Phantom of the Opera

As soon as you finish rehearsal, you receive a communication from the director. He requests that you and the rest of the cast gather immediately backstage. The assistants have shadows covering their faces, as if carrying the weight of dire news. You pray silently that another tragedy hasn't occurred, while your fingers intertwine anxiously. The staff fills every corner of the backstage area. Everyone is whispering. Anxious murmurs envelop you like the buzzing of bees. No one seems to know what to expect. Minutes later, the director bursts in with furious steps, and everyone moves out of his way. "I have a need to make an official announcement about recent events." His voice booms, harsh and charged with anger. "I have always wanted to work in harmony with you-I have a conviction that if we all do our part, we can take opera to levels never before seen! But I never imagined that I would be received in this way. What's even worse, you have used despicable and ridiculous methods to express your discontent." His gaze sweeps over the crowd with distrust. "It's because I put an end to the shady dealings you had with the previous director, isn't it? You only use'ghosts' and absurd rules to give me headaches!" At that moment, the crowd lets out a groan of disapproval. People cross their arms and frown, upset by the director's words. "You just frightened one of our most distinguished clients. Now all of Paris knows about that damned so-called ghost!" Curiously, every time the director mentions the ghost, his voice cracks and his eyes look in all directions, scanning the shadows, as if he expects to see something. "This means you not only challenge me but have also done great damage to the prestige of the opera. Naturally, I must say I enjoyed your histrionic skills, pretending to be a ghost and leaving me a letter. It's a very original idea." As he speaks, he holds the letter high, but judging by his actions, he is eager to throw it away. "It doesn't matter which one of you it was who broke into my office despite it being locked, to leave this letter on my desk." He continues, in a tone that tries to sound firm but betrays panic. "I only hope you will apologize to me in private. I wouldn't want to make the situation worse. You'd better save your cheap tricks for the stage." He makes a forced pause. You notice the director's hands; you're not sure if you're imagining it, but... they seem to be trembling. "As for the mention of Madame Giry in the letter... I believe I can consider giving her another chance. After all,she is a diligent person, and I am an understanding one." Thereupon, the director ends the meeting and leaves with hurried steps. Everyone begins to whisper with concern on their faces. "I bet it was the ghost who left him the letter," whispers an employee. "It should teach him a lesson!" "He pretends to be brave, but he was trembling with fear!" remarks a ballerina. "Let's see if he dares to accuse us again," replies another, crossing her arms. You return to your dressing room, feeling a pressure in your chest. It's as if the ghost were a merciless tyrant ruling the opera. No one can escape its control. Looking back, even though you only had the company of the Angel of Music, those days were filled with hope. "Angel of Music, can you hear my pleas?" you call out in front of the mirror, placing your hands on the cold glass. "I beg you to return to my side. What should I do? I need your guidance now more than ever." As you murmur your prayers, you hear a low voice. "Angel of Music, is that you? Please, answer me!" "____, forgive me. I should not have abandoned you in your moment of greatest despair." "It's really you, you're back!" you exclaim, relieved. "I ask you not to leave me so suddenly again. Every time I feel lost, you are the one who illuminates my path. A ghostly being terrorizes the opera.I don't dare explore the dark corners for fear of hearing those wails. Please, Angel of Music, tell me what I must do. When will I see the light at the end of the tunnel?" "Light and darkness complement each other; we cannot have light forever." His words have a bitter tone. More than speaking to you, he seems to be reciting a monologue. "The darkness is more powerful than you imagine. Darkness is like a swamp that devours everything in its path. Sometimes, the more you fight against it, the faster you succumb to the shadows." The darkness? You wonder what he means, then realize he must be talking about the ghost. You understand that the ghost's power has grown to the point of affecting the Angel of Music. Now you see why he's acting so abnormally. He must have suffered greatly. Even the only person you can trust, the one person you cherish the most, has been tainted by the ghost. You are devastated, unable to bear the pain any longer. Unable to hold back your feelings any longer, you confess to the Angel