The Phantoms Child||Phantom of the Opera FanFic

Chapter One|| Wandering Child

'Mummy. . .' I held the little music box in my one hand and tugged on my mothers blue dress with the other.
'Angela sweetie, just wait. Can't you see Mother is busy?' She spoke to me and I slightly frowned.

I witnessed my mother speak to so many adults and wealthy men with her lover. Knowing how mother was at the young age I was, I was frightened that she wasn't appreciative to her fiancé.

'Mummy, I'm tired.' I whined and whined to her until she finally gave me her attention. She crouched down in her dress and put her delicate hands on my small shoulders. 'Angela, darling. . . Mother is busy sorting things. Why don't you venture off to the stage.' She gave me her pearl white smile and I nodded. I began to wander over to the grand staircase that lead to the stage as my mother went back to speaking.

My little legs managed to carry me up those stairs as I held the music box close to my chest.

The music hall was dimly lit from the many burning candles around it. I just remembered what attracted me most. That Chandelier that hung above the cushioned seats.
It always brought a lovely smile upon my lips. It still does. . .

I twirled myself around in a circle as I looked up and brought myself on the stage, sitting down upon my knees. I opened up that little music box and wound it up. It played a soft tune that sounded just like a piano playing.
I was fond of this music box. Maybe because mother told me that it was my fathers wedding gift; if it was fathers possessions, then I guess I had to have been attached to it.

The music began to play and I hummed along, spilling a few words out; singing.

'La la la. . . Paper faces on parades-' I stopped singing as the music did.
Just then, I jumped a little as I heard noises clatter up above me.
I pushed my body up from the shining stage flooring and extended my neck, tipping my head back.
'He-hello?' I let out and turned my head to look at the entrance.

'Now who are you talking to, Angela?' My mothers fiancé walked down the isle and stood across from where the orchestra pit was. He was a kind man. . . They married too quickly, though.

Before answering his question, I paused and looked up again and pointed upwards as I thought I saw something move. 'Somebody is up there.' I informed him and he looked up, then walked around and began climbing on stage. He picked me up in his arms along with music box as I tried reaching out for it with my short arms. 'Sweetie, I don't see anybody up there. But it could've just been one of the stage crews.'

Not questioning anything, I fell silent as I questioned myself what I saw, or heard.
The large room became small as he carried me off back into the lobby.

We finally met up with my mother again up at the front and she grabbed her cape, wrapping it around herself and he grabbed his coat. What about me? No, it was a dinner for the both of them and they left me at the opera house. I won't lie; I was in great care. I wasn't taken home because there were things to do there and the house was on the other side of Paris and it'd be too long. I could be a fussy child, so for a whole carriage ride home without my parents would be worse for the nanny.

'We'll just be in restaurant around the corner. We'll be back to bring you home when we're done dinner, alright Angela?' My mother then inquired and I simply nodded, extending my arms out for a 'goodbye hug'.

I received a hug from both of them and a kiss from my mother. I then witnessed them departure a few moments later as my nanny from earlier in the day came back.

. . .Time passed. . .

'Angela, dear. It's awfully late, you should get some sleep before your parents arrive.' My nanny took my hand and took me to my mothers fiancés office for me to rest on the small couch in there.
He had almost everything in there.
Except a blanket- that, I remember vividly. It was cold in his office, and it was difficult to rest because of that, but as well as the music that I could hear. I thought my music box had stopped for I never rewound it. And it was the song that came from my music box, too.

I sat up from the couch and looked around, trying to find the source of the music. I paced around the office and went to the bookshelf that had been built inside the wall. It came from the inside of that specific wall but it seemed I had no way to get to it. And I couldn't just leave the office because of the door being locked. It always is.

A few minutes passed and it would oddly stop and play again. That music. A little tantrum went over me and I plopped myself on the ground, hitting the edge of one of the shelves causing books to fall off.

I couldn't fathom over what I saw- the large mirror across the room slid to the side and there was a tunnel. A tunnel. . . It didn't stay open for long so while I could still fit, I slithered my way in and it sealed shut in behind me. Rare amount of candles were still lit in the damp trail that then lead to the catacomb the deeper you went.

I made it to the bottom and hesitated to take another step. The sewage system was there. The water had cleared but that wasn't the problem if I got dirty or not.
I never learnt how to swim at all.
I just knew how to hold my breath if my head went under. Five year old me believed in myself and was confident in reaching that music in the distance. I bared with it and took my shoes off, jumping into the little lake under this opera house.

But then it hit me. . . Every time I think of it I feel the exact burning feeling coursing through my lungs when the water took over them, removing all the air I once had to breathe. When I paddled up I coughed up little amounts of water and screamed. Natural instinct.

My limbs began to feel heavy as they got tired keeping my body up, and I began falling into the dark water.