Timeless Love

Chapter 5

Evie's POV

I can feel them. The spirits of earlier performances. They fill my body and make me energized and whole. I love this feeling, I always get it when I'm on a stage, except this one is much stronger than any I've felt. It's almost as if they're telling me I belong here; that I was destined to be on this stage. I can't help but feel elated, since I've been wanting to stand here essentially my entire life. Louise is doing her own thing, but soon she fades away, and I am alone on the stage, imagining myself singing Think of Me for a full-house. I close my eyes, and I feel how I imagine Christine felt when she performed it. I long to stay here forever in this moment, but it soon ends when I look up to box 5 (out of sheer curiosity) and see a dark manly figure sitting up there.

Oh no, it can't be.

I blink and he's still there. One moment later, I see a flash of a white mask.

"Louise look! Up in box 5!! There's a man, and he-"

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny. Sorry to ruin your fun, but I'm not falling for your silly pranks. And I don't really think it's fair that you yell at me when I mention your obsession, but it's okay if you do it." She really doesn't believe me, but then again I could be seeing things. I better look again, and then have her look.

Sure enough, he's staring right at me. "LOUISE seriously look!!! I'm not joking!!"

She turned around, and he disappeared.

"Okay, I think it was a trick of the shadows, but I saw something move. I don't think it was a man, or a phantom for that matter. Now let's get back to our room, it's getting late and we have an exhausting day ahead of us tomorrow. Let's hope our prima donna is nothing like Carlotta!"

"I think I will die if the prima donna is like her!" I just can't fathom how such a disgusting person became so loved. Maybe these managers will have some sense in them.

Louise and I start walking back to our room, but we decide to take the backstage area for a quicker trip. I don't know if it is my crazy imagination, but I feel as though I'm being watched. I guess I'll write it off, after all my mind wants so bad for me to have a phantom, to be just like Christine. I love that musical and that story so much. Erik's character is so beautiful, and I wish Christine would have gone with him to save him from loneliness. This story speaks to me on so many levels, and I can't help but think that if I were in Christine's position, I would have stayed with the Phantom. I don't think she was brave enough, and maybe she didn't love him as much as much as Raoul, but I am a different person than her, and I don't know that I would have been able to say no to him. Although, he did murder many people (including dropping one right on the freaking stage) but I would give anything to be in her position and choose the right man; Erik.

Just then I felt coldness, and saw a shadow move. Apparently Louise had seen it too, because she gasped, "Evie, did you see that shadow?"

"Yes, I did. I don't think it was anything though, just a trick of our eyes. Let's just keep moving along, but we can pick up our pace."

"Okay. You must be rubbing off on me." With that, we both retreated to our own thoughts. I can't help but wonder if the Phantom's spirit truly is in this building. I mean, he practically created and ran the place. Perhaps his soul never left and he is trapped here...yeah that can't be true. I need to wake up from my fantasies. I will never be whisked away into a world of darkness and music and powerful love. No, I will always be in this dull world that seems to have no purpose sometimes. Oh well. I guess I'll always have music and my family.

"So do you want the bathroom first, or can I get ready?"

"You can go ahead and go first, I need to put my things away." Louise went into the bathroom, and I started unpacking right away. After all, this is my new home, and I plan to make it feel as homey as possible. I realize I need to take inventory of the room, since I did not have a chance before. It is a very nice room, styled exactly as it was back when the Opera Populaire was in its heyday, with the exception of an additional bed and vanity set. The walls are blue with a gold design, the floors are a beautiful hardwood, and there is an intricate miniature chandelier hanging in the middle of the ceiling. A huge bookshelf is built into the wall, and I am excited to fill it with books, movies, pictures, a TV, and a DVD player. Our dressers are in a closet, and it has room for us to hang nice clothes and store our shoes. I am so thankful for this room, because it is exactly how I would want it to be. I can't wait to add my personal touches...hopefully Louise won't mind, but she has lived with me for the past three years, so she knows how I like to decorate.

Too soon, Louise is out of the bathroom and begging me to turn off the lights, "Please Evie, I beg of you! Our day is going to be so long tomorrow and I would like to be awake for all of it, not just sleepwalking through it." She has a valid point, I need to get to bed too. I quickly change and get ready, then collapse onto my comfortable new bed.

"Yes, tomorrow will be the start of our brandnew lives, won't it?" Louise mumbled a yes, and I drifted off to sleep within afew seconds.