The Phantom's Melody (The Phantom of the Opera)

03. Secret Catacombs

Anger rose in my chest as I left the dormitories and returned to the backstage area. How did this phantom or ghost or whatever the hell he was, think he could actually get away with taking Christine? For supposedly being this evil ghost with a flair for the theatrics, he didn't seem to have worked things out all too well.

As I snuck through the opera house, I ignored the soft spoken words coming from the people I passed. Apparently word of Christine had spread rather quickly. But that became a distant thought when I passed by the Prima Donna's dressing room. I stopped upon seeing the door cracked open slightly, glancing around cautiously to make sure no one was looking. I was hesitant to even approach considering what happened the last time I had been in there. But I was determined to find this Phantom and figure out why he had taken Christine.

I slipped inside the room, that chill from before leaving goosebumps on my skin. I wrapped my shawl tighter around my body as I crept through the room, picking up a candle sitting nearby and holding it up so I could see. So far no dark, shadowy figures. That was good.

I stopped in front of the tall mirror that sat as the centerpiece of the dressing room and simply looked at my reflection for a moment. My hair was a mess, the curls sticking every which way. And my neck...god, I would show that man a piece of my mind when I saw him again. If I saw him again. I almost hoped I didn't.

I was about to turn away when I noticed a thin crack on the left side of the mirror where it was separated from the wall. I pursed my lips as I inspected it closely before realizing there was an opening behind the mirror.

So that's how you got in.

I placed my hand on the beautifully sculpted golden edge of the mirror and slowly slid it aside, revealing a passageway beyond. I poked my head through into the darkness before glancing back into the dressing room for a moment. I grabbed a candelabra sitting on the table and placed my lit candle inside before slipping into the dark that stretched in front of me.

The passageway was cold and damp, the candelabras hanging on the walls missing the flames that they would normally carry. "The Phantom is ever so welcoming," I muttered under my breath before almost squealing when a rat came running out of a crevice in the stone wall. "Damn rodent."

Keep it together, Lucille. What's the worst that could happen? Oh I don't know, maybe getting strangled again? I usually try to stay away from such threats if I could help myself, but sadly my curiosity was more than I could suppress.

Taking a deep breath, I lifted my dress up so it wouldn't get wet and soiled from the rocky ground. Holding up my only source of light, I let the flame guide me through the winding passages ahead.

It amazed me that no one had yet to find these secret tunnels running under the opera house. Then again, I'm sure the ever so friendly Phantom of the Opera would make sure no one ever heard about them if someone did find out. The thought alone made a shiver run up my spine.

Shaking my head, I pushed the feeling aside and focused on the ground below my feet that had now fallen down into a set of stairs leading into an unknown corridor. Lifting my chin up into the air, I grabbed my dress by the hem and took one step down at a time. What would be at the bottom? Would he be waiting for me? Does he already know I'm here? The questions raced through my mind, allowing no time for me to even think of the answers. However, that became the last thing on my mind soon enough.

My foot came down on the next step when suddenly the floor disappeared from beneath me. Half a scream erupted from my throat before my hand caught itself on the ledge, my body dangling helplessly towards the darkness below. The candelabra had dropped from my hand towards what god only knew was below me, my other hand desperately holding onto the step that I had previously been standing on.

But you know what's worse than perpetual darkness? Hanging on for dear life in perpetual darkness with a looming figure now standing above you. Yeah, not a pleasant sight exactly.

My gaze fell upon the man clad in dark, black clothing who stood just a few inches away from me, watching with a little flicker of amusement in his eyes.

Amusing my ass!

Reaching up, I grabbed hold of the ledge with my hand that had been dangling at my side and I practically clawed my nails into the stone to keep me from falling. "Stop staring and help me up!" I snapped, hoping the phantom man in front of me had some kind of gentlemanly nature.

Unfortunately, I tend to be wrong about these kinds of things.

He cocked his head at me, his eyes narrowing a fraction of an inch before he kneeled down in front of me, his face now level with mine. "You shouldn't have come here, girl." he said, his voice still as closed off and mysterious as our last encounter.

"Yeah, I'm starting to realize that..." I muttered, the muscles in my arms starting to ache as gravity pulled down at my body, urging it to let go. "Please," I grounded out, throwing a pleading glance in his direction.

Maybe 'please' was the magic word for the next thing I knew he was grabbing my arm and pulling me up over the ledge, letting go once I was back on solid ground. I ignored the aching muscles in my arms as I looked up at him with a glare. "Thanks," I said, only half grateful. He did help me, but reluctantly at best.

Instead of responding, he took a step towards me, forcing me to take a step back towards the ledge. I swallowed hard, instinctively touching the bruises around my neck. He wasn't going to push me off, was he? That would have made the saving me part rather pointless.

"Why are you here?" He growled, his voice as cold and smooth as steel. I would have flinched, but the last thing I wanted to give him was satisfaction in actually scaring me.

"Christine, you took her. Straight out from under our noses. Did you really think no one would notice?" I asked, my glare intensifying as I clenched my fists.

In the dark I swore I saw his eyes roll. "I didn't take her."

I narrowed my eyes. "I find that very hard to believe." Christine wouldn't speak of what happened, which only made me more anxious. But it didn't sound like her to just disappear for an entire night with some man who lurked in the shadows of the opera house.

"Believe what you want," he said, not seeming to care much about my opinion. "But you will stay out of this. It's none of your concern." His voice had gone cold once again, taking on that threatening tone from our first encounter. I instinctively retracted a little.

"I will as long as you stay away from Christine." I responded, giving just as much edge to my voice. "She can keep believing that you're some guardian angel, but that doesn't mean everyone else has to." I looked up to meet his gaze head on, ignoring how his eyes pierced straight through me. "So stay away from her. That's my warning."

That same amusement from earlier flashed in his eyes again before he leaned in, his face inches from mine. "Don't get any closer, or next time I won't hesitate from finishing what I started." He said quietly, his voice smooth but venomous.

A lump formed in my throat, terrified for a moment of what this man was truly capable of doing. But before I could say anything in reply, he was gone. Here one moment, gone the next as the shadows melted around him. A Phantom. A ghost.

Suddenly I felt very cold and afraid. Maybe coming down here wasn't the greatest idea after all.

~~~~~

A little bit of a shorter chapter this time, but this was one my favorite scenes to write throughout the book so I hope you enjoyed! Look forward to some 'Notes' in the next chapter. ;)