I was in the basement again, a dark creature towering over me, its eyes a blood red, and in the distance behind it, I could see my parents calling out for me. Seeming to get further and further away, while the creature grew closer and closer.

I tried to move or say something, but I couldn't.

The monster grabbed my arm tightly, his claws digging into my skin.

"You're mine."  

Suddenly the creature changed and it was my Uncle standing there, a sadistic smile on his face as he repeated over and over.

"You are mine."

I snapped awake in my bed sweat covering my face and sheets as I breathed heavily, trying to shake my brain of the memory, closing my eyes for a moment to try and get back to sleep, but I couldn't without the nightmare repeating in my mind over and over.

I got up, and grabbed a white robe from my closet, slipping on a pair of slippers to match before silently exiting the dormitories, I needed a distraction from my nightmares. 

 As I closed the door I could hear the sound of crying echoing down the dark hall near the stairs.

I walked along the wall, my eyes adjusting to the dark as I grew closer to the sound and saw, through the light of a small candle beside her, Little Jammes sitting on top of the stairs with her knees to her chest as she cried into them.

"Jammes?" I whispered.

Her head shot up as she let out a little gasp of fright before relief flooded her face as she saw it was me.

"Oh, Brianna, you scared me." She said, using my undercover name that everyone here knew me by, as she tried to wipe her tears away.

"What's the matter, Jammes?" I inquired softly as I sat beside her.

She took a shaky breath as she shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"That's okay, I can sit here with you until you're ready to return to the dorms, I can't sleep either." 

We sat silently for a moment, the only sound being the creaks of the Opera House and the occasional sniffle from Jammes. The silence was suddenly interrupted by Jammes who jumped to her feet, her eyes wide with terror as she stared down the stairs.

"Jammes, what's wrong?" I asked with concern as I stood beside her, staring in the direction she was looking at.

She didn't say anything, frozen in terror as she continued to stare down the stairs. 

I once again looked down the stairs, seeing nothing but darkness. I picked up the candle from off the ground, cautiously taking steps down the stairs, but Jammes, grabbed my arm before I could take another step.

"Be careful, it could be the ghost." She warned me fearfully.

I only smiled softly at her.

"I'm sure whatever you saw, it wasn't a ghost, I'm going to prove that for you, okay?"

She slowly released my arm, from her grasp as she backed away.

"Okay, but be careful."

"I will, now go back to bed."

I watched her walk away before turning back to the darkness ahead of me and shaking off the thoughts of ghosts or what could be hiding in the shadows as I continued to descend the stairs.

The small candle gave little light to the darkness as I held onto the wall for guidance. I moved the candle all around the hall, into every corner, trying to see if I could spot whatever got Little Jammes so scared.

I was at the end of the hall about to decide that it had been nothing, blaming it on her overactive imagination or some other logical explanation, when all of a sudden I could hear what sounded like voices coming from behind the door beside me.

I pressed my ear against it, hearing nothing for a moment then eventually I heard what sounded like Christine talking.

"Angel, have-have I pleased you?"

I strained my ears more at the mention of her angel, remembering the conversation we had earlier in the night about her mysterious Angel Of Music.

"Oui, you have pleased me greatly with your voice tonight, and tomorrow your voice will soar like never before, now sing once more for me my angel."

My heart dropped at the sound of the man's voice, not recognizing it and as Christine sang I could hear the sound of a violin accompanying her.

I backed away from the door, feeling myself begin to breathe heavily, not believing what I had heard. This couldn't be real, was everything that Christine said true that this was truly her Angel Of Music, or was something more sinister at play here?

I heard the doorknob begin to turn and I quickly blew out my candle as I hid in the darkest corner of the wall.

Christine closed the door shut behind her and I could see a smile playing on her face as she began to walk away.

I didn't move from where I hid until I heard the sound of her footsteps going up the stairs.

