Hybristophilia (Phantom of the Opera x Reader)

2.6

Buquet manages to get on a plank on the opposite side of the one with the cloaked man. Buquet made a motion one way and the cloaked man copied. When Buquet tried the other way, the same thing happened. It was quite humorous, like two kids playing tag. Buquet makes a run for it, but the cloaked man uses quick thinking to find the right ropes to climp. Buquet slips and falls, just as the cloaked man comes up behind him.

This is the craziest thing I've seen in a long time. I don't understand what's happening.

The cloaked man pulls out a noose, just like the one Buquet used to scare the ballet girls with, and throws it around Buquet's neck, tightening it. My jaw drops. I can't move. I can't take my eyes off the scene happening before me. The cloaked man drops Buquet's body onto the stage and the ballet dancers, along with the audience, scream.

The tinest noise escapes from my throat, but the man heard it. He turns and our eyes lock. He is wearing a black fedora which compliments his cape and half of his face is covered in a mask, which adds to the mystery around him. Without hesitation, he comes after me.

I force myself to move again. I nearly stumble backwards as I run for my life. This man had just killed Buquet and I was the only witness. All he had to do was get rid of me now.

Down the stairs, I would skip two to three steps at a time. I'm lucky the maestro allowed me to wear mean's attire to play in, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get away like this. Unfortunately, the man wasn't far behind and he was quickly gaining. I reach the bottom of the staircase and my legs carry me as fast as they can. I don't care where I go, as long as it's away from that man.

I bump into Madame Giry and I nearly break down in tears at the sight of her. "M-Madame!" She embraces me, knowing it is what I need at the moment. "Are you alright?" I shake my head, "The man! In the fly tower!" I struggle to speak a complete sentence, but Madame Giry understands. "You go ahead, I have to get Meg," I nod and she leaves.

I go back to the stage, seeing that Buquet's body has already been removed. Christine is leading Raoul up the staircase opposite the one I nearly died on. Without thinking, I go with them, making sure they don't see me. The least I can do is try to protect Christine.

Christine pushes open the door to the roof. The air outside is freezing, snow covering the whole area. I hide behind one of the statues and I pick out the words "He'll kill me!" from Christine. She knows the cloaked man too? I doubt he chose her as a target because she wasn't there when he was killed Buquet. Christine throws out the words "the Phantom of The Opera." Trying to piece this together, I come to the conclusion that the "Phantom of The Opera" is the evil spirit while the "Angel of Music" is the good spirit (if he is not a siren).

What is really annoying me at the moment is how Raoul is dismissing Christine's fear and telling her it's all in her head. I want to yell at Raoul, but I can't let them know I'm here. They might think I'm stalking them...my god, I am. "Raoul, I've seen him! Can I ever forget that sight? Can I ever escape from that face? So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face, in that darkness...darkness....." Deformed? Could the mask be to hide a deformity?

"But his voice filled my spirit with a strange, sweet sound. In that night there was music in my mind! And through music my soul began to soar! And I heard as I'd never heard before." I realized that the Phantom and the Angel are the same person, but how does Christine know all of this?

"Yet in his eyes: all the sadness of the world. Those pleading eyes, that both threaten and adore..." My thoughts and feelings are conflicted.

Raoul grabs Christine's hands, "Christine, Christine..." "Christine..." A voice quietly repeats. Christine's fear returns, "What was that?"

Raoul makes Christine look at him as he comforts her. He professes his love, which Christine returns. I don't know whether to feel warm inside or puke.

"I must go! They'll wonder where I am, wait for me Raoul," Christine pulls away. Raoul reaches out, "Christine, I love you." They go back inside together.

Chills shoot down my spine as I hear the voice again, "I gave you my music, made your song take wing...and now, how you've repaid me: denied me and betrayed me...He was bound to love you when he heard you sing...Christine! Christine..." The hurt in his voice is so evident that it makes my heart ache. I step out from behind the state and see the cloaked man by himself. Christine and Raoul's voices can be heard from inside, "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you." The Phantom covers his ears to block out their voices. The expression on his face is agonizing. I slowly approach him, wanting to bring him some comfort. "Share each day with me, each night, each morning . . ." The Phantom clenches his fists and snarls, "You will curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you!"

An overpowering gust of wind sweeps across the roof as the Phantom laughs maniacally and I lose my balance. Between the wind and the snow, I have no traction to keep me stable. The heel of my foot hits the edge of the roof and I fall backwards, over the edge.