Chapter 8 - across the lake

Henri’s POV
All right, I realize sneakin’ ‘round the manager’s office at night isn’t the smartest thing to do, but there’s somethin’ fishy ‘bout that man that doesn’t sit right with me. Boy, this office sure is tidy. There isn’t one little thing out of place.

I keep glancing around my back, scared someone’s goin’ to show up. There’s not much ‘ere… A fancy chair, with an expensive looking desk.

I try opening a drawer on the desk, but they’re all locked, “Figures,” I mutter, sitting in the fancy chair. It’s one of those chairs that spin ‘round. I try opening a few more compartments, but no luck.

Wait a minute… Hello! Keys! There’s a whole bunch them at the side of the desk. They must open every door at the opera house.

I start trying different keys into the locks on the drawers. Nothing… I suddenly here something shuffle behind me, I spin the chair ‘round scared.

“Who’s there?” I ask, standing up. It’s just your nerves, gettin’ on you! I gulp. Maybe I ought to go now… Nah, c’mon you just got ‘ere!

My curiosity gets the better of me… I keep trying different keys until finally one fits! Got it!

Inside lies a black notebook. I take it out and place it on the desk. It’s… It’s a date book? Not very interesting…

“Wait a tick… August 13th…” my eyes widen at the words before me.

“You fool,” I whip my ‘ead ‘round towards the angry voice. Fading… Fading into nothing.

………………………………………..

Meg’ POV

We enter a dock where we’re greeted by a long murky lake. No boats! I bit my nails nervously. We’ve come too far just to back out now…

“Meg… Now what?” Ebony asks. My eyes meet the pillars… I remember how the crowds of people had walked through the water. The water didn’t look too deep, but it was dark and murky.

“We could swim over to there,” I explain pointing at the sides of the skinny line of lake.

“Swimming? This is madness! You’ve wounded your head, you’re not thinking properly,” she cries, rubbing her temples.

“I doubt this water is very deep,”

“No way Meg! I simply can’t do this… I’ve come this far, but I can’t believe that there’s somebody living down here in this gloom! I can’t,”

“Ebony, look at all those candles! Surely someone must have lit them and put them there!”

“But Meg… Look at that water! It’s looks like ink,” she objects.

“Fine… Stay here, I’ll go by myself,” I tell her. She bites her lip, and glances around at the creepy surroundings. I already have stepped in the water. It’s cold to the bone, but it’s fairly shallow. Only goes to my knee.

“Wait Meg! Wait for me!” she exclaims, jumping in after me. I hold my finger to my lips.

“Shh, we don’t know what we’re dealing with,” I hiss. We walk till we reach the pillars. By then the water is up to our thighs. I climb onto the ledge and swing my legs up.

Ebony follows my example, only with a little more effort on her part. The floor beneath us is damp. I pick myself up and began to walk further down this soggy corridor.

“Careful you don’t slip,” I say, glancing behind. She nods, but her eyes are glued to the sculptures emerging from the depths of the lake.

“I can’t believe this is real…” she mutters in wonder.

………………………………………

Christine’s POV

“Are you lost?” I turn my around to see a handsome man staring curiously at me.

“Why no, Sir,” I start, “I… I wanted to pay a visit to the opera house,” I stutter, sounding rather foolish.

“In the middle of the night?” his grin widens. I suddenly realize I’m probably breaking an entry!

“Look I’m awfully sorry, I shan’t stay any longer, I-”

“You’re Christine Daaé, aren’t you?” he asks. My face flushes.

“How… How do you know my name?”

“I remember your picture from the papers,” he explains, seeing my confusion. I relax a little, “I’m curious though why you’re here, especially at this hour,”

“I just felt the need to see…my old friends,” I clarify to him, “Pardon me for asking, but who are you exactly?”

“Jacque Bellamount, the new manager of the Opera Populaire,” he dramatically bows.

“A pleasure, Monsieur Bellamount, do you think I might be able to stay here a night or so?”

“Please I insist you call me Jacque,” he smiles, “And yes, I believe there might be a spare room for you,”

“Really? Are you sure it’s no trouble?”

“Not at all,” he offers an arm. I gladly accept it, but am in a state of bewilderment. If it were odd enough he didn’t call guards to arrest me from breaking an entrance, he’s letting me stay under no charge whatsoever!

…………………………………….

Meg’s POV

Each step I take is more frightful then the next. My heart comes to a frozen stop as I gaze in terror of what I see before me. There… There before us stands the huge opening to his world. Yet something is quite amiss… Ebony’s eyes are wider then mine. Her face pale as a fresh harvest moon.

“If you’d rather not go…” I whisper.

“Meg… There truly is someone living down here?” her voice sounds painstaking.

“Yes… I wasn’t lying,” I gaze carefully from the pillar. Peeking at the candles all lit up from inside the grotto. We’d have to walk in the water to reach the shore, but I didn’t know if I had the courage to go on.

“Who lives down here Meg? Who would live in such a place?” her voice quivers.

“I told you… The Phantom lives down here; he’s the one who destroyed the opera house three years ago! But since then no one’s heard from him. We all thought he was dead,”

“I don’t understand!” she whispers. But our conversation is interrupted when loud organ music fills our ears. The melody rings harshly filled with sorrow and anger. “Oh my God…”

“I’m sorry! This was a bad idea! I don’t know what I was thinking!” I don’t know what’s wrong with me. This music is eating me inside out. Tears tumble down my cheeks.

This is it… I couldn’t go back now, without feeling pathetic for the rest of my life. I had to do this. I simply had to.

“Ebony… I want you to stay here,” I say. She nods, in astonishment of this place.

I throw the bag over my shoulder, hoping it wouldn’t get wet. The water feels gooey around my body. Sticking to my clothes. Every step makes me shake more. My pulse runs rapid and I have a horrible sinking feeling.

Suddenly the organ music comes to an abrupt halt. My eyes squint at the bright candlelight. Before I realize it… I’m in his home!

The water level touches my ankles, swaying gently over the ruined boots. I look before me. What a sight to behold! Candles high and low, draperies hanging from the walls, and… a grand organ. Upon which a man sits. I gasp, but quickly regret it. I clasp my hands over my mouth.

He suddenly turns around, his eyes glaring menacingly towards me. I try to stand tall, showing that I am confident even in this awkward situation.

“Foolish girl… How dare you intrude my solitude?” he growls, slowly coming towards me. My eyes are fixated upon the skull shaped mask he wears. Emerald eyes beneath a skull shaped mask. Everything Ebony had described to me. She had danced with him!

“I’ve…I…I” I stutter nervously, the words on the tip of my tongue, but refusing to pass my lips.

He stands dangerously close before me. I take a step back. Splash. His eyes are rooted to the bag I’m grasping in a tight fist.

“I stole something from you!” I cry, sounding horribly pitiful. If I didn’t know better I would have thought confusion ran across his eyes for a split moment. Yet he stays in his superior stance.

“I imagine you’ve come to return it,” he says coldly.

“I…Yes…I have,” I pull out the porcelain mask. His eyes widen.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment