Sing for Me

by Penelope Reece

  She nodded and pulled the blankets up around herself. Feeling her eyes still on him, Rhys left the room. Is this what Earon had done to her? Hurt her so much that she was too frightened to be alone? Rhys felt the cord around his heart tighten.

  Back in the living room, he flicked the deadbolt into place and turned off the television. He was about to turn return to the bedroom when something made him turn to the window. Outside, standing away from the street light, was the same man from earlier. The man didn’t seem to be doing anything, just standing there as if waiting for something. Maybe he was searching for a cat. Whatever the man was doing, Rhys didn’t like knowing he was outside wandering about.

  Rhys watched him. The man continued to stand there, his attention drawn toward the apartment. As Rhys’s unease grew, he made sure his phone was in his pocket should he need to call the police. He then moved away from the window and slipped into his shoes. Opening the front door, Rhys pushed open the screen to confront the stranger only to see that the man was no longer there.

  The wind bit into his skin as Rhys stepped out onto the porch. The night air was bitter and damp. A cold mist clung to his face as he searched the parking lot and surrounding apartments. Nothing stirred. No shadows moved.

  Back inside, Rhys locked the door and moved to the window to stare into the night once more. Perhaps the man was another tenant. There was no law that said a man couldn’t stand outside in the middle of the night. However, what reason would the man have to be out in this weather? Whoever he was, he was up to no good.

  “Is something wrong?”

  Rhys spun around. Chloe was standing in the hall. “Nothing,” he said not wanting to alarm her. Instead he quickly peaked out the window and, seeing no one, closed the blinds.

  She looked at him as if she knew he was hiding something. “You’re sure?”

  “Everything’s fine. I was just checking the weather.” Rhys said and steered her back to the bedroom. “Let’s go to bed.”

  ****

  With his collar turned up against the wind, Daniel moved out of his hiding place. He glanced over at the apartment. His hands clenched tightly in his pockets. The pain of his heart distracting him from the pain of his nails digging into his scarred palms, Daniel had to force himself not to howl in rage.

  So the younger brother was here and wheedling his way back into Chloe’s bed. Daniel would make him pay. If need be, he’d make them both pay.

  He pulled his hands out of his pockets and looked at the rough scarred flesh of his palms. He’d forgiven Chloe too many times. It was now time she be punished. It was time she returned to his side.

  With the church renovations complete, he now needed only to fetch her. Daniel clenched his hands into fists. And if that foolish boy got in his way, he’d kill him. It had been a mistake to let the boy go last time. He wouldn’t make that same mistake again.

  Taking one last look at Chloe’s apartment, Daniel walked to his car, a plan working itself out in his mind. He’d take her in the theatre. It only seemed fitting. To end as they’d began. He knew that it was her dream to play Christine so he’d let her, but only this one time. He’d let the world get another taste of his sweet angel’s voice before he ripped her out of their grasps.

  He’d once again prove his love by allowing her to fulfill her dream. Perhaps once she saw all that he had done for her, Chloe would finally give her heart to him. He would show her what she’d done to him and he’d forgive her. He’d forgive her everything if only she’d give herself to him.

  This time he was certain not to fail. This time he’d make her love him. This time they’d have all the time in the world. There would be no stage, no show, only them. The only audience she would need worry about would be her husband. He’d teach her how to pleasure him with her voice and her body. This time he’d make sure no one got in the way.

  Chapter Seventeen

  On Monday evening, the cast were busy preparing for the performance. With costumes on, they were getting their hair and make-up done by a few volunteer cosmetology students.

  Chloe sat in full costume as a female student curled her straight hair while another did her make-up. Heather sat in the next seat over arguing with the girl who was trying in vain to push Heather’s blonde wig into place.

  “Damn it! I said that hurts!”

  Chloe shook her head as Heather continued to argue with the cosmetology volunteer and tried to calm her nerves. Her hands were shaking and her stomach felt alive with twisting anxiety. In just a few short hours, she’d be on stage once more in front of an audience dancing and singing. Only this time there’d be no Earon. This time she’d be Christine, the innocent girl who had somehow saved herself and her lover from the opera ghost with kindness and a compassionate heart.

