Inside My Mind: The Phantom of the Opera as told by Miss Christine Daae

Chapter 4 Backstage

"Christine Daae, that was unbelievable!" My fellow dancers crowd around me, congratulating me on my big night. My mind is going a million miles an hour. Madame Giry smacks her cane on the floor and we all jump. I swear, we will never get used to that. "Yes, you did well. He will be pleased" she says, taking my chin in her hand. "And you" she says, turning to the dancers around me, "you were a disgrace! Such Ron du chon, such ton du quis! Come *smacking her cane on the floor* we rehearse, NOW!" The dancers follow her out, and I am left alone.

I feel his presence and suddenly have chills. He speaks to me, "Brava, Brava, Bravissima". He says my name "Christine" before Meg gets my attention. She starts asking me a bunch of questions "Where in the world have you need hiding? Really you were, perfect! I only wish I knew your secret, who is your great tutor?" I look around, thinking about how I'm going to explain this to her. I finally answer, "Father once spoke of an angel, I used to dream he'd appear." We walk into my dressing room and my attendant gets me out of my costume and into my dressing gown. I continue, "Now as I sing I can sense him, and I know he's here! Here in this room he calls me softly, somewhere inside hiding. Somehow I know he's always with me, he the unseen genius."

I sit at my dresser and as I'm changing my shoes, Meg says "I watched your face from the shadows, distant through all the applause. I hear your voice in the darkness, yet the words aren't yours." Looking into the distance, I start singing "Angel of Music, guide and guardian, grant to me your glory" Meg asks "Who is this angel, this..." before joining in "Angel of Music, hide no longer, secret and strange angel". She looks at me as my thoughts suddenly shift. And I realize, "he's with me even now", Meg grabs my hands and says "your hands are cold". I am back in my trance "all around me". She grabs my chin and says with worry in her voice says "your face, Christine, its white". My voice shaking, I reply "it frightens me". She immediately calms me by saying "don't be frightened."

Madame Giry's cane jolts me back to reality and I stand. Staring at her daughter, she asks "Meg Giry, are you a dancer? Then go and practice!" Meg runs off and Madame Giry hands me an envelope saying "my dear, I was asked to give you this". I thank her, and as I walk back to my chair, I open it. Sitting down, I read the note aloud. "A red scarf, the attic, Little Lotte". How peculiar. I have a red scarf that I've had since I was a teenager, and my childhood friend Raoul used to call me Little Lotte. We would always spend time together in the attic of the house I grew up in. My mind wanders, so I continue to change out of my costume.

As I'm taking my headpiece off, I hear the managers laughing. Andre says "A tour de force, there's no other way to describe it." "What a relief, not a single refund" Firmin replies, sounding very satisfied. Andre adds "Richard, I believe we've made quite a discovery with Miss Daae". I hear them tell someone "here we are Monsieur le Vicomte". Holy crow, they're talking to the patron! "Gentlemen" a strong voice says "if you wouldn't mind this is one visit I should prefer to make, unaccompanied". I continue to fix my hair, and wonder who they're talking to. In reply, Andre says "As you wish, Monsieur". "They appear to have met before" Firmin says before they laugh and move on.

I hear the door open and the same strong voice asks "Christine Daae, where is your red scarf?"