The Birth of a Phantom (A Phantom of the Opera Phan Fic)

Is it Love or Blackmail? ~ Chapter 1

"The Phantom really existed..." Young Kristine sat in her room, her nose buried in another book. The Phantom of the Opera to be more specific. She had a keen fascination with the art of music. Something about it gave her a thrill that she longed for. Fate had placed her under a musically gifted father, and ever since she was a little girl, Kristine had loved to sing with her father.

Kristine's mother had died when she was born, and her father remarried when she was ten. Unfortunately the woman Kristine's father had married was a selfish woman. She had a daughter of her own whom she favored and pampered with Kristine's father's money. The step-mother's daughter was rude to Kristen and would quite often pick on her.

As fate came back to haunt her, Kristine's father died, leaving her with a horrid step-mother and a cruel step-sister. Kristine was miserable.

Her step-mother continued to run the theatre Kristine's father had established. It was a pretty nice place with a few good dancers and singers. Kristine would have been a lovely singer, but Kristine's step-mother kept her silent as to not take away from her real daughter's potential. Instead, Kristine was put to work scrubbing floors, running errands, helping performers, etc. She could do whatever work needed to be done, but she was not allowed to sing.

Anyway, Kristine sat in her room, alone, reading her book. She didn't have much time to herself, but when she did, she spent most of it reading.

"Kristine! Kristine, where are you?" A young girl's voice rang through the dorms in the back of the theatre.

"Back here." Kristine replied with a sigh.

A young girl popped her head in Kristine's door. "There you are! Mother wants you to prime the floor after the tap dancing scene. Can't have scuffs you know." The girl waved her finger in Kristine's face.

"Alright, Megan, I'll get right on it." Kristine sat her book under her pillow and got up to clean the floors. "You just wait. I'll get my break and be out of here." Kristine murmured to herself. "That'll show them!"

* * *

New York City. The hustle of the place was enough to overcome a person. A particularly large theatre seemed to be just as busy that day. The doors had been open to allow a better circulation of noise and stage heat.

The sweet sound of a soprano rang through the air. The song was one of James Erikson's very masterpieces that came to him in the dead of night. He lived and breathed opera music.

His lovely soprano, Mme. Corella, belted out her finally high note. It was beautiful, enough to almost make James cry, but James never cried. The only person who ever achieved that goal was, Mme. Corella herself.

She was a beautiful woman, not too thin but not heavy either. She had long golden hair that fell in lovely ringlets around her pleasant face. Her green eyes sparked under the spot lights, and her voice carried like none other. She was truly the complete package. So much so that James had claimed her as his own. No one could have her, voice or body.

James was madly in love with her...well love is a strong word. He thought he loved her, but little did James know that Mme. Corella had him wrapped around her finger. At a moments call he would be her faithful little slave doing as she wished, hiring and firing who she disliked, and most importantly giving her top billing. James was so submersed in her voice and his love for harmony in opera that he was simply blind to her scam.

"Bravo! You were absolutely wonderful, my dear!" James clapped wildly and walked briskly up to the stage. "You never cease to amaze me!" He kissed her outstretched hand gingerly.

"Oh darling." She blushed and made it look like she was flattered. "That was just a dry run. Wait until you hear me on opening night. Then you will really enjoy yourself." Mme. Corella chuckled a little, amusing herself.

"But how much better could you sing?" James joked with her.

The staff rolled their eyes. This was how it always went. Mme. Corella played a game with James and like an ignorant fool James followed suit.

"Mr. Erikson?" A voice called from behind.

"Yes?" James replied, keeping his focus on the singer.

"I have some bad news." A petite young woman with straight brown hair and nervous, brown eyes approached him.

"Yes, Amanda! What seems to be the issue." James spun around,seeming still a merry mood.

"Well you know how you needed fifteen dancers?" She was hesitant.

James smiled at her, nodding as if recalling it all. "Yes. I do remember that. Have you gotten the dancers from upper New York to come? That would be splendid!"

"Well...No. Unfortunately they are busy with another performance and I couldn't reach their director." Amanda looked down at her clip board, trying not to make too much eye contact.

"Well then the dancers from Chicago?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the uneasiness.

Amanda shook her head. "No..."

"California?" Mme. Corella entered the conversation.

"Nope..." Amanda seemed to be only able to bring along worse and worse news.

"For heaven's sake Amanda, who else is left!?" James was getting nervous. All his options for high quality dancers were dwindling.

"That is what I'm trying to tell you, sir. I coulnd't get a hold of any of them. There are no available dancers." Amanda looked at him and then looked away as she saw James' face getting red.

"No dancers! How am I suppose to do a quality opera performance without proper dancers?" He spat out furiously.

"Calm down darling," Corella tried to calm him. "Amanda, there must be someone in the contacts that has at least fifteen available young chorus girls."

Amanda thought for a moment. "Well...we could always get the..."

"No! Don't you dare say it!" James interrupted her before she could finish.

Amanda sighed in frustration. "But Mr. Erikson, they are the only people left and..."

"No absolutely not! I will not work with that idiotic woman!" James crossed his arms and scowled.

"Who do you have in mind, Amanda?" Mme. Corella was anxious to hear.

"Well there is a small theater in New Jersey that has some pretty good dancers." Amanda replied.

"Oh, and who is there teacher?" Mme. Corella asked.

"Mrs. Lucille Donovan." Amanda said in a whisper.

James moaned, "Even her name makes me sick!"

"What is so bad about her?" Corella asked.

"She is so...I don't know, eccentric!" James used his hands to emphasize.

"And you're not?" Corella looked at him funny.

"My point is, she is an inappropriate woman that tries to use me." James growled, shaking his head in disgust.

"Uh-huh?" Corella studied James for a moment. She was using him. She was eccentric. Many people didn't like her either. The only reason she was on top was because she had something on James. Something that could ruin a reputation. Hatred, failure, remorse, all stood in the balance of what she possessed. Just one slip up and she would have her revenge. The revenge of blackmail.

"So sir, do you want me to make the call?" Amanda asked, half wishing she hadn't.

"Fine! But if one thing goes wrong, one thing, it's your job! Got it?" He looked down on her. Jame knew he shouldn't have, Amanda was a good worker, but he was fuming right now and that was all that mattered.

"Yes sir!" Amanda replied rapidly.

Amanda walked back to her office and dialed the number. "Hello Mrs. Donovan...Yes this is Amanda O'Neil from the O.G. Opera House. I'm calling to set up and appointment... Okay how about this coming Thursday. Sounds good. Thanks!" She sat back in her chair and sighed. "I really hope this works."