal'. We are watching it too." He explained, examining every single seat below us.
My eyes widened. I was going to see a real stage performance! Not only the poster! This was going to be an amazing night. Soon the hall started filling up with different people, who longed to see the spectacle. They were mostly dressed up formally, which upset me until I realized, what I was wearing; my clothes now were no less formal than theirs. After quite some time all the lights faded and the only ones left were the ones lighting up the stage.
I looked at it, fascinated. The feeling grew as I watched the first person come up to the stage. It was Christine. I was still too far away to recognize the face, but I would always remember this shilouette.
Seeing his angel, Erik rose from his chair and leaned against the railing. I smiled at the sight of the Phantom being happy.
The play lasted longer than I had expected. I enjoyed it nonetheless. My favourite part was doubtlessly when Christine entered the stage, wearing an impressive, white dress. She sung the song that she had been singing for Erik, and then later at the rehearsal.
In her voice you could hear the all the emotions that had been inside of her heart, not only because she was an astounding actress, but also because of her feelings for this song. If not for it, she wouldn't have been standing where she was; In the spotlight, admired by the public, loved in all the meanings of this word.
When she finished, the crowd cheered loudly. Some bold men would even throw flowers in her direction. "Brava!" one could through the hustle and bustle of the amazed audience. Standing ovations seemed to have no end.
It was indeed the night I knew I would never forget. And something was telling me that Christine wouldn't either.
After the final bows, Erik took me by the hand and led me out of Box 5. He stopped only on the scaffoldings above the corridors of the part of the building, where the actors lived.
"Listen, today is the day, when I will show myself to Christine. This is her room." He said, grabbing my shoulder.
I looked at him positively surprised. He finally made his decision.
"I'm going to ask you a favor." He continued and I nodded as a confirmation that I understood "These are some notes that I want you to deliver. There is also one for you."
He handed me six envelopes, all of them looked the same as the previous ones I had seen. Each one had a different name on it. I read them in my head: "Maya", "Richard Firmin", "Gilles André", "La Carlotta" and two labeled "Antoinette Giry".
Erik and I were about to part ways, when we saw a few men walking down the corridor, talking and laughing. They were just about to come into what, I had been told, was Christine's room. One of them stopped the rest and said:
"Gentelmen, if you wouldn't mind. this is the one visit that I shall prefer to make unaccompanied."
And, taking flowers from one of them, he entered the room.
Taking advantade of the situation Erik pointed out to me the two men, that I was meant to deliver the notes to.
"It appears that they have met before." One of them commented jokingly and the group turned around to walk back, leaving the younger man alone with Christine.
"When he leaves, lock the door." Erik whispered, putting the key into my hand.
I got a little frightened. Erik wasn't really normal, of that I had already known. But this seemed a little creepy to me. But before I asked any questions the Phantom was gone.
After a few minutes the young man left the room, closing the door behind him. Smiling and humming a song, he walked away. I watched him disappear behind the corner.
When he was no longer in sight, I jumped down and quietly locked the door.
"Who are you and what do you think you are doing?" I heard a woman's voice behind me.
I turned around, scared. I saw an older woman, all dressed in black, with a walking cane. Her black and grey hair was made into a bun and she was eyeing me angrily.
"Madame Giry." I sighed relieved. She looked baffled.
"A note from the Opera Ghost." I said, handing her two envelopes.
She took them from me, still piercing me with her eyes.
"You didn't answer my question."
"Believe me, Madame, I know no more than anyone else. But perhaps those will provide us with explanations." I gestured at the letters. She opened one of them and read:
Antoinette,
Meet Maya. She's friendly and helpfull. She stays under my protection. Do not ask where is she from, I do not know either, but I put my trust in her.
Today I am taking Miss Daaé to my home. She will stay for the night, so do not fear for her and don't try to look for her. The other note is meant for the managers.
Your dear old friend, Opera Ghost, Erik
Madame Giry looked up at me again and held out her hand. I shook it as a sign of peace between us. Suddenly she pulled me behind the corner and I was soon to understand that the young man returned to knock at the door.
"Monsieur le Vicomte." Giry whispered to me.
I had heard of him, he was the opera house's new patron. And, as it turned out, Christine's admirer. When Raoul was struggling to open the door he heard a voice from inside.
"I am your angel of music."
"Whose is that voice?" He shouted, as if to ask Christine.
"Come to me, angel of music" the voice continued to sing.
"Who is that in there?" Raoul asked panicking. "Christine!"
But I knew that Christine was not in the room anymore...
Word count: 2479. I have to admit I am proud of myself.
Short story: I'm spending summer at the countryside and this year there are spiders everywhere (and I mean like 15 times more than usually). Literally anywhere you look, there are like 10 spiders!!! And today I found myself walking with my hand at the level of my eyes, so as not to end up with a cobweb on my face XD. I guess that POTO has taught me something...
Your allegiant servant,
N.C.