Stage Fright, page 10
Avery felt for him. He’d always had trouble in small spaces.
“Let’s go back to the auditorium,” Paige said. “The ghost light is in there. I mean, at least the ghost stays away when it’s on.”
Avery twisted her bracelet. “But what if it starts strobing again?”
“Do you have a better idea?” Tyler snapped.
Avery blinked, startled. Tyler never talked like that. His face was pinched and he was breathing hard. “What about Jaylen, though?”
“I’ll go,” Jaylen said almost cheerfully. “It doesn’t matter where we are, anyway. The rats will get us eventually.”
“Please,” Paige begged. “Stop it.”
“I gotta get out of here,” Tyler said frantically. “Jaylen, try to stand.”
“Yes, sir.” Jaylen hopped up on his good foot and slung his arm over Tyler’s shoulder. Together they staggered toward the doorway.
“Fine. Let’s go.” Avery snatched her backpack. No sense letting Tyler’s claustrophobia overwhelm him. Plus, she didn’t feel safe in the dressing room anymore, either. Not with the skull there.
In the hallway, Tyler grunted in frustration. “Can’t you move any faster?” His shirt, drenched with sweat, clung to his back.
“What do you think?” Jaylen sneered.
Paige hustled to Jaylen’s side opposite Tyler and scooped her shoulder under his free arm. “Here, hold on to our hands, Jay. Tyler, put your other hand behind his knee.”
Tyler did, and together they lifted Jaylen’s legs, making a chair for him. They all moved to the wings and onto the stage. Avery scooped up Jaylen’s backpack as she passed it. The ghost light shone steadily, and there was no sign of the ghost.
Stepping down the risers to the seats, she scrutinized the piano in the orchestra pit. As far as she could tell, the thick layer of dust on its keys remained undisturbed by any fingerprints. Avery imagined unseen fingers pressing the piano keys, a haunting version of “Rock-a-Bye Baby” hypnotizing them all, and the ghost coming for them.
She forced the thought away.
After some debate, they decided to position Jaylen in the front row. If he slouched low enough, he could elevate his ankle on top of the short wall that separated the audience from the orchestra pit yet remain in the protective glow of the ghost light. Tyler and Paige sat next to him.
Avery ditched the backpacks in an empty seat in the second row. She checked Jaylen’s for a water bottle but found nothing.
“Maybe ghosts go away when the sun rises,” Paige said hopefully.
Jaylen laughed his new harsh laugh, a sound more mocking than amused.
“What?” Paige said. “You should hope they do.”
Tyler covered his face with his hands. “We’re doomed, you know,” he said through his fingers. “The walls are closing in.”
“Okay, Tyler.” Avery assumed he was joking, until he lowered his hands and she caught his grim expression. They’d left the dressing room. Why hadn’t his claustrophobic feelings gone away?
“At least we’re in in a big area.” He nodded. “It will take a while.”
“Take a while for…?” Avery waited.
Tyler sighed as if she was brainless. “For the walls to move in and crush us.”
Paige straightened in her seat. “What are you talking about?”
“You don’t believe me? Come here.” Tyler swiftly stood and crossed in front of her.
“No thanks,” Paige said, shrinking away from him.
Tyler sidled along a row of seats until it ended at the wall. After a moment of uncertainty, Avery got up and tagged behind him. He placed his palm over one of the terrified horses. “There. Do you feel it?”
Avery gingerly touched the plaster. The surface was disgustingly slick, as if it was sweating along with Tyler. But it was solid and still. “Tyler,” she said as steadily as she could. “The walls aren’t moving.”
“Oh yes, they are,” he leaned close to her, his eyes bleak. “You’ll see. We’re doomed.”
Avery backed away from him, a terrible certainty growing inside her. This wasn’t Tyler talking. The ghost had possessed him, like it had Jaylen. How long until it infected Paige’s mind? And then her own? Would she even know if she was possessed? Did Tyler or Jaylen have any idea? Their true selves could be struggling inside their bodies, losing the war to expel the ghost. She stumbled into the aisle.