I quickly moved out of my hiding spot, taking a deep breath as I cautiously walked towards the door, my hand was placed on the handle, slowly turning it, the door creaking open as I stepped inside the dark room.

I looked around nervously as I wondered if I would see anything or anyone.

I walked deeper into the room making a little gasp of fright as I was startled by my own reflection in the mirror.  I took a shaky breath as I continued to look around, seeing nothing in the darkness, but feeling a cold chill.

"H-Hello, is anyone there?" I asked, trying to sound brave, but failing miserably at it.

I heard a sound coming from behind me and I turned sharply in the direction, my hands clenched tightly into fists.

"I know you're here, whoever you are, you just stay away from Christine!"

There was only silence as I responded and I took a sharp breath, knowing that I wasn't going to get anywhere with this, and even feeling silly for even thinking that there wasn't a logical explanation for this. 

I headed back to the door about to leave when I froze, my hand hovering over the doorknob as the sound of a voice seemed to echo all around me.

"What makes you think you can threaten something you cannot see?"

I slowly turned my eyes darting through the darkness as my heart pounded loudly in my chest.

"Those who hide in the shadows are only cowards," I said, swallowing back my fear.

I heard him chuckle and again, it was all around me, making me feel very unsettled by it.

"Then why do you fear them so much?"

I could feel my heart rate increasing at his words, my hand grasped the doorknob tightly and I wanted to all but run out of there, but I stayed.

I would not be pathetic.

"Are you truly Christine's Angel Of Music?"

There was no response and I could feel the temperature in the room return to normal, somehow I knew that whoever this angel or person was was gone.

Leaving my question unanswered.

-------------------------------

I didn't sleep a wink that night, the man's voice echoing in my mind, along with what Christine had told me about her Angel Of Music. I couldn't wrap my mind around what had happened and it's all I could seem to think about. 

At the performance, Christine slipped into her role with ease, her voice was immaculate and I could see as I danced, glancing over at box 5, my Uncle's face as he was sitting beside a young man who I had not seen before.

Her aria was coming up and all the dancers slipped off the stage, I peeked through the curtains, beside Sorelli, who was peering out onto the stage as well.

It was a mesmerizing performance, and I knew no one could fit the role better than Christine who was absolutely flawless, at least to me.

I could hear Sorelli take a sharp breath from beside me.

"She's not even that good, she's very pitchy."

I could hear the jealousy filling her tone and face as I glanced over at her, seeing a frown begin to crease her forehead.

"Could you do any better?" I challenged her in a whisper as I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm well aware of my abilities, I'm a dancer, not a singer, but she seems to think that she's somehow better than the rest of us."

"Stop being so jealous, Sorelli you're the lead ballerina for goodness sake, let Christine have her moment, she's earned it," I said as I rolled my eyes at her as the performance ended.

The crowd cheered and I looked to Christine who seemed to be beyond exhausted as she tried for a smile, looking around herself in utter disbelief. As her eyes looked to the crowd her face all at once drained of all color and she was falling.

I ran onto the stage, catching her in my arms, before her head could hit the floor, the curtains immediately closed shut as everyone surrounded Christine.

"Someone help me take her to a room to rest, everyone else please give her space!" I yelled frantically as I looked down at Christine, whose eyes were still closed.

No one listened though, everyone pressing in, talking in panicked voices, doing the exact opposite of what I said.

Suddenly a man yelled, "Give her space, damn it!"

Everyone slowly began to back away and I saw the same man who had been beside my Uncle earlier approaching a concerned look on his face as he crouched beside her.

"We need to get her someplace where she can rest," I advised him as he gently touched her hand.

He nodded.

"Oui, you're right, I'll carry her to a room."

I watched him lift her into his arms, and I helped shove away the crowd, not even bothering to be polite about it.

"Move your asses!" I shouted as they continued to get in the way.