of Music that you care for him. "Although you try to hide it from me, I know you have suffered too," you say, your voice breaking. "I worry about you. I fear that one day you will leave me. I beg you, hold on a little longer, don't leave me. I would do anything to save you. When I was a child,my father told me about you. Since then, I always waited for your arrival. My greatest happiness was when you answered my call and descended to be by my side." "____, you have an extraordinary talent for music. Guiding you to go further is my reason for being. I will always be by your side to guide and accompany you." "Thank you, my angel. I will not let you resist the darkness alone. I will also be your strength. The ghost's power grows day by day. If we don't stop it, I don't even want to imagine the terrible consequences. I remember Meg mentioned that the police and spiritualists had failed. Is there truly no way to expel it? How can there be such an evil power in this world?" The Angel of Music comforts you, but his voice trembles as if something is mercilessly crushing him. You wonder if it's just your imagination. "____, you must know how fortunate you are to be blessed by the light," he murmurs, with a shadow of sadness. "Many people have been abandoned by God, with no choice but to embrace the darkness." When you hear his words, you realize it sounds as if the Angel of Music is defending the ghost... "Not everyone has the chance to choose. No one is destined to live in darkness." "So, does the ghost have a secret or a pain that we didn't realize? No matter what the reason was that caused him to fall into darkness,“ you reply, ”the damage is done and he bears the weight of his crimes." "That's right... He bears the burden of his many unforgivable crimes." The Angel of Music repeats this phrase over and over, like a tormented echo. He does not respond to your call. "Angel of Music, are you alright?" "No matter what happens, the die is already cast. All that remains is to move forward." "What? What are you talking about?" The Angel of Music suddenly disappears again, but you no longer feel helpless as before. Now you know that the ghost is the cause of his strange behavior. Then an idea comes to your mind, maybe if you discover the ghost's secret, all your problems will be solved! So far, the clues are unclear. You only know that the ghost comes and goes to box number 5. Despite your last encounter with that mysterious man, you couldn't care less about the danger now. You hope that man isn't hiding in the box again.Though if you meet him, you might get more clues. Determined, you carefully make your way to Box 5, watching your surroundings along the way. That black silhouette does not reappear. Box 5 is no different from any other box: it has thick layers of curtains with golden embroidery and immaculate red velvet seats. This box has the best view of the opera.No wonder the ghost wants it all to himself. There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. What were you thinking? But just as you are about to leave,you think you see something moving between the curtains. "Who's there?" you ask, your voice slightly trembling. You reach over and pull the curtain, but there's nothing. It doesn't look like anyone was hiding there. You wonder if maybe it was just an illusion. You haven't been sleeping well lately, maybe you're seeing things. Or maybe...it's the ghost? As soon as that idea enters your head, you become very nervous and don't dare to turn around. You make a great effort to turn your rigid body, encouraging yourself in a low voice. As you turn your head, a reddish object on the table catches your attention. It's... a red rose... What is a red rose doing on the table? You remember that when you entered,you inspected every last detail, there was no rose on the table! Then, the moving curtains come to your mind and you become totally stiff. You can't move. It was definitely the ghost! You feel the temperature around you drop. You want to leave immediately. But you remember why you came,so you control your fear and, trembling, pick up the rose on the table. There is nothing special about the rose. It has just bloomed and is devoid of branches and thorns. You thought the ghost's roses would have something special about them,but this one is clearly just a tender, fresh rose. As you watch the rose closely, a shiver runs down your spine. A rush of wind passes behind you, you feel an icy breath near you, and goose bumps rise on your skin. You turn around and take a few steps back, until you almost bump into the table. Just as before, there's no one there. You must get out of here as soon as possible! It is at that moment that your blood starts circulating again. You feel as if a hand is squeezing your heart. You even forget how to walk. Your hurried footsteps echo in the hallway. You don't know when you dropped the rose.