Alyna's Scrap Book- Now Being Used as a Journal

[alyna]

I convinced myself to keep track of things here. Since this end of my scrapbook is empty, it works well.
There seem to be a lot of girls in this place. My first two weeks left me with the impression that all that's important to them is doing well in their proffesion. Everywhere I go, someone there is singing or dancing or playing music... but I'm going off track. The point is that they don't seem to recognize a world beyond the Opera Populaire.
The opera house itself is very beautiful, but what may lie under it I don't know. I plan on exploring as soon as I finish unpacking my things, which I keep delaying.
I could have sworn I saw this man they call the Opera Ghost, though the other girls claim they saw nothing, only heard him. I imagined him less haughty, and a bit like me, living in the catacombs under the opera house because it's far from civilization and known areas. But now I realize he lives there because he thinks it is where no one can find him, where he can hide. I wonder when he's last seen the light of day.
I won't bother signing my name, since I plan on never letting anyone close enough to the book to read it.

[alyna]

I explored that hallway that had been interesting me ever since the footprints appeared there. I only got as far as a large room found through a secret passage, for then the Phantom found me. I ran, for I'm not so foolish that I would stay in a dark room with him alone. I almost expected Madame Giry to be standing outside of the tunnel when I exited, but I never saw a hint of anyone besides the Phantom.
I realize now that there was another door in that tunnel aside from the one at the end, which I went through. I plan on going back there to find it, for I believe it leads farther down into the earth, meaning closer to the Phantom's lair.
However, with a new opera we are practicing for, it may be hard to find as much time as I had today. It felt like hardly any time, but I was in that tunnel for over two hours, and in that area for four, because I spent another hour in the room where the entrance to the tunnel was. It's very interesting; it looked as if someone just abandoned it suddenly. The room seemed frozen in time. Who knows how long it had been empty.

[alyna]

This is a break between the acts in the opera. Jeanne, dancing in front of me, tripped on Carlotta and both of them almost fell on me! I saw the Phantom again, in a box seat close to the stage. He was staring straight at Kristine, and I hope it's for good rather than bad. It would be terrible if one of the opera's best singers disappeared.
Yesterday after I had visited the locksmith I saw three other girls from the opera house in the cemetary with me. Everyone in the opera house seems to have some connection to death... strange that we have the Opera Ghost with us also. I have to put my next outfit on now, so I'll have to stop writing.

[alyna]

Before the last act. Carlotta broke her nose and was sent back to her room, and she was replaced by Rose, a chorus girl. I don't know why she was chosen over all the others, I didn't know the Phantom to take chances.

[alyna]

Went to my room to change my shoes during the ball, I realize tht I won't be dancing and might as well be comfortable with ballet slippers. It's not as if anyone will see my feet, anyway.
The Phantom left Rose a note. I got to it before she did, but I regret it now because I know that he saw me read it. All it said was Silence is a virtue. He left her another note afterward, I'm not sure what it said exactly but Rose announced it as the parts and script for the oncoming opera. I recieved the part of lead ballerina, which just means private sessions with Madame Giry and sore legs.

[alyna]

Erik- an immature, selfish name. It suits him perfectly.
I want my dagger back.

[alyna]

Note to self:
Give suggestion to opera owner.

[alyna]

Well, I got my necklace back. Rose returned it to me during my lesson, which ended quite quickly, since I hit my foot on the mirror.
I expected something sneakier from the ghost. I don't think asking me to not wear my necklace during practice will make a difference. Whether he wanted to examine my necklace, or something, I don't know. I trust Rose not to tell him its history, though I don't know how hard it will be for him to get it out of her. When it comes to her brother, there doesn't seem to be much she can do about things like that. He almost entirely controls her life. If I were her, I would have left weeks ago.
I fear for other opera staff. He watches some a bit too closely for anyones' good.
I think my impression on my fellows isn't a good one. My silence makes them look uncomfortable, and when I speak the wrong thing usually comes out. I hate to sound like a whiner, but I don't blame myself. Nothing would be going wrong if I worked in an unhaunted opera house.

I spoke to the opera owner's son about the phantom's arrest, but he seems as excited to do it as the ghost would be. Though he didn't say it, he obviously doesn't share my opinion. I can't go to Madame Giry, and certainly not to Rose, so I don't know what to do next. It seems like he'll just be manipulating our lives until either he or the rest of us are dead.

[alyna]

The opera just ended. I saw Rose speaking to Erik, but Chante, instead of telling me what she heard, told me what she thought of me. I feel a bit like I've been cleansed after rolling in a mud puddle, if that makes any sense. Starting now, no more lies and no more secrets, except in the case of someone else's. It's too bad I can't start over, but there's no use dwelling on the past. I haven't before and doing so now won't help me.

[alyna]

This is so confusing. As I write I'm trying to ignore the pains and cuts all over my body from fighting Erik. Chase was turning 21, so he had a party in his home. I went outside for fresh air (I didn't know there were so many obese people in Paris!), and who do I find except the inseparable siblings? I expected Rose to be leaving, so I punched Erik and she threw a pot at me. It seemed like Erik wasn't fighting at all, and Rose was trying to do me in worse than I had tried to do her. I don't think that mending friendship idea is going to work out.
Erik isn't going to be leaving his lair for a while, and I figure that it's an ideal time to find the way there. Besides, he did give me my necklace back. It's only proper to give him his mask. I only hope Rose won't be there when I am- no matter what I do, she thinks it's for some evil intent. The last time we both contributed to a conversation was during Le Soufre Cosigne.
Kristine recieved a lead again- Erik is an idiot if he thinks that no one will realize she's his favorite. Whether or not they've met, however, is yet to be determined. Though nothing's stayed secret from me for long yet.