Let Your Fantasies Unwind

Chapter 25

I wander out to find Madame Giry again about half an hour later. Erik is playing furiously on his organ, and people are rushing around, trying to get their performance just right, barely noticing me.

'Being small and plain does help.' I think negatively.

I get to Madame Giry's room, and I knock and wait. I hear shuffling behind the door.

"What do you-" she stops as she sees me. "What are you doing here?" she pulls me in a hurried manner.

"I'm just trying to spend a couple of hours, somehow."

"You can be caught here, though, fille."

"The name's Megan."

"Madame Giry is all that you'll need to know." She eyes me. "Erik told me that you came into his life last November, but he currently is still confused as to how you got so far into his passageways." She glances at the door. "He was patrolling, and then you suddenly appeared in, as I quote, 'A glowing ball of a light, purple color, in a flash, and then she was there!' Are you capable of magic too?"

I look around the room before answering. "In a way, I am, but where I come from, it's not magic. It's science." 'I'm telling her before Erik because...?'

"Why have you not told Erik before?"

"It never really came up, and I don't know how to word it."

"Just do it as you did now."

I raise an eyebrow. "Have you met the man?"

She sighs. "Listen, I've got to go soon. But," she turns to me. "You know more than what you let on. That kind of power is dangerous. How far does your knowledge extend?"

"Not very-"

"Erik craves knowledge. You know he does, so you must be careful about what you say. I won't say a word to Erik." She barely says above a whisper, and winks. "Now, go back down." She exits the room from the door.

I look around the area to see if there's another exit, and see a window. I look out the window and see a sill filled with flowers that are starting to wither. I see another window in every direction next to Giry's, but a good way to get out. I go back to the door, listen carefully for any passersby, and after hearing no one for a minute, I step out and go to a hidden entrance.

'How should I spend the next few hours? Maybe keep an eye and ear on everything? I should ask Erik before doing so though.'

I enter the house, and Erik is passed out on the couch in the living room. I go up and poke him. He latches onto my hand, puts me in an arm lock, but then let's go quickly when he realized it's me.

"What do you want?"

"Should I...patrol I guess is the right word? Well, before the gala?"

"Sure. Find out what's happening around the Opera house." He says in a calm manner.

'Lazy bones.' I take a deep breath. "Have a nice nap."

"Don't forget to eat something." He calls softly.

I exit the house carefully and go back up to the Opera house once more.

I see, as the hour passes, the actors, dancers, stage shifters, and everyone in between them to the managers start to panic. The people rush around, trying to get from place to place to make sure their costume is just right, their makeup is reapplied because a small part got messed up, and practice the moves or lines they have the most trouble over. The stage shifters try to make the stage as perfect as possible, the dancers fluff their tutus, and the people who will mainly sing drink plenty of water and do some scales.