Venice Beach California, 2016

~

"Sold! Your number, please?"

A young lady in a white coat handed her number to the auctioneer.

"Thank you. Lot 663, ladies and gentlemen, a poster for this house's production of Hannibal by Chalumeau."

"Showing here."

The porter showed the poster to everyone in the living room, where the auction took place.

"Do I have ten dollars?"

"Five!"

"Five then. Five I am bid."

"Six!"

"Seven!"

"Against you, sir. Seven."

"Eight!"

"Eight. Eight going once, going twice."

The auctioneer banged his gavel.

"Sold! To Mrs. Jenna Mueller."

She handed her number to the auctioneer, then the porter gave her a new number for the next item.

"Lot 664, ladies and gentlemen, a wooden pistol and three human skulls, from the 1831 production of Robert le Diable by Meyerbeer."

The porter showed the item to everyone.

"Ten dollars?"

"Ten!"

"Ten, thank you."

"Fifteen!"

"Fifteen, thank you, sir. Fifteen I am bid."

Nobody shouted another amount.

"Going at fifteen. Going once, going twice."

The auctioneer banged his gavel once again.

"Sold! Your number, sir?"

The man handed his number to the auctioneer, then the porter gave him a new number.

"Lot 665, ladies and gentlemen, a papier-mache music box in the shape of a barrel-organ. Attached, a figure of a bear in Persian robes smoking a Gatorade bong. This item was discovered in the basement of this house. It's still in working order."

"Showing here."

The porter played the music box for everyone in the auction. When they heard the tune, they were stunned. Especially the old woman dressed in black, and Jenna Mueller; whose eyes were filled with tears.

"May I start with twenty dollars?"

"Fifteen!"

"Fifteen, then? Fifteen I am bid."

Jenna raised her number.

"Thirty!"

"Thirty! Going once, going twice."

The auctioneer banged his gavel.

"Sold! For thirty dollars to Mrs. Jenna Mueller."

The porter handed the item to Jenna.

As she held it, she looked into the eyes of the bear, which resembled someone she lost long ago.

A collector's piece indeed
Every detail exactly as he said
He often spoke of you, my friend
Your velvet lining, and your figurine of lead

She pressed it to her face, with a tear streaming down her cheek.

Will you still play, when all the rest of us are dead?

"Lot 666, ladies and gentlemen, a chandelier in pieces."

The porter presented the chandelier to everyone, and they knew immediately what it was.

"Some of you may recall the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera, a mystery never fully explained."

The auctioneer stepped off his post.

"We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier which figures in the famous disaster that occurred within these neighborhood walls.

He looked at the chandelier that stood before him and everyone in the auction.

"Our workshops have repaired it and wired parts of it for the new electric light, so that we may get a hint of how it may look when resembled."

The auctioneer nodded at the porter to stand next to the chandelier.

"Perhaps we may frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination!"

He looked at everyone, then looked back at the porter.

"Gentlemen!"

(Play song)

With his signal, the porter removed the cloth which revealed the chandelier.

Everyone stood back in shock and fright, as it was raised towards the ceiling.

Jenna and the old woman watched as the chandelier took them back to the day when the land of Venice fell under the dominion of the Phantom of the Opera.