Spoilers: Nope

Words in Italics and quotation marks are being said out loud, but they are also song lyrics. On with my twisted show....

The Phantom From the Creek
Act One Scene Three

Joey hadn't the slightest idea where she was. She was in a boat, sailing over a dark, misty river with a strange masked man steering. The most realistic explanation she could think of was the antique mirror was really a trap door leading to underneath the theater. The explanation she believed, however, was that she had lost her mind and was hallucinating. After all she had been through in her life, she wouldn't have been surprised if that was it. May as well enjoy my delirium, she thought. She watched the candles they passed glowing from the walls and wondered who could have reached them and kept them lit. The fog and water gave everything an aura of blue, even though the light was cast from an orange flame. Joey noted that her costume fit her surroundings perfectly. She hadn't changed after the show and was wearing a flowing, old style, lacey white dress used for Maria and Tony's wedding scene. Joey went to put her hand in the lake and let her fingers run through the water, but then changed her mind when she observed the steam rising up from the water. The Phantom looked down at her curiously for a moment before pointing out where they would be disembarking from the boat. As they approached land, Joey realized how dizzy she was a started to think aloud.

The Phantom gently guided the boat to land and stepped off. He put out his hand to help Joey lift herself up. She took his hand and used her other hand to lift her gown up so it wouldn't get wet. She gasped when she looked in front of her. Built into a cave there was a complete, dimly lit Victorian-style habitation. The Phantom walked slightly in front of her and beckoned for her to continue and enter his dwelling. Joey walked forward in a daze, still absorbing everything in wide-eyed amazement. The Phantom took a place besides her.

The Phantom caught Joey's hand when she suddenly stopped walking and took a step away from him to look behind her.

He turned her back to face him and pulled her into his arms. He ran his hand from her cheek to her waist.

Joey watched him sheepishly before she brushed him aside and stepped out of his embrace. She was finally getting accustomed to the darkness, but the familiarity was something she just could not place. It was true; she had contact with this... angel? Well, with whatever he was... before. He had sung to her through the vents and instructed her. But it wasn't just that. She had never questioned the source of the voice. She had came to just accept it. She had never imagined she'd see the man behind the voice in her present setting, however. His voice wasn't what was making everything familiar... She gazed in wonder at his half-masked face.

She drew up her hand to remove the mask, but her notion was anticipated and the Phantom caught her wrist.

Joey gave him a defiant look, but complied and lowered her arm. She joined in his thought, trying to understand what was going on.

Joey walked around the cavern, observing the furnishings. She could have sworn she heard high, eerie voices singing.....

There was a bed, a couch, closets, tables-- even an old television and VCR. It was modest, but amazing nonetheless since Joey could not see how he got all that stuff down through the lake. She was especially fascinated with the piano. The Phantom addressed her.

Joey knew what he wanted to hear and decided to say it. She walked back to him and put her arms around him.

He spun her so she was in his arms as they sang together. Joey felt her control slipping away as the Phantom's world engulfed her.

Joey thought she heard the voices again, but could not heed their warnings. She wondered if this fantasy could be drug-induced, only she had never tried drugs. "Sing," the Phantom commanded, "my Angel of Music."

Joey was too far in to try and turn back again. She began to sing scales higher than she ever had before with the Phantom's encouragement. He began to accompany her on the piano as her notes began to resemble a screechy wail. Joey finally hit a note so high that a glass vase on the piano that was housing a rose cracked before her dizziness overwhelmed her and she passed out.

The Phantom sat watching her, listening to the waves from the lake before kneeling down next to her and carefully picking her up. He stood with her in his arms and again listened, but not to the waves. He listened to the only other sound: Joey's breathing. He laid her down on the bed and sat besides her, stroking her hair.

"I wish I could show you, let you know it's me and that everything will be all right now. But I can't, not until you learn to see past the mask and what lies underneath. I'm sorry." He bent down and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight. Sleep well my beautiful Joey," Dawson whispered.

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