  The phantom was nothing like Earon. The phantom was a sympathetic character where Earon had been despicable. He was kind where Earon had been vicious. It was easy to separate the two, but at the moment Chloe was having trouble doing so. In her mind the phantom’s half mask had become a Venetian paper mask.

  She kept telling herself that it was alright that there was nothing to be afraid of. Simon was the phantom. Simon was a friend. Yet her nerves continued to twist and clench within her and as the minutes ticked by, a sense of dread clung to her like long slender fingers tightening around her throat.

  With her hair and make-up finished, Chloe was left alone with only her fears for comfort. When the backstage door opened sending a gust of icy air shooting through her thin costume, Chloe shivered and hugged herself.

  “Are you cold?”

  “Rhys!” Chloe jumped. “You scared me.”

  He stood beside her chair dressed in his usual jeans and dress shirt. Today, however, he had dressed up a little bit more wearing a black blazer over his white shirt. His was mussed as normal. And in his hand, he held a small jar of fall flowers.

  “Sorry, I thought I’d sneak through the backdoor and check up on you before the show starts.” He smiled and handed her the flowers. “I figured you were tired of getting roses.”

  She took them from him and set them on the table in front of her and gently touched the petals while admiring the orange and purple hues. “They’re lovely. Better than roses. They even smell better.” She smiled at him. “Thank you.”

  Rhys took her hand. His eyes searched her face and didn’t seem to like what they saw. “How are you? You doing okay?”

  Chloe pushed her nerves aside and tried to make her face look calm. “I’m fine, just a little nervous. It’s been over a year since I last performed in front of an audience.”

  “You don’t have to do this you know,” he said seeing past her lies. “You don’t have to act so brave.”

  “I’m fine really. Don’t worry.” She tried to pull her hand away afraid that it would start shaking again giving herself away.

  Rhys held on. “Not matter what, just know that I’ll be out there front row and center. If for any reason you need me, that’s where I’ll be.”

  Feeling her dread return, Chloe tried to laugh it away. “You make it sound like there’s going to be trouble. Don’t talk like that, you’re making me nervous.”

  “I’m sorry,” He said and kissed her forehead. “You have nothing to be nervous about. My intention was to calm your fears not set them loose.”

  “It’s okay.” She stood so that her costume wouldn’t get wrinkled. She was tempted to hug Rhys, to just wrap her arms around him and refuse to let go. If she didn’t care about her fellow cast members, Chloe should say to hell with the show and let Rhys take her home. She knew that’s what he wanted to do. But if she let Rhys have his way, she’d never be able to overcome the darkness. She needed to prove to herself as well as to him that she could do this. That she was stronger than the past. That she was stronger than Earon.

  “Well I should probably go take my seat before Bill thinks I’ve kidnapped you and comes to fetch me.”

  “Bill’s here?” Chloe asked not believing it. />
  “He and Josie both are. Bill’s been feeling like a total ass lately, and he’s been wanting to make it up to you.”

  Chloe was unsure of what to say and only nodded. If Bill was feeling anything, it was pity and she didn’t want that. She’d rather he continued to dislike her. She wasn’t pitiful and she’d prove that this afternoon.

  Rhys must have noticed her new found determination because he smiled. Not caring that the other students were probably watching, he kissed her. Chloe blushed and shyly pushed him away.

  “Let’s you and me do something after the show.” He said unfazed by the onlookers.

  “Like what?” Chloe whispered, blushing a darker shade of rouge as more students turned to watch them.

  “You choose.”

  “Okay,” she pushed him toward the door. “You should go before everyone starts to gawk.” She shook her hands trying to release all the pent up tension. “Now I’m even more nervous.”

  Rhys squeezed her hand. “See you after the show.”

  She watched him sneak back out the back door before returning to her chair to go over her lines. Everyone else had returned to their own devices as well leaving her alone to de-stress. In the next chair, Heather hummed while her leg bounced up and down at a hectic rate.

