Music in the Dark

Chapter 6: Into the Dark

Four hearts and a fourth black rose were carried to what once had been the famous Christine Daae's dressing room. Her daughter, Aveline, who bore the objects to the room, felt the ice that had collected at her hemline begin to thaw indoors. She walked slowly, catching her breath from the mad rush she had put herself through.

Her steps seemed steadfast enough, but her heart felt only trepidation. The Phantom of the Opera would be waiting, somewhere, for the black rose that she possessed. Surely she had seen every part of the enormous Paris Opera. She was certain that the end of their game was near.

As she walked back from the crypt, she contemplated what she would say to her captor. What could she say to him that she hadn't? Perhaps, at this point, all that was left to do was plead with him. Or would it be better to just listen? He had murdered before...she did not wish to be his next target.

When she arrived to her mother's room, she placed the remaining four colorful hearts in the holes in the wall. Nothing changed.

Had she missed something?

Aveline looked at the colors: white, blue, black, pink, and red. They probably had a specific order to them. Where had she seen those colors before...

She left the room and searched for the scrap of paper that she had found on one of the sewing tables. After pushing some swatches of material, she located it.

Ladies, the following costumes will be neededfor the Phantom's opera, "Don Juan Triumphant":our hero in royal blue, his love in pure white, thesister in a seductive crimson, their friend in pink,and, lastly, the villain in black. – A.

She was about to return to the room, but she recognized the characters from another piece of scrap paper. Having used the elevator multiple times, Aveline no longer worried for her safety. She picked up the piece of paper that she had discarded what must have been hours before.

Daroga, I am aware that Mssr. Andre has already

informed you of the cast order. This shall be yourlast reminder. First, the villain appears, shroudedin darkness. Next, the valiant hero and the delicatematron will come onstage. Please give them generouslighting. After them, the provocative sister of theheroine will appear. She is to be bathed in a red light.Lastly, the heroine herself will come onstage. Shemust have an ethereal glow about her. Do not losethese instructions...or you will lose your job. – F.

Aveline made her way back to the private room and stood in front of the wooden wall. She switched the hearts, according to the order on the stagehand's paper. Black, blue, pink, red, and white... The ground her began to hum and quake, while the mahogany wall sank into its depths. She was unable to scream, but she moved away from the sinking wall and held the vanity table to steady herself. Her eyes betrayed her fear.

As the wall moved, it revealed a mirror the size of a doorway. Once completely exposed, the mirror changed from its reflective purpose to a window. The Phantom was backlit in the mirror, with one hand outstretched to her. The purple lights in her room dimmed, so that he was the only visible entity.

"Are you ready to end this journey? Bring me another black rose, and a new chapter in your life will begin!"

Aveline shakily held up the rose she had found in his crypt.

"On that night, on the rooftop of my beloved Opera, you broke my heart. But now you are with me...and I am whole, again."

The glass slid to the side, and the Phantom, as real as a man could be, stepped through the doorway. She contemplated running, but her body merely cowered against the vanity, shrinking away from his intimidating presence.