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

04. Notes

Once I returned from the depths of the opera house, I made my way back through the halls to see Christine again. Maybe if she could tell us what happened, we could do something to keep her safe from this man. Though the Phantom hadn't harmed her as far as anyone of us knew. Despite whatever fascination he had with Christine, he didn't seem to want to hurt her. And the fact that he hadn't let me plunge to my death when I confronted him meant he wasn't just some cold blooded criminal.

I tried to focus my thoughts, but that became even harder when I walked into the grand entry hall to find Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur Andre speaking to one another. I stepped back behind a pillar before they could see and listened closely.

"Damnable! Will they all walk out? This is damnable!" Andre shouted, obviously upset about what I could only assume was Christine's disappearance and Carlotta's resignation.

Firmin quickly chimed in, "Andre please don't shout! It's publicity! And the take is vast, free publicity--"

"But we have no cast!"

"Andre, have you seen the queue?" He paused when he saw the note in Andre's hand. "Ah, it seems you've got one too."

Andre proceeded to read the note for him, an unpleasant look on his face. "Dear Andre, what a charming gala, Christine was, in a word, sublime. We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left. On that note, the diva's a disaster, must you cast her when she's seasons past her prime?"

Firmin cut him off with his own note. "Dear Firmin, just a brief reminder. My salary has not been paid. Send it care of the ghost by return of post. P.T.O, no one likes a debtor so it's better if my orders are obeyed!"

"Who would have the gall to send this?" They both asked at the same time. "Someone with a puerile brain!"

"These are both signed O.G.," Firmin noted as he looked down at the piece of paper.

"Who the hell is he?" asked a fuming Andre.

They both realized at the same time. "Opera Ghost!" The Phantom really did have a style for the theatrics.

Firmin muttered, "It's nothing short of shocking."

"He is mocking our position!" Andre added with discontent.

"In addition he wants money!"

"What a funny apparition!"

"To expect a large retainer. Nothing planer, he is clearly quite insane!" They again said together in their rage for the opera ghost.

That's when Raoul suddenly entered the room, a less than pleased look on his face. "Where is she?" He demanded.

Firmin grew a confused expression. "You mean Carlotta?"

"I mean, Miss Daae. Where is she?" He asked again as he started walking up the stairs to meet them.

"Well how should we know?" Andre asked with an equally as confused look as his partner.

"I want an answer! I take it that you sent me this note!" Raoul approached then with a piece of paper in his hand.

Firmin furrowed his brow as he walked with Andre down the steps to meet him. "What's all this nonsense? Don't look at us!"

"She's not with you then?" Raoul asked skeptically.

"Of course not!" Andre responded defensively.

"We're in the dark!" Firmin added.

"Monsieur don't argue! Isn't this the letter you wrote?" Raoul held out the note.

"And what is it that we're meant to have wrote?" He paused, realizing his mistake. "Written!" He corrected himself as he took the note from him.