7 A disappearing act

Chapter 7 A disappearing act The next day, the manager sat in his office with Madame G. "We must get this phantom! Little Pico is gone. Carlotta's left us. The opera house is falling apart.

"All is not lost. Don't forget we have Christine," said Madame G. The manager scratched his chin. "You're right. There's something magical about her... Draw up a contract. Carlotta's part is hers!" That afternoon, posters went up all around Paris advertising the new star of the show.

Before the show, Christine nervously paced her dressing room. It was one thing to do a single performance at the last minute, but quite another to be the leading lady forever. What if they hate me?

But Christine was a born star. By the end of the show, she felt as if she had played the part all her life. The show was almost over when the orchestra abruptly stopped playing. The chorus stopped singing and the dancers stopped dancing. The audience shifted uncomfortably in their seats. What's going on?

Even the temperature seemed to drop. The only person who didn't stop was Christine. She continued to sing. With a crackle, the lights flashed and the stage went dark. Christine let out a scream that sent shivers down everyone's spine.

The lights flared back on, lighting the stage. A trapdoor was open and Christine had vanished. "Christine!" shouted the Count, from his seat in the front row. Is this part of the show? Where did she go? "The phantom must have taken her," he yelled, "through that trapdoor. Follow me!" The manager and Madame G jumped up from their seats and ran after the Count.