Chapter 4:

Christine's POV:

I woke up to sunlight streaming through the small balcony window and Meg sitting on my bed already dressed. "I'm glad your up, Sleeping Beauty," she said sarcastically, " you're going to be late for your first day at work!" My eyes focused and I noticed the time on the clock was eight. Work started at nine.

"Meg, what time did you get up?"

She thought for a moment. " About seven-thirty. Get up and ready! My mother and I will have breakfast ready soon!" She left the room through the doorway leading to the living room.

I closed the purple drapes over the balcony window to get dressed. After putting on my blue dress, I walked over to the mirror to see my reflection. Meg wasn't kidding when she sarcastically called me 'Sleeping Beauty.' My hair was a mess. I think it was because I took advantage over the fact that I even had a bed to call my own now.

I grabbed my brush and combed my curls before walking into the dining room. The morning sunlight gave the room a new feeling. It wasn't the room of secrecy from the night before; but a warm, happy home. I sat down in my chair. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Christine," said Madame Giry as she passed the bowl of eggs to Meg. "You've come at the perfect time. I've had this idea for a new number, but I needed seven girls including Meg; I only had six. We usually have five shows a day. We're cutting it down to three to get the rehearsal time for the new routine. You won't be making as much because you won't be working full time at first, but you'll get into it. You'll have a lot of down time at first. It'll give you a chance to see the island."

"And how much will I be making exactly?" I asked looking up from my eggs.

"A dollar for each show. You'll only be making two dollars a day right now because you get paid to come to rehearsal."

"How much will I have to pay to stay with you?"

She chuckled. "Oh, Christine. You are family now."

I smiled. "Thank you, Madame Giry."

Madame Giry looked at the clock. "It's eight-thirty. You should get into your dance outfits. I'll clean the kitchen." Meg and I went into our rooms. That's when I realized I didn't have dance clothes. Thankfully, Meg knocked on the door a few moments later.

"Come in."

She looked in through the door that she pushed ajar. "Do you need dance clothes?"

I nodded. "Yes please." She left and then came back with tights, a skirt, a leotard, and dance shoes in a bag. After I thanked her, I quickly changed into the dance clothes and pulled my white, knitted shawl over myself and came out of the room.

Meg and Madame Giry were already standing by the door, so I came up beside them as Madame Giry opened the door. As we walked down the hall and out of the building, I was able to see Coney Island in its full morning light. I had seen it in the afternoon, but not at night or the peak of day. The sun rose warmly from a distance casts gleams of sunlight off of the unlit light bulbs and attractions of the island. The seagulls crowed as the warm, salty air blew on my face.

We entered the theatre and I saw the dancers from the other day there. I watched as Madame Giry went to the piano and talked to the accompanist, giving him a score that I saw this morning on the kitchen counter. I looked at Meg who was just warming up in silence and then to the other dancers who were giggling and chatting.

"Do you want to go talk to them, Meg?" I asked indicating the other dancers.

She shrugged her shoulders. "No. You can go if you want…"

I sat down beside her. "Why don't you want to talk to them."

She looked down. "I-I don't really have any friends…"

I took her hand in mine smiling. "I'll be your friend." She looked up smiling as she squeezed my hand.

~O.o.O~

I walked down the pier looking for a dress shop to get things I needed. I already had lunch with Meg and the other dancers, so I wasn't hungry. I walked into a dress shop to buy new clothes I needed. The bell chimed and the lady behind the counter poked her head up from underneath to look at me. "Hello, dear," she smiled.

"Hello," I replied. When I was done shopping, I came to the counter with the yellow dress I picked out and a dance outfit with shoes.

"Will that be all?" the woman asked. I nodded. As she rung me up, I turned around to the door at the chime of a bell. A young, well-dressed man no older than thirty walked in. I turned back to the woman, but moments later I felt hot breath on my neck. I spun my head around quickly to see him.

"Well, well. Heya, pretty lady. What do we have here?" I gasped as he whapped me in the rear end with the back of his hand.

"Leave me alone!" I cried.

He sneered. "What? I didn't hurt you too bad."

"Leave her alone," the old woman warned.

"Or what?" he retaliated. "What are you going to do to me?" The woman only looked down and went back to packing my items. He smiled slyly back at me. "Well, then. What's your name?" He rested his hand on my shoulder and stepped into me.

"Stop it!" I shoved him off of me. The old woman stepped in. "You stop or I will have you removed from my store!"

"I'm not afraid of your boss!"

"I'm not going to call my boss, I'm going to call the police!"

The man stepped back with a solemn look on his face. He nodded and went out the door. I turned to the woman and sighed, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. My name is Beatrice."

"My name's Christine. Why didn't you just call your boss? I'm sure the police wouldn't be too interested in the case."

She looked down and sighed. "I do whatever I have to stop him. Besides, I can't talk to my boss. I've never met him"

"Why not?"

She looked out the window and around. "Can you keep a secret?" I nodded.

"No one has ever seen the boss. We're only told his name is Mister Y and that he's and absolute genius. The only ones who've ever seen him are the Giry's."

"But why?"

"No one knows. Mister Y is a mystery."

I stepped back dazed. Could this be what Meg and Madame Giry were hiding from me? "Thank you, Beatrice," I said picking up my package and heading out the door. I was confused and mystified all at once.

Today back home, I have to pass by the red light of the pier. There's no prostitution hopefully, but there is gambling halls and bars. I only have to pass by it to get a whiff of the smoke and sign of the street. I walked down the intersection where the long sign reached from one side of the street to another marking the area to my left.

I didn't mean to stop and look. I don't know why I did. It just caught my eye. When I was walking past, I saw the man from this afternoon dangling from the sign by a noose with a sign attached to him saying, 'This man sexually assaulted a woman.' I turned quickly from the gruesome sight and started running home, crying.

As I approached, I found a newspaper with an article about him. I picked it up. I dried my eyes and walked through the door, dropping my new clothes off in my room. I decided to clean my brown dress from the other day to rid my mind of the horrible sight, but that didn't help. I looked next to wash basin where I dropped the newspaper and picked it up. I started reading it. The article said he was a rich young man who was a charming ladies' man, but also a scandal. There had been no records of him before raping anyone. Meg and Madame Giry came home late, but food was soon on the table for dinner.

"Did you see that man?" I asked.

"What man?" asked Madame Giry.

"I don't know him, but he was hung," I said flinging the newspaper across the table at them.

Meg and Madame Giry looked tentatively at each other. She set down the water glass and cleared her throat. "Yes. His body's gone now. A man killed him because he raped his wife. There will be no more talk of this."

I silently continued dinner then excused myself for bed. After saying goodnight to Meg, I opened the door to the small balcony and stepped out on it. There was only enough room for two people, but that was all I needed. The lights were beautiful. Phantasma seemed magical all lit up. There was something that drew me here, but I don't know what it was. Maybe it was this same magic.