A New Opera Ghost

Chapter 4

Christopher was inside the opera house. He was pacing back and forth near the stage area, not even acknowledging the dancers trying to rehearse next to him. He was completely blinded by the thoughts racing through his mind. Will the show go alright? Will he give a good name to the Opera Populaire? Will he impress his father? Will the opera ghost show up tonight? Why is she even there? Thoughts flooding his mind made it impossible for him to eat, sleep, or speak.

After all, this was opening night. This night would determine if anyone would purchase admission to the opera house ever again. If this show goes bad, they might as well cancel all plans to put on performances. If the show goes bad, Christopher will lose the title of Manager, he will lose the opera house, and worst of all..he will disappoint his father. Granted, everything was sure to go well as it did in the past, but the anxiety was overwhelming Christopher to the point where it was controlling him. Someone needed to break him out of this nervous worry. Thankfully, someone noticed. As he was pacing, Laurent noticed him from the floor. Of course Laurent would notice. Christopher was pacing just like his father, Durand, used to.

He waved his baton up to signal for the music to stop. He walked over and put his hand on Christopher's shoulder, attempting to comfort him. "You know, I see you pacing back and forth. I am trying to rehearse with my actors, you know." Christopher stopped as he heard his father mentioned. He turned back to Laurent with an apologetic look. "I apologize, Monsieur. It's just that my entire future at this establishment rides on how tonight will go." His sad face told all of this thoughts and feelings at the moment. Laurent knew how stressed he must've been. He could still remember the day that Durand first started as manager.

"Like father like son. Your father was incredibly anxious about his opening night as well." Laurent told him. Christopher's eyes widened. "Really? But he composed himself so well. Every night, he was so calm and told me that no matter how it went, he would be proud of the performers and remain positive." Laurent chuckled. "Before you were born, your father was as unsteady as you are now. He would pace back and forth on the stage, mumbling and muttering to himself. I'd put my hand on his shoulder and reassure him that everything would be fine. Kind of like what I'm doing for you right now."

Christopher nodded, sighing. "It's hard not to be anxious. If the show goes wrong, I'll be terminated from my position. I love this opera house more than anything else in the world, and I couldn't bear to lose it." He hugged his arm as his eyes filled with tears. "I also cannot bear the risk of disappointing my father." Laurent looked at him, his eyes filled with kindness. "I understand how you feel. During my first opening night, I was as nervous as you and your father." He commiserated. Christopher looked at him in surprise. "Everyone who I thought was calm and collected is in fact as anxious as I am." Laurent chuckled.

"You have to keep in mind that this apprehension will only last so long. The show will be exceptional, and all these worries will have been meaningless. I promise you, Christopher, with your outstanding soprano and these marvelous dancers, the night will go swimmingly." Christopher smiled, his eyes lighting up. "Thank you, Monsieur." He looked straight ahead of him. "I will go outside and persuade the bystanders to attend the show." He walked down the stairs and outside of the opera house. Laurent smiled to himself. "He's a sweet kid. I hope his nerves vanish soon." He turned back to the dancers. "From the top!"

Christopher closed the heavy auditorium doors behind him, stepping into the sunlight. He sighed as the warm sun hit his skin. He stood underneath the opera house's roof, smiling at the people who walked by. He spent the whole afternoon handing out fliers and telling people all about the show that night. Christopher looked back at the opera house, a smile on his face. "I won't fail you." He didn't know if that statement was directed to the opera house, the people inside it, or his father. As he was going to turn around and go back inside, he felt something tugging at his pant leg.

"Monsieur! Aren't you the new manager of the opera building?" A sweet, young voice spoke. Christopher looked down to see a little girl, around the age of 9, staring up at him. Christopher smiled kindly and knelt down to the little girl's level, making eye contact with him. "Why yes, Mademoiselle, I am the new manager of the opera house." He took the girl's hand and kissed it, like a gentleman. "How may I help you?" The little girl blushed at his surprise kiss. She giggled a bit, taking her hand back and holding it. "I saw you standing alone, and I wanted to meet you!"

"Ah, thank you for rescuing me from my loneliness. Yes, I have just be coaxing the passer-bys to try and attend the show tonight." The little girl tilted her head out of confusion. "Convincing." Christopher changed, so that she could understand. The little girl nodded. "My mommy and daddy bought tickets to the opera tonight, and they said if I'm well-behaved, I may come too!" Christopher's eyes lit up. "Wonderful! I hope to see you there, miss..?" "Melody." "Melody. What a beautiful name." The little girl, delighted by his compliment, let out another childish giggle. Soon, her face fell. "My schoolmates said the opera is boring. Is it?" She asked.

Uh-oh. Christopher had feared this from the beginning. It was up to him to change and mold her opinion on the Opera Populaire. That would be easy for such an avid lover of the opera. He smiled. "Oh, not at all! The dancers here are marvelous. They can do many tricks and spectacular things that even I can't do. And we have a leading soprano I hired just today. She's stunning. Her voice is amazing, and she's a gorgeous woman." Melody's eyes lit up. "She sounds like a princess!" She gasped. Christopher smiled. "She almost is." Melody started to get excited. "Can I meet her after the show?"

"Why not meet her now?" Christopher stood up. "Elise!" Melody turned around. She squealed and ran up to Elise. "Miss! Mr..um.." She turned around. "What's your name?" "Christopher." "Mr. Christopher told me all about you!" Elise looked at Christopher. "Did he now?" Christopher hid his blushing face. "Yeah! He said you had an amazing voice, that you were beautiful, and that you were a princess." Elise chuckled. She knelt down to Melody. "Well, he's very sweet to say such things about me." Christopher's cheeks were a deep red now. Melody giggled. "He is! I can't wait to come to the show tonight. I'm sure you'll do great!"

"Why, thank you. I hope to see you there." Elise smiled at the little girl. Melody smiled back. She looked around and sighed. "I have to get home now. I'll see you at the show! Bye Elise, bye Christopher!"She called out as she started to run home. Elise and Christopher both waved and chuckled to themselves. Elise faced Christopher, a smirk on her face. "A princess, huh?" Christopher blushed. "S-She started that." Elise chuckled. "You're too sweet. Are you excited for tonight?" Christopher nodded. "Yes! I'm positive you'll do amazing." Elise blushed. "Thank you Christopher. I am here to rehearse and collect my music sheet." "Ah yes, follow me." Christopher walked to the doors and opened them for Elise, following her in.

Down the street, Melody was walking home. She was humming to herself a show tune she had picked up from home. As she was walking, she saw a butterfly flying around her. She gasped in wonderment, following the beautiful creature. The butterfly started flying back to the opera house. She ran after it, giggling a little. The butterfly flew behind the opera house, into a dimly light alleyway. Melody chased after it. After catching it in her hands, she let it go and sighed happily. After realizing she had ran a far ways from home, she started to look around to see where she was. Right when she was about to turn back, something emerged from the shadows.

A chapeau, a scarf, a cape, and a masked woman. Erica stood in front of the little girl, still surrounded by darkness. The little girl started to scream out of fright. The civilians around the area heard and went running to the alley. Erica's eyes widened. She backed into the wall, falling down. She closed her eyes as objects fell around her, her hat being knocked off. She grabbed her hat and looked at Melody again. Melody had stopped screaming and was paralyzed with fear. Melody then ran off, into the arms of the people who had heard her. Erica jumped onto a ledge and entered the opera house, running down a flight of stairs, down to the basement where she lived. "I only wanted to see him again.." She whispered as she returned to her dungeon.