“What is his deal?” Paige asked Avery under her breath.
Avery thought fast. Her best friend was still herself, at least for the moment. They had to talk away from the guys and to figure out a game plan before anything else awful happened.
“I need to use the bathroom,” Avery blurted so loudly that Paige startled in her seat. “Paige, when you guys were searching for the fire alarms, did you find any other restrooms?”
“Uh, yeah.” Paige frowned. “In the lobby.”
“Great, will you go with me, please? I don’t want to go alone.”
“Girls, always going to the bathroom together…,” Jaylen quipped.
Avery ignored him, instead directing all the psychic energy she had at Paige, staring her down. If you were ever my BFF, please go with this.
“Okay.” Paige nodded, miraculously understanding. “Right. And let’s check if the water works there.”
“You two take care now, okay?” Jaylen winked.
“Stick together,” Tyler added. He ran his hands along the wall despondently.
“Right,” Avery said. She had to act natural. Who knew what would happen if Jaylen or Tyler—or the ghost, really—realized she was onto them.
Avery and Paige trudged up the aisle toward the lobby. Before they exited the auditorium, Avery peered back at the guys.
Both stared straight at her, watching her.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
When they entered the lobby, Paige pointed wordlessly to two doors past the coat check. Avery automatically bypassed the one labeled “men’s” before it registered how ridiculous it was to obey any rules in this desperate situation.
The ladies’ room smelled rank and stale. Thick humidity dampened Avery’s skin. She dragged a tall metal trash can to the threshold to prop open the door and then faced Paige.
“Do you really have to use the bathroom?” Paige wrinkled her nose.
“No,” Avery said. “We just need to talk.”
“Seriously?” Paige swiped a flyaway lock of hair off her face. “We could’ve talked in the theater.”
“I didn’t want the guys to hear.”
“Why not?”
“Uh…” Avery had no clue how to start the conversation.
Paige slapped open one of the stall doors. “Well, now I actually have to go. Power of suggestion, I guess.” She shut herself inside.
A soft thud came from the lobby. Avery flinched and listened for more. But all she could hear was Paige doing her business. She caught a glimpse of a haunted face in the mirror above the sinks and her throat tightened. But it was only her own reflection, with bruise-like shadows etched under her eyes. She looked like a character in one of the horror movies she hated. If only this was a movie and not her real life.
She shouldn’t waste another second. The ghost could possess her or Paige at any time. “Okay, something weird is going on with the guys,” Avery started.
“I know.” Paige’s voice ricocheted around the tiled walls. “When even Tyler gives up hope, things are bad. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
“I think it’s worse than that,” Avery said. “They’re…not themselves.” Every stall door was closed. She imagined one flying open and the ghost lunging at her, the horrible mouth opening wide, ready to swallow her whole.
“Huh?”
Avery scrambled to figure how she could possibly explain her theory to Paige. “I think…somehow Maddie has gotten into their heads.”
The stall door creaked open, and Paige emerged. “Mine, too,” she said bitterly.
Avery went rigid. “What do you mean?”
“What do you think I mean? I’m terrified.” Paige strode to the sink and turned on the faucet. No water came out. She gripped the counter and bowed her head. “Of course there’s no water. What was I thinking?” Her voice was tinged with hysteria.
Avery twisted her hands together. “No, I mean, it’s literally like the ghost is in their heads. Possessing them.”
“Come on, Aves.” Paige cast her a panicked look in the mirror. “You can’t lose it, too.”
“I’m not, I swear. Jaylen is acting totally bizarre, not like himself at all. And Ty—”
“Ghosts are one thing. Possession is another.” Paige nodded, like that was a perfectly reasonable thing to say.
“That makes no sense.”
“I’m not going to listen to this.”
“But—”
“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t!” Paige shook her head violently, making her ponytail fly. “Just stop, okay? I don’t want to talk about this!”
