strange, mysterious aura around it, almost like it hadn't been used in years. The carpet had dust about it, as it seemed to have been not been cleaned, cobwebs were seen on the seats, all except for one in the far corner, which was covered by the darkness of the Box, as the Box itself was not illuminated by any kind of source of light around it or above it.

   Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large, black figure jumped in front of the managers as they entered the Box, giving some of them a gasp of shock, making Star fall back from shock. The Box-Keeper would have been frightened as well, but rolled her eyes in irritation, as she could tell who was behind this little joke.

   "Monsieur Buquet!" She exclaimed, as the pit-bull scene-shifter took of the black sheet that was over his head, laughing his chain-smoker's laugh.

   "Sorry, I couldn't resist," He then wheezed as he snickered, his foul breath coming out clear as day.

   "Monsieur, I suggest you treat the new managers with respect." The collie scolded the pit.

   "Come no', Aurelia, it's all in good fun!" He snickered, placing his hat back on his head.

   "Buquet…" The collie replied sternly, folding her arms.

   The pit merely sighed, "Sorry if I scared ya, messieurs. I do it to everyone."

   "That's fine, Monsieur," Kaltag began, "And your name is…?"

   "Joseph Buquet or you can call me the Chief of the Flies." He chuckled, bowing his head.

   "He's the main scene-shifter up in the rafters of the theater." The Box-Keeper added.

   "I see," The Chinook replied.

   "Say, Chief," Nikki asked, "Do you know about this…Opera Ghost?"

   The pit then laughed aloud once again, "So, you want to know about the Opera Ghost?"

   "Um…yes?" Nikki replied. The scene-shifter then looked around and down the hall, almost like he was checking to see if anyone else was around.

   "Come inside the Box, messieurs." He said gravely, "And I'll tell you…what I saw." The managers then went inside the dark Box, with the collie still outside in the hall. She didn't exactly want to join them, seeing how the pit had already told his encounter with the ghost to nearly everyone at the Canine. So listening to it again was definitely getting old, but she went inside along with other dogs.

   The managers sat on their haunches, with the scene-shifter in front of them, and the collie behind them standing in front of the now closed door.

   "Listen carefully, as I only tell others about the ghost once, OK?" He asked the managers, who nodded in response, all except the Chinook in the middle, who seemed skeptical.

   "Monsieur, are you sure this is necessary?" Kaltag inquired, "I don't believe in ghosts, and neither do my fellow colleagues."

   "Yeah," Star added, "What's so scary about some dumb ghost?"

   The pit then got up in the grey-purple husky's face, "I suggest you keep your mouth shut around these parts, Monsieur," His voice had that grave, stern tone again, "The ghost could be anywhere…" Once the pit knew he had the manager's attention, he began his tale.

   "I was up in the rafters, like I always am, havin' my smoke break, and whil' I was leanin' against the rail, I heard something move on the beam, and when I looked to the left, I saw 'im."

   "Are you sure you didn't just see someone else?" Kaltag asked.

   "As the Lord's witness, I know what I saw; 'e was there, standing with a long, black cloak roun' his shoulders, as black as night. 'e wore a gentledog's suit, with a black tux, a white vest and bow-tie. 'e 'ad large paws, like wolf paws, you know, them big ones with the claws that can tear your face off, and on' of 'em were on the rail, and the claws made a scratching soun', an' his nails were so sharp that the' made marks on the stee' bar. I looked at 'is face and 'e 'ad a white skull for a 'ead, and there were two, big grey 'ars stickin' ou' of 'is 'ead. 'e stared at me with those yellow eyes of his, which seemed to glow in the dark. 'e then turned around and vanished, almost like 'e faded into the dark."

   Whilst the Chinnok's friends tried to understand what the scene-shifter had said (he wasn't too great in ways of articulation), Kaltag wasn't sure what to think of this ghost. He definitely didn't believe in such beings, and when he used write stories about the supernatural in the papers, he felt like the canines he was interviewing were probably making most of it up. He was a realist at heart, and believed in real things, not spirits and phantoms; and the thought of a ghost being in the Opera Canine seemed absolutely absurd.

   "Are you sure what you saw, Monsieur?" He asked the pit, "Perhaps you were drinking?"

   "I kno' what I saw, believe me," The scene-shifter replied with a slight cough, "Now if you excuse me, the 'Chief ''as to get back to work." The pit walked past the dogs, and before he left, he turned and said, "Don' be snooping aroun' 'n places that you don' belong, messieurs. Don' go anywhere 'n this House by yourself or 'e might catch you, with his…magical lasso.

   "Lasso? What lasso?" Kaltag responded.

   "I'll let Madame tell you about it, got work to do, good day messieurs." With a swift bow, the pit left the Box.

   "Madame, do you know anything about this ghost?" Nikki asked the collie.

   The collie sighed, "I do know a few things. I know he has been seen multiple times, and I've…well…" Her voice trailed off, almost like she knew something.

   "Yes?" Kaltag replied, trying to edge her on. "Is their something you want to tell us?"

   "Well…I'm not exactly allowed to say anything," She responded, scratching the back of her head with a front paw, "But, since you're new to the Canine and how things are run here, I shall inform you what the ghost is capable of."

   "Oh, what can a silly ghost do?" Star joked, "Jump out and scare people?"

   "No, messieurs, the ghost is not prone to childish pranks. He has done things…dreadful things in this House," The box-keeper had that same serious tone that the scene-shifter had.

   "Dreadful things?" The grayish-purple husky gulped, "What kind of things?"

   "It is said that if you see the ghost, you are cursed. Some have said he will come into your dressing room when you're not looking, and steal something valuable. He has already stolen Monsieur Claudin's violin, and Madame Sorelli's ballet slippers."

   "Is this the only thing that he has done?" Nikki inquired.

   "No…I hate to say it…" The collie had an anxious look on her face, "but he's…killed dogs."

   "Killed?!" Star exclaimed, "Kaltag, do you realize what this means? There's a killer ghost on the loose! We have to-!" The husky was then hit on the head yet again by the Chinook.

   "Star, calm yourself," He assured, "I'm sure that a corporeal being like a ghost can't possibly kill anyone."

   Madame Aurelia then interjected, "Oh, but he can, Monsieur, and he has."

   "Really? Do you have any proof, Madame?"

   The collie looked down at her paws, "Well…no…I…"

   "Well, without any sort of proof that this ghost exists, I think it's safe to say that he doesn't exist at all and we have absolutely, positively, most assuredly nothing to be afraid of." He replied confidently, and then walked over to the door of the Box, "Now, if you excuse us, we have an Opera House to run, not sit here and listen to myths and legends. Good day, Madame."

   The collie was about to say something else, but she decided to let manager's return to their office. She then realized then and there that these managers seemed "different" than the last 3. She thought the idea of a ghost stalking, stealing from, and possibly killing dogs would scare them out of their coats. It occurred to the Box-Keeper that the trio wasn't fazed by the presence of the ghost, nor did they believe in him.

   They'll understand soon enough, she thought, placing her paws on the railing of the balcony, looking at the stage of the theater, but if the ghost threatens them, don't come crying to me Messieurs. As the collie listened to the beautiful notes of Gounod, the sound of what seemed like claws tapping on the arm of one of the chairs came into her ears.

   Jenna sat in her one-bedroom apartment complex, which was conveniently located only a mile away from the Canine, making travel there easy. There wasn't much to the apartment, seeing as how small it was. Her income didn't bring in much, so she