“Good night!” their ghoulish host said. “Come back soon for more scary fun. Sleep with one eye open.”
Dr. Hysteria disappeared as suddenly as he’d appeared, and the painting reappeared in his place.
Kellen pulled Nicole, Luke, and Hunter out of the Hall of Horrors.
Back on the street, Mayor Smith was bouncing from one foot to the other. “Sweet pumpkin fritters!” he exclaimed with an uneasy laugh. His hair stood on end. He hurried over to his wife and children. “That is kind of fun, huh, kids? Wow! That felt really real! Hey, you know it looked like I was crying, but I was just pretending. I wasn’t really crying.”
His wife patted his arm with a knowing smile.
“That was awesome,” Luke said, savoring the moment. “Nicole, you screamed about seven times.”
Nicole noticed Kellen’s troubled face. He was looking up and down the street. “Are you okay?”
He turned to her and shrugged. “Me? Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Me?” Luke said. “I’m starving.” He wandered over to the closest food booth.
“We should get something to eat,” Nicole said, more to Kellen than to Luke.
“No, you go,” Kellen said as he kept scanning the crowd. “I think I’m gonna take off.”
Nicole grabbed his arm. “Kellen, Beth’s not the only girl in the world, you know.”
“No, no, I … I just feel like going for a walk.” He turned and walked away.
Nicole watched him for a moment. Then she sighed and joined Luke by the food truck. He always made her laugh.
Back in the Hall of Horrors, Beth had spotted a door labeled VIP. It opened onto the street. Beth was so surprised and relieved, she practically tumbled out. People stared at her, and she wondered if her terror showed on her face. Then she remembered she was still wearing the black cloak. She pulled it off, balled it up, and left it by the door. Then she took off. She wanted to get as far away from this place as possible.
On the other side of the big tent, she saw a welcome face. “Hey, Hunter,” she said, hurrying over to him. “I’m so glad I found you.”
Behind her, Dr. Hysteria emerged from a side entrance to the Hall of Horrors. He stared across the street at Beth and Hunter. His face was blank. There was no ghoulish humor, no challenging invitation to the Hall of Horrors. He just watched in silence as Beth and Hunter walked away.
Beth turned when she felt his eyes on her. Hunter was trying to calm her down, but a chill went down her spine when she spotted Dr. Hysteria.
A slow, satisfied smile inched across his face.
Later, back at home, Beth sat at her desk and opened her laptop. She had every light in the room on, including the purple Christmas lights wrapped around her canopy bed.
She had to know what was going on. As fast as she could, she searched for Dr. Hysteria’s Hall of Horrors.
A page of links popped up. The first link led to reviews of the show. She began to look through them, reading each one.
She wasn’t sure what she expected to find, but she knew what she was looking for: the truth about what was really going on there.
Eventually, she clicked a link that led to a schedule of the show’s events. She glanced down at today’s date, but it was the wrong day of the week—the schedule was a day off.
It was last year’s calendar.
She looked up at the top of the page and read Federson Chamber of Commerce.
Federson!
She remembered the news report: Andrea Payton mysteriously disappeared from Federson Township.
On Halloween!
There had to be a connection.
What was really going on in Dr. Hysteria’s Hall of Horrors?
KELLEN TRUDGED TOWARD HOME. HE had his headphones on, and he was trying to lose himself in the music. All he wanted was to forget tonight and everything that had happened. He’d meant for this to be a fun night for him and Beth. How had it all gone so wrong? Beth had gone off with Hunter like he wasn’t even there.
At least the street was empty, so he didn’t have to pretend to be polite to anyone he passed. It was late, and some of the houses were dark. That made the Halloween decorations even spookier.
A single headlight made its way down the middle of the street. Kellen didn’t notice anything unusual until a motorcycle stopped beside him.
He tipped back his headphones as the rider tipped back her helmet, revealing a girl with green eyes.
It was Lilith, but not the Lilith he’d seen before. In the glow from the streetlight, he could see she was wearing a black leather jacket and jeans and had normal makeup on. She looked even prettier than usual. She didn’t need all that makeup she wore for the show.
“Hi,” she said.
“Oh, it’s you. I didn’t …”
“Recognize me out of costume?” She held up her hands. “This is the real me. I like to drive around after the show.” She leaned one arm on the bike’s handlebar. “Just to chill out, y’know?”
He nodded, fascinated by the change in her. Only her silky voice and amazing eyes were the same.
“I saw you wandering around aimlessly,” Lilith went on. “I thought one of our zombies had escaped.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.” He grinned. He liked this version of Lilith.
She eyed him up and down. “You didn’t.”
“So what’s it like?”
“Working in the show?”
He nodded.
“I love it,” she said. “I was born into it, but you would be great in it.”
“Me?” Kellen laughed at the idea. He couldn’t imagine himself leaping out of shadows and frightening people. He couldn’t even get up the nerve to ask a girl to go to the movies with him.
“Why not? Most of our performers started working with us when they were about your age. And I started when I was a little girl.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I’m the show-business type.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, teasing now. “I’ve seen your wicked dance moves.”
“That was all Beth.”
“You’ve got style—your own style. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” She picked up a second helmet off the back of the bike and held it out to him. “I’ll take you home.” When he hesitated, she said, “It’s not on fire. Get on.”
He took the helmet and straddled the back of the motorcycle. Pulling on the helmet, he put his hands on either side of her narrow waist.