In the halls of the opera house, I quickly opened a door, the crowd was quickly pursuing us and as the young man entered I quickly closed the door and locked it behind me, preventing them from following us any further.

He set Christine gently on the couch, looking at her with the only type of affection that someone who had known her for a long time would have.

"Do you know Christine?" I asked as I sat on the couch across from where she lay.

The man nodded his head, not taking his eyes off her as he spoke.

"Oui, I've known her since we were very young."

That explained why he looked at her the way he did, they had probably been childhood sweethearts and I couldn't help but smile softly at the thought.

I could see Christine's eyes begin to twitch as she slowly opened them gasping in fright as she sat up.

"It's okay, Christine, it's me, Raoul, don't you remember me?"

She only looked at him, her eyes wide and I moved forward, figuring that she needed to see a more familiar face.

"Christine, are you all right?" I asked gently as I took Raoul's place beside her.

Her eyes continued to be wide as she shook her head then looked to me to Raoul as she quickly stood up, unsteady for a moment and I held her shoulders to steady her.

"I'm all right, really I am, thank you for the help, but you both need to leave, please." 

I frowned in confusion, not knowing why she was so quick to shove us all away.

"Are you sure you're all right, do you need a doctor?" Raoul asked his voice filled with concern and confusion.

"No, no I don't, what I need is for you all to leave!" She snapped and I could see genuine fear filling her face as she shouted.

I had never seen Christine like this before, this was beyond unlike the quiet, gentle women I've known, and I knew it would be wise to give her the space that she so desperately begged for.

I could see Raoul opening his mouth to say something, but I quickly interrupted him.

"If you want to be left alone, we will leave you."

I grabbed his hand, guiding him out of the room and closing the door behind him.

He stared at the closed door, a look of hurt and puzzlement appearing on his face as he shook his head.

"She didn't even recognize me."

"Raoul, she hasn't seen you since childhood, has she?" I inquired with a sigh.

He nodded his head.

"Then how can you possibly expect her to recognize you, it's been years?"

"Oui, I supposed it has, I guess I just thought my name would at least make her remember me, but I guess not," Raoul spoke dejectedly.

"Maybe she'll recognize you eventually, just give her time, there's been a lot going on, and the best you can do for her now is to give her space." I tried to reassure him.

He took a deep breath and nodded.

"You're right, but when you see her again could you please tell her that I still remember Little Lottie?"

I smiled as I nodded my head, not knowing what he meant by Little Lottie, but assuming it was a memory from their childhood.

"Oui, I will."

He took another breath, turning around to leave when suddenly he froze as he turned back to the door, then back to me.

"Did you hear that voice?"

At the mention of a voice, my eyes widened and I quickly pressed my ear against the door, sure enough, I heard the familiar voice from last night, but this time it wasn't as gentle, but angry.

"Insolent boy, this slave of fashion, basking in your glory, ignorant fool, this brave young suitor, sharing in my triumph!"

I swallowed as I glanced over at Raoul, wondering if he was the "insolent boy" he was referring to.

"Angel, I hear you speak, I listen. Stay by my side, guide me. Angel, my soul was weak; forgive me, enter at last, master." Christine's voice was filled with fear as she spoke.

I tried the doorknob, but it wouldn't budge, I tugged, again and again, Raoul doing the same his hands tightly over mine as he pulled.

"Flattering child, you shall know me. See why in shadow I hide, look at your face in the mirror, I am there inside!" 

He was in there with her.

"Christine, open the door!" I called inside as I pounded against it.

"Christine!" Raoul shouted, pressing his side on the door.

"Angel of music, guide, and guardian, grant to me your glory. Angel of music, hide no longer, come to me, strange Angel!"

"No, Christine, no!"

"Don't listen to him!" 

"I am your Angel, come to the angel of music... I am your Angel of Music, come to the Angel of Music!"

Suddenly there was silence and as soon as it was quiet the door swung open, I and Raoul fell against each other upon the floor of the empty room.