The Ghost Backstage Read online

  Then all of a sudden, the spotlight shined from the control room . . . and a loud, ghostly Woooooooooooooo! sounded throughout the cafetorium.

  Mr. Hartshorn threw his script in the air in frustration. All the kids ran from the stage and the tables in the cafetorium to the control room. All the kids except for Claire.

  “I guess Amber isn’t the ghost after all,” Kaz said to Claire. “So who is?”

  “I’m going to find out,” Claire said as she walked over to Jack’s house.

  Kaz followed.

  The crack in the floor behind the house was open a couple of inches. Someone was in the secret tunnel!

  “Hey, what are you doing, Claire?” Noah called out to her as Mr. Hartshorn unlocked the control room.

  The main light came on inside the control room. The spotlight went off. And the loud, ghostly Woooooooooooooo! stopped.

  Claire didn’t answer. And she didn’t take her eyes off the crack in the floor.

  “Yeah, what are you looking at, Claire?” Ethan asked.

  A bunch of kids ran for the stage and gathered around Claire, just as the door in the stage floor started to slide open.

  What the—?” Ethan said as Jonathan’s head popped up through the opening in the floor.

  “What are you doing, Jonathan?” Noah cried. “Are you the ghost?”

  Jonathan froze.

  “I thought Amber was the ghost,” Claire said. “But you’re the one who’s been going back and forth between the stage and the control room, Jonathan? You’re the one who turned on the spotlight and the sound just now? And the piano the other day?”

  Jonathan lowered his eyes. “Yeah,” he admitted. He climbed the rest of the way out of the tunnel and sat on the floor.

  “Did you write that message on the wall in the storage room, too?” Gia asked.

  “Mr. Hartshorn’s keys were lying on the table,” Jonathan said. “I took them when no one was looking and then put them back.”

  “And did you hide the costumes?” Noah asked.

  Jonathan nodded. He pointed down into the tunnel. “They’re down there.”

  “How did you even know about that tunnel, Jonathan?” Mr. Hartshorn asked as he made his way through the crowd. “We haven’t used it in years. I didn’t think anyone in this group even knew about it.”

  “My brother told me about it,” Jonathan replied.

  Mr. Hartshorn bent down beside Jonathan. “Why, Jonathan?” he asked, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You’ve got one of the lead roles in the play. Why would you do all this?”

  “Because I really did see a ghost the day of tryouts, but no one believed me. And now everyone keeps teasing me about it.” Jonathan raised his eyes. “I didn’t mean any harm. I just wanted people to stop teasing me. You won’t really cancel the play, will you, Mr. Hartshorn?”

  Mr. Hartshorn didn’t answer right away.

  “I understand if you don’t want me to play Jack anymore. But please don’t cancel the play,” Jonathan said.

  Mr. Hartshorn rubbed his chin. “I won’t cancel the play,” he said.

  “Hooray!” everyone cheered.

  “And you can still play Jack . . . if you promise no more backstage trouble and you apologize to your castmates,” Mr. Hartshorn said.

  “I promise. And I’m sorry, everyone,” Jonathan said.

  “Good. I’m reasonably confident everyone will stop teasing you, too,” Mr. Hartshorn said with a pointed look at Noah.

  “Sure,” Noah said, elbowing Ethan.

  A couple of weeks later, Kaz went to school with Claire, her mom and dad, and Grandma Karen. They went at night. Inside the car.

  Kaz liked riding in the car. It was like being inside a second water bottle. Kaz felt extra protected from the Outside.

  When they pulled up to the school, Claire’s mom said, “Break a leg, honey!” Which seemed strange to Kaz. Why would Claire’s own mother want her to break a leg?

  “I will!” Claire grabbed the water bottle and ran toward the school. She let Kaz out of the water bottle once they were safely inside the cafetorium. Then she went to change into her costume.

  A lot of the kids had already put on their costumes. The backstage workers bustled around, making sure all the props were in order.

  “Hey, Ghost Boy!” Noah cried as he jabbed Jonathan with his cardboard sword.

  “You’re not supposed to be messing around with the props,” Jonathan said. “And you’re not supposed to tease me anymore.”

  Noah grinned. “Are you going to stop me, Ghost Boy?” He jabbed at Jonathan again. “Huh? Are you?”

  Jonathan tried to grab the sword from Noah, but Noah backed away before Jonathan could reach it.

  Kaz wished he could put Noah in his place once and for all. He swam over, reached for the sword, and . . . grabbed it right out of Noah’s hand.

  Noah and Jonathan both stared at the sword that appeared to be floating in midair.

  But no one was more shocked than Kaz.

  “I’m doing it!” Kaz laughed out loud. “I’m holding a solid object!” If only Beckett could see him now.

  But as soon as he thought that, the sword fell through Kaz’s hand and landed on the floor.

  “Did you see that?” Noah asked as several other kids gathered around.

  “Yeah, Butterfingers,” Ethan said with a laugh. “Looks like you can’t hold onto a sword.”

  Noah didn’t think that was funny. “It felt like someone or something grabbed the sword right out of my hand.”

  “Like what?” Jonathan asked. “A ghost? Now who’s the Ghost Boy?”

  Claire walked over then. “Did I miss something?” she asked the boys as she tied the costume’s apron around her waist.

  “You guys saw it,” Noah cried. “That sword was floating in midair!”

  “Sure, Noah. Sure, it was,” Jonathan said as he and Ethan walked away.

  Noah picked up the sword and set it on the table with the other props. “It was!” he insisted as he ran after Jonathan and Ethan.

  Kaz and Claire were alone.

  “This is what you missed,” Kaz said. He floated over to the table and picked up the cardboard sword.

  Claire drew in her breath. “Wow! Good for you, Kaz. I knew you’d learn to pick up a solid object. I knew it!”

  “Thanks,” Kaz said as the sword fell to the table.

  Now if only he could master a few more ghost skills. And find his family. He would, one day. He was sure of it.

  Until then, he’d keep practicing his skills and hanging out with Claire. Who knew what kind of case would come their way next?