“Wrap ’em around,” she said.
He did, and she revved the motorcycle. A moment later, they were zooming down the street.
Back in her room, Beth was still researching Dr. Hysteria. She looked up when she heard an engine start. Was that a motorcycle?
She switched off her lights, went to the window, lifted one slat of the blinds, and looked out.
A motorcycle with two riders stopped across the street, in front of Kellen’s house. The rider on the back took off his helmet and climbed off.
It was Kellen.
With Dr. Hysteria’s gorgeous assistant.
What were they doing out on a motorcycle so late at night? No, wait; Beth didn’t want an answer to that question. She should drop the slat and walk away.
But she couldn’t. She watched as if she were witnessing a horrible accident. The girl grabbed Kellen’s coat and pulled him toward her until they were cheek-to-cheek. Was she whispering something to him?
When Kellen leaned back away from her, he stumbled a couple of steps before regaining his balance. He watched as the girl drove away.
And Beth saw a lipstick mark on his cheek.
Dr. Hysteria’s assistant had kissed him.
Kellen glanced up at Beth’s house just as she closed the blind.
Beth shook her head. She felt strange. It was a shock. She didn’t want Kellen mixed up with anyone from that show. Not when she had so many questions.
That was the reason she was upset about the kiss. It didn’t have anything to do with how she felt about Kellen.
He was her friend, her buddy, her partner.
Right?
Beth went into the bathroom and filled the sink. Her mind was racing with questions, but she was exhausted. Things would be clearer in the morning.
She looked at the stamp on her hand. It hadn’t faded or smudged. She dunked her hand in the water and scrubbed at it. She didn’t want anything to do with Dr. Hysteria and whatever was going on there.
Lifting her hand out of the water, she looked at it. The stamp was just the same.
Odd …
She washed it again, harder this time.
It was still there.
Maybe three times was the charm. She scoured her hand again, and then bent over the sink to wash her face. Straightening, she looked in the mirror.
Dr. Hysteria was standing right behind her.
DR. HYSTERIA SMIRKED AT BETH IN the mirror. His look said that he knew more than she ever could.
Beth whirled around. Nobody was there.
What was going on?
Beth wasn’t sure of anything. Except that whatever was going on, it wasn’t anything good.
The next morning was chilly and gray, but Kellen had a bounce in his step as he cut across the school parking lot. He still couldn’t believe that Lilith had given him a ride on her motorcycle. And the kiss … that was a surprise.
Plus, he’d realized Beth had been watching. She must have seen the kiss. He grinned at the memory. All in all, it hadn’t been a bad night.
“Kellen!”
Beth was rushing to catch up with him. He stopped by the front door.
“Hey!” she said. “Can I talk to you?”
He nodded, and they walked into school together. Beth quickly filled him in on what had happened to her after she’d been separated from the rest of the group. It grew weirder and weirder with every word. But then, everything about Dr. Hysteria’s show was weird. Didn’t Beth realize that? He didn’t want to say so, though, because he could see that however crazy it sounded, she believed what she was saying.
When Beth paused to take a breath, Kellen asked, “You saw the zombie eat a live rat?”
“No! I didn’t see it, but I heard it.”
“And you saw a real vampire?”
“Yes! He was real, because I was right in front of the mirror. And he had no reflection.”
“C’mon, Beth,” he said. “It’s supposed to be a haunted house. It’s full of trick mirrors.”
“What about the missing girl? Andrea Payton went missing from Federson Township the exact same week the Hall of Horrors was there.”
“That doesn’t prove anything. Why are you so worried about the Hall of Horrors? I’ll say it again. It’s just a show.”
“What about this?” She raised her hand and pointed at the Dr. Hysteria stamp. “Have you tried washing off the stamp on your hand?”
He glanced at his hand. The stamp was still there. “I mean … I just took a shower. I didn’t scrub it.”
“Mine won’t come off no matter how much I scrub it …”
“So? It’s strong ink.” Kellen didn’t have time for anything else, because Hunter was coming toward them.
“Hi!” Hunter put his arm around Beth’s shoulders. “Is he going to help us?”
“Us?” asked Kellen, though he already knew what Hunter was going to say next.
“Yeah, Beth thinks there’s something weird about the Hall of Horrors,” Hunter said.
Kellen shrugged. “Good luck with that.”
Hunter nodded. “We’ll find out. You’ll see.”
Beth smiled up at Hunter like they were the only two people in the world.
“Looks like he’s got you covered,” Kellen told Beth. He turned and walked away.
Yet again, he’d had his chance to step up and be Beth’s hero. And yet again, he’d blown it. Would he ever get another chance?
THE LAST LIGHT OF THE DAY WAS fading away, and a full moon emerged from behind the clouds. Dr. Hysteria glanced at his watch. It was time.
A big crowd was waiting to enter the Hall of Horrors. He smiled as he threw a switch. Electricity sizzled.
Outside, the lights came on, and the music swelled. The crowd cheered. Their wait was over. Dr. Hysteria watched as they pushed and shoved to enter the Hall of Horrors.
Kellen was at home. This time, he was the one to peek through his blinds at Beth’s house. He had a great view of Hunter’s black car parked out front. As he watched, Beth came out to meet Hunter. She got in the car, and they drove away.
Kellen snapped the blinds shut and turned away in disgust. Was he mad at