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Post by Alfred Worthington on Dec 16, 2012 20:23:59 GMT -5
Alfred was helping decorate the ball room for the holidays. He had found a very tall folding ladder in one of the store rooms and noticed some apparently artificial garlands of pine in a box, along with some coloured glass ornaments and other things to hang on it. The boxes were dusty, as if they had not been used in some years.
He set up the ladder and then, with garlands under his arm and nails in his pocket along with a hammer, he climbed up the ladder and began looking closely at the wall for a good place to start hanging the decorations. He noticed that there were already nails in the wall and tiny loops on the garlands themselves, so it would be quite easy to hang them. Relatively easy, that is. The running up and down the ladder to fetch more garlands and ornaments, and continually moving the ladder was a bit tiring. But he enjoyed it.
He had awakened early and he had to plan out every day at the mansion carefully, so he would be sure of something to do all the time. He had decided that it would be lovely to help with the decorating of the place. He knew something was planned for the ball room and expected that everyone's help would be appreciated. He had dressed for the work, he expected to become a bit dusty and grimy, so he wore an old flannel shirt and an old pair of trousers held up by his braces.
Alfred had just climbed up the ladder again with another piece of garland and a box of coloured balls when he heard the door open and close and then footfalls. He didn't turn around for he knew that was a dangerous prospect while being on the top of a tall ladder.
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Post by Gerard Carriere on Dec 20, 2012 10:03:52 GMT -5
Gerard had woken early, disturbed by a now daily occurrence. Ever night he'd have that same nightmare, his son dying in his arms. That wasn't an image that was easy to be rid off, despite the fact that Erik was alive and quite well. It just wasn't an easy thing to forget.
He walked the halls of the mansion, just thinking. Thinking of what life would have been like for Erik had Belladova not died. He missed her, terribly. He missed her voice and her smile, it was hard not to miss someone that you loved.
The older man entered the Ballroom, he'd found it not too long ago and it was a pleasant place to collect one's thoughts. However, on this day Gerard was not alone in the Ballroom, there was another man hanging garland standing on a rather tall ladder.
Gerard couldn't be sure, but he could have sworn he'd seen the other man around the mansion, but then again he'd seen a lot of people but had never spoken to them for he was still getting used to his life here.
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Post by Alfred Worthington on Dec 22, 2012 18:06:45 GMT -5
Finishing with one garland, Alfred climbed down the tall ladder for another one, first moving the ladder further down the wall. Then he turned to see who had entered the room. It was a man he had not met, but he thought he may have seen him somewhere in the mansion. He smiled and walked over to him before picking up another garland. "Hello," he said in a crisp British accent, and speaking in English. "Do you speak English? I find I have to ask..." He proffered his hand to the man, an older, nice-looking man with greying brown hair and a moustache.
"I am Alfred Worthington, and seem to have found this place ... and I'm still here." He laughed a bit self-consciously. It was difficult to explain the circumstances to anyone else. Having been on one of his daily walks and then simply losing his way, finding this mansion and not being able to leave the place sounded absurd. And yet it was true.
"I have been of late, a man servant to the de Chagny family at their home near Paris, but since coming here, I have not been needed in that capacity. So for the time being, I am amusing myself by helping keep the place clean and tidy and doing a bit of this and that. "
He picked up one of the garlands. "Strange stuff, this. Not real, but quite a good simulation. Not as difficult to pick up after as the real thing, but then again, there is a dearth of lovely pine scent." He smiled again. I am planning to put the garlands around all the walls of the room and erect a tree in the front. There is a tree made of this same very strange material which appears quite true to life also. And there is quite the variety of coloured balls and other ornaments to hang on the tree." I am thinking of wreaths on the walls too, under the garlands. What do you think, Sir?"
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Post by Gerard Carriere on Jan 30, 2013 16:50:04 GMT -5
He smiled at the other man as he turned to, as Gerard thought, see who’d entered. He glanced about the ballroom, noticing the carefully hung strands of garland before his head turned back to the other man, who’d approached him, garland in hand. He nodded in greeting, a smile spreading across his face. “I do,” he replied, but a hinting of a French accent coating his words. He took the hand offered to him and shook it warmly.
“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir, I’m Gerard Carriere,” he chuckled faintly. He too knew what it was like to just suddenly end up at the manor. The memory wasn’t the best one for Gerard to remember. He’d been cradling the dead body of his son, his eyes closed for a moment and when he opened them he was no longer on the rooftop of the Paris Opera House, but in the middle of the woods, where he saw his son, the first person he laid eyes on from the manor.Gerard listened to the man speak of his job and nodded faintly.
Gerard nodded, “It does, I have to say, look quite like the real thing.” The small smile reflected onto Gerard’s face as he listened. “I’m sure it will look splendid when it’s done,” he promised with a smile.
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Post by Alfred Worthington on Jan 30, 2013 21:12:42 GMT -5
The man looked about Alfred's age. He seemed friendly and greeted him, introducing himself as Gerard Carrière. "Carrière....Carrière....I know I've heard that name bandied about the place a bit.," he said in his crisp English accent. "But I can't recall where exactly...it was here. I know I hadn't heard it before coming here." He paused.
"So, M. Carrière, how do you like it here? Odd place isn't it. Not a bad place, butI feel a bit out of place. When I came, I thought I had taken a very wrong turn on one of my walks..." He laughed."I'm very much addicted to daily walks and I know for a fact I didn't take a wrong turn." This last was said with a smile.
"I have however, met two people I knew from before, Christine Svenna Daaé and Raoul Christophe de Chagny. I believe they should marry. Tthey are meant for each other."
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Post by Gerard Carriere on Apr 4, 2013 14:25:12 GMT -5
"Perhaps you're speaking of my son? Erik Carriere," Gerard suggested with a light bob of his shoulders. "If not then I'm afraid I can't help you, monsiuer, for that is the only other Carriere I know." He offered a faint smile.
"I'm actually enjoying it here, for one reason above all..." his words faded off and he thought he'd better explain. "In the world I came from my son was killed, but here he's alive...that's the main reason I like it here. It's a fine place indeed." He chuckled faintly at the other man's next words.
Gerard thought for a moment. "I'm afraid I don't know anyone that goes by the name of Raoul. I do know a Christine though...I'm not sure if we are talking of the same one though..."
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Post by Alfred Worthington on Apr 9, 2013 20:30:42 GMT -5
A look of recognition crossed Alfred's face when Gerard mentioned his son was named Erik Carriére. "Yes, that must be it...I have not met many people here, but I did hear the name. I look forward to meeting him. The Christines?" Alfred said cryptically. "Yes, I understand there are quite a few ladies named Christine who live here. Strange. I know only one so far, the one I mentioned. But there are more; I know that."
"Odd place, this. I can't get over my strange appearance here. How I just walked onto the grounds here and had never seen the place before. How I suddenly seem to be among people who tell me it's a different time and place. Confusing to say the least. But I am content. A bit bored, but I expect to remedy that. There must be something else I can do here."
Alfred gave Gerard a strange look when he said that he came from a reality where his son had died. "And he's alive now, here? That's incredible...how can it be? There can't possibly be anything like a different reality...and yet....considering my recent experiences, perhaps you have something there..."
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