At the Opera House

Chapter 14: The Audition

The backstage of the Opera House was a wandering mess of sets, props and ropes. Humans wandered along the edges, waiting for their turn to audition.

Christine sat on a crate, wearing her best dress again, reading a book while leaning against the wall with a leg crossed comfortably.

Meg sat next to her, in her ballet skirt and shoes. In the corner of Christine's eye she saw Meg's hands picking at the edges of her skirt, slowly pulling apart the seams.

Christine looked down from her book to reach out to stop her from unstiching her skirt too badly. "Darling, your going to have to fix that later." She reminded her. "Best leave it alone."

Meg nodded, reaching up to fiddle with her hair. "You're so calm." She whispered. "You're the one auditioning and you're so calm."

"This is nothing new to me." Christine gave a rue smile. "I used to do a lot of auditions, I learned to be very comfortable with them."

"I do a lot of auditions too!" Meg insisted. "I audition for the lead Ballerina roles for every Opera."

"I used to do three or a four a week." Christine smiled and sat back, listening to a singer onstage.

"Three or four." Meg looked startled. "But-"

"I moved around a lot, trying to find a place that could take me." Christine shrugged, then winced as a women onstage tried and failed to hit a higher note. "Oh, I do wish she'd chosen another song, she's more of an alto."

"What are you Christine?" Meg asked.

"Oh, definitely a soprano." Christine said firmly, turning back to her reading, she turned a page absently. "I can go very high."

"I do hope you get the part." Meg said urgently, ignoring Christine's cue to end the conversation. Or perhaps she was unaware of it. "I've had enough of strutting, squawking Carlotta."

Christine smoothed out a page. "Her singing is decent."

"You keep on saying that." Meg said, giving Christine an odd look. "Why do you keep on saying that?"

"It's about the only thing I can say about her that is kind." Christine allowed herself a prim smile. "I don't believe in insulting others."

"I heard that yesterday you were pretty insulting to Carlotta." Meg slyly reminded her.

"That was different." She turned another page.

"Oh?"

"It was in the defense of Emily. I was trying to direct the attention to me." Christine shrugged. "No moral rule can hold true all the time. I believe, and still believe, that yesterday was a proper time to break that rule."

Meg frowned. "What?"

Christine looked up from her reading and gave Meg a tired, but kind, smile. "Killing is wrong, yes?"

"Of course." Meg said quickly.

"And those who kill ought to be put in jail?"

Meg nodded. "Yes, yes of course, then gasped suddenly. "Oh- Christine I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright." Christine placed a sheet of paper in her place and closed her book. "Let's say, someone is attacking you, and you fight back and killed them. Now is that wrong?"

"I- I don't think so." Meg admitted.

"Exactly." Christine informed Meg with a wink. "In general, I don't like to kill people. But if killing others in required in the defense of myself and the rest of the human race, I will do so."