“We have to.” Avery tried to place a grounding hand on Paige’s shoulder, but Paige skittered away from her.
“I wish this was all a bad dream!” Paige screwed her eyes shut.
“So do I!” Avery said. “But it’s not. What should we do?”
“How would I know?” Paige wheeled around and stuck her index finger in Avery’s face. “You need to fix this. This is all your fault.”
Avery’s mouth fell open. “What?”
“This whole thing was your idea.” Paige planted her hands on her hips.
“But…” The guilt Avery had been battling for hours in the back of her mind exploded like a bomb. It was her fault.
Paige’s face reddened. “You’re even the reason we’re stuck in here. The stupid chair you picked wasn’t heavy enough to hold the door. So now we’re trapped.”
“Whoa!” Avery’s hackles rose. True, she’d chosen the wrong chair, but it wasn’t like she’d done that on purpose. Paige had gone too far. “I never wanted to come in here. Jaylen was the one who climbed through a broken window and told everyone else to come inside. And you and Tyler jumped right in.”
“Who cares?” Paige scoffed. “We wouldn’t even have been here if it wasn’t for you!”
“That’s not fair!” Anger surged through Avery’s veins. “I thought you’d say no from the beginning. You’ve always been scared to death of ghosts. I never ever thought you’d go along with this séance stuff!”
“Oh, so you were counting on me to stop this?” Paige narrowed her eyes. “Way to take responsibility.”
Again, Paige was right, but Avery refused to admit it. She pivoted from defense to offense. “Why are you so mad at me? I should be mad at you! You’re the one who has totally changed. It’s like you’re a completely different person.”
Paige tsked. “I am not.”
“Yes, you are! Wearing makeup and shopping and hanging out with Bethany Barnes.” Avery spit out the name.
“So what?” Paige clenched her fists. “Bethany is my friend. I can tell her things—”
“Like how you kissed Jaylen?”
Paige’s defiant attitude wavered. Then she raised her chin stubbornly. “Yes! Exactly!”
Avery shrank back, bumping into a stall door. Her worst fear was confirmed. This was the ultimate betrayal. “You told Bethany and you didn’t tell me?”
“Well, she actually listens.” Paige’s clenched fists went slack at her sides.
Tears stung Avery’s eyes. “But I thought I was your best friend.”
“I thought you were, too,” Paige said. “But things change, Avery. Whether you want them to or not. And you have to deal with that.”
“What are you talking about?”
Paige threw up her hands. “Avery, you live in Philly now. That’s the way it is. Accept it.”
Avery’s anger flared. Paige had no idea what the past year had been like for her. “You try moving away from everyone and everything you’ve ever known.”
Paige’s face softened. “I’m sure it’s been hard. I know it has. And I was right there with you at first. But you never even tried to fit in at your new school.”
Avery bristled. “I did so.”
“No, you didn’t. You didn’t join clubs or swim team or anything like you did here.”
“They don’t have swim team!” Avery shot back.
“Then try something else! Aves, all you’ve talked about for the last year is how miserable you’ve been. You called me every day for months and months to complain about school and your parents. And after a while—”
“After a while, what? You decided you didn’t like me anymore? Because I was sad?” Avery was outraged. How could someone be so cruel?
“No!” Paige slapped her hand on the sink in frustration. “Because it was always all about you! I tried to talk to you, but you never listened to me. Just like you aren’t listening now!”
“What are you talking about?”
Paige took a deep breath. “Do you know how lucky you are?” she continued quietly. “Your parents are amazing.”
“Yeah, so amazing that they ripped me away from my home,” Avery grumbled. She still couldn’t forgive her parents.
“Well, at least they have time for you. Natalie and Brandon and I have practically been taking care of ourselves. All my parents do is argue with each other. They’re getting a divorce.”
“They are?” Avery was stunned. The Sernetts had always been the most perfect family on the block. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Paige groaned. “I tried. This is my point. I even tried to tell you about Jaylen, but you kept on talking about yourself. Bethany actually listens to me.”
Avery’s stomach lurched. Everything Paige was saying rang true, as much as she wished it didn’t. She’d been so wrapped up in her own problems she didn’t even listen to her best friend. Her anger from moments before melted into heavy, unshakable guilt.
A giggle came from the lobby.
Avery’s eyes met Paige’s in the mirror. “Did you hear that?”
“Tyler?” Paige called weakly.
They waited, straining their ears for the slightest sound. None came.
“What if it’s the ghost?” The color drained from Paige’s cheeks. “Should we hide?”
“Let’s get back to the ghost light,” Avery whispered.
Paige nodded. Avery led the way, Paige clutching the bottom hem of her T-shirt from behind like a lifeline. They tiptoed out of the bathroom, sweeping their cell lights around the lobby. Everything appeared the same. The auditorium door was only a few yards away. As they snuck toward it, all the hairs on the back of Avery’s neck lifted. Her instincts screamed at her. Something was terribly wrong.
Then she saw it.
The skull.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The skull rested on the glass display case between the girls and the auditorium door, as if an unseen hand had picked it up and placed it there.
Paige gave a strangled cry. “Go away!” She surged forward, reaching toward the skull.
“No!” Avery was struck by a horrible revelation. She launched her body between Paige and the skull, stopping her inches from the display case.
Paige, frantic and frenzied, tried to push past her. “We have to get rid of it!”
“Don’t touch it!” Avery gripped Paige’s hands. “That’s how it happens!”
Paige struggled, but Avery held fast. “How what happens?”
“How Maddie gets in your head!”
“Not this again!” Paige wailed.
“Think about it!” Avery said. “Right after Jaylen picked up the skull onstage, he started hearing rats everywhere. He’s terrified of rats. And after Tyler touched it in the dressing room, he freaked about the walls closing in. He’s claustrophobic!”
Paige gaped at her. “So?”
“The skull is the connection! I don’t know how, but the ghost must use the skull to get into someone’s mind and find out their biggest fear. Then it uses that to torture them!”
“But—”
“Please, Paige,” Avery begged. “Even if you don’t believe me, don’t take a chance. Please.”
“Fine.” Paige jerked her hands out of Avery’s and stepped back. “But we have to do something!”
Avery knew she was right. They needed to stop Maddie’s sick game. But how? The skull sat there, silent, sullen, seemingly self-satisfied. Avery’s frustration boiled over.
She latched on to the nearby broom by its bristles, lifted it, and brought it down hard on the top of the skull. But the broom’s metal handle bounced off the bone without causing the slightest dent. Avery walloped it again and got the same result. In desperation she hoisted the handle high over her head and smashed it down with all her might. The blow forced the skull to spurt to one side, and the broom continued downward, hammering the counter with full force. Waves of pain radiated up Avery’s arms. The glass shattered with an earsplitting crack, and shards of glass flew, slicing the air.
Avery chucked the broom to the floor. Paige threw her hands up to shield her face, her cell light arcing up to the ceiling, and took off blindly in the direction of the auditorium door. She tripped, arms pinwheeling, and fell hard on her side.
She screamed.
“Paige!” Avery raced to her.
Paige aimed her light at her thigh. A jagged glass shard jutted from her skin. Screaming again, she plucked it out and hurled it across the lobby. Blood gushed from the wound. Her face went blank. “Oh no.”
“Hold on!” Avery desperately tried to recall the first aid lessons from the babysitting class she’d taken at the Y.
Pressure. Tourniquet.
She shrugged her backpack from her shoulders and snatched her hoodie.
“I—I—I…,” Paige stuttered.
“Shhhh.” Avery cinched the sleeves around Paige’s leg above the cut, then bunched up the rest of the hoodie and pressed it into the skin to staunch the blood. “Tyler! Help!” she yelled, hoping against hope he’d listen and come to his senses. She couldn’t do this alone.