  ****

  The orchestra resounded throughout the theatre playing that dark techno theme the show was known for. Back stage, Chloe pictured the grand chandelier slowly rising high above the audience.

  “I think I’m going to be sick.” Heather said beside her.

  They were standing among the other ballet dancers waiting for their cue to twirl onto the stage.

  “You’ll be okay.” Chloe patted Heather on the back all while trying to ignore her own nausea. She felt as if she were on the giant pirate ship swing at a theme park. Her stomach flipped with each swing back and forth. Wouldn’t that be great if she were to be sick in front of everyone?

  “You don’t look so good either.” Heather said and grimaced. “God looking at you is making me even more scared.”

  As Charlotta’s voice boomed over the orchestra, Chloe and Heather tried miserably to calm each other. And when their cue came, they were shaking as if they’d been standing naked in a blizzard.

  When Chloe’s foot touched the stage, she tossed aside her fears and let her brain focus only on the dance steps as she spun around with the other dancers. She was vaguely aware of Heather dancing beside her, but she tuned her out. Chloe’s only thought was of her next step.

  With such blind focus everything moved at such an astounding pace that Chloe was surprised when it was time for her to sing. As the lyrics flowed from her mouth, Chloe let her sight wander over the audience. Finding Rhys right away, she let her eyes stay on him for one long moment before moving on.

  When her gaze fell on a middle aged woman a few rows back holding her hand over her heart and wearing a overly large bejeweled ring that glittered in the light, Chloe’s breath caught and she nearly faltered. There was no mistaking her. It was Sophie.

  A little off the beat, Chloe moved her worried gaze back to Rhys and regained her composure finishing the song as majestically as she could. Somehow she was going to have to get through the rest of the show without wondering what the hell her mother was doing here. Not to mention how Sophie even managed to find her in the first place.

  The next few scenes Chloe kept her gaze as far away from Sophie as possible and let the show work its magic over her pulling her within its musical embrace. She continued on in this fashion letting herself be romanced by Raoul and bewitched by the phantom.

  At intermission, Chloe followed the rest of the cast backstage but was too wired to sit down. She graciously accepted the bottle of water handed to her.

  The cold liquid had barely slid down her throat when Rhys came through the side door his eyes concerned and searching for her.

  He caught sight of her and hurried over. “Chloe what’s the matter? You looked a bit stressed up there.”

  “It’s Sophie. She’s out in the audience.”

  “Are you sure? How did she find you?”

  Chloe shook her head. “I’m sure it’s her and I don’t know how she found me. I don’t want to see her. Not now and not ever.” She paced the floor in front of him at a loss of what to do. How had she found her? What did she want? Whatever it was it couldn’t be good.

  “Hey,” Rhys said and grabbed her shoulders to keep Chloe still. “Don’t let her get you so worked up. You don’t have to see her if you don’t want to, okay?”

  She looked up. His grey eyes looked down at her with worry. “Okay.” She sighed. “Seeing her out there watching me, it caught me off guard. I don’t understand why she’s here.”

  “Don’t let it get to you. You have a performance to finish.”

  Chloe frowned. “I really mucked up that song didn’t I?”

  Rhys squeezed her shoulder, “Not in the least. You sang so beautifully I don’t think anyone even noticed that slight hesitation. For all they knew, it could have been part of the song.”

  Chloe smiled gratefully. “You should get back out there, the orchestra will probably start playing soon and I need to change my costume.”

  Rhys stuck around a few minutes more to make sure she was really okay before he finally returned to the front of the theatre.

  After he’d gone back out to the seats, a volunteer hurriedly helped Chloe on with her dress as the orchestra started to play. When her scene approached, Chloe rejoined the cast onstage. She did her best to ignore her mother and let the magic of the show take control of her once again.

  It wasn’t until the end of the show when Christine and Raoul left the phantom’s lair together that Chloe happened to glance up toward the small balcony box to the right of the stage as a slight movement caught her eye.

  Knowing that the box on either side of the stage usually stayed roped off after a few unruly students had thrown their drinks onto the unsuspecting cast of Grease a few years back, curiosity made her look up. When she did, she nearly lost her footing. There in the shadows of the box a figure cloaked in black sat on one of the velvet upholstered chairs, completely hidden from the audience thanks to the thick curtains. On his face glittering beneath the stage lights was a Venetian mask of black and gold. Its painted mouth was drawn down in despair resembling the famous drama mask of tragedy.

  Her mind reeled and her legs turned to jelly. It was only a mask. But its weeping expression made her stomach tighten and her heart stop. She knew that mask. It had been worn in The Magician. And now that haunted and distraught face was pointed at her, the wearer’s amber eyes glowing and full of pain.

  Taking a step back, Chloe covered her mouth with her hand as a scream bubbled inside her throat.

  “Chloe, what’s wrong?” Jett whispered.

  Keeping her eyes on the mask, Chloe took an involuntary step back and had Jett not been holding her arm, she would have ran across the stage, putting as much distance as she could between herself and that frightening figure in the box.

  When the figure leaned down over the railing, Chloe lost all feeling in her legs and nearly swooned. Jett managed to catch her and quickly helped her back stage.

  She could hear the volunteers and cast confused mutterings as they watched Jett half carry her to a chair, but she was beyond caring. Her mind was still focused on that figure. As Jett been pulling her off the stage, that figure had raised its arm, one elegantly gloved finger extending in accusation, pointing at her chest like a notched arrow about to be loosed.

  “Someone get her some water, I think she’s going to faint!”

  A few students rushed to help while Jett grabbed Chloe’s hand and tried to get her to talk.

  “Chloe what’s the matter? Are you sick?”

  Her gazed focused on Jett. “Get Rhys,” she cried so loudly that Jett jumped. She grabbed his hand in a death grip making him wince.

  “Chloe, what is it?”

  She let go of Jett’s han
d and stood. Pacing the floor, she rubbed at her arms as if trying to warm them, though she wasn’t cold. Her mind was screaming as she repeatedly told herself it wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be possible. He was dead. Earon was dead. But if that were true then who was that man in the balcony? The man whose amber stare had pierced through her soul? Unlike the mall juggler, she was quite certain of his eyes. No one else had eyes like that.

  She wrung her hands. It was Earon. Of that she was sure. She had no logical explanation, but it was him. Somehow he was alive. And he was here.

  She turned her attention back to Jett who looked completely bewildered and unsure of what to do. She grabbed his hands and ignored the frightened tears that were falling down her cheeks. “Please, get Rhys.”

  “Chloe-“

  “Go!”

  Shocked over her outburst, Jett dashed through the side door that led to the audience. A loud burst of applause sounded and Simon along with Heather and some of the others came bustling backstage.

  Heather spotted her and pulled her into a congratulatory hug. “We did it!” She noticed Chloe’s pale face and tears. “Don’t cry you were wonderful.”

  “Hey,” Simon announced not paying attention to anyone in particular. “We’re needed back on stage. You know for the whole bowing thing.”

  Heather grabbed a tissue from the box on the table. “Here, dry your tears we have to go back out there.”

  As the cast made their way back out to the stage, Heather grabbed Chloe’s hand and pulled her along with them ignoring Chloe’s wild tugs of protest. As soon as Heather stepped out on stage, however, she dropped Chloe’s hand. Chloe hung back letting everyone else go ahead of her.

  Chloe stayed safely hidden away in the wing of the stage. Her gaze shot to the box. It now stood empty. Panic coursing through her, she looked for Rhys but his chair sat vacant. Knowing that he must be on his way to get her, Chloe turned around and came face to face with the masked figure. A scream caught in her throat.

  Instead of the weeping mask, he now wore a red devil mask with painted black horns and a mouth that turned up in a maniacal grin. The figure playfully motioned her toward him as he slipped back into the darkness and out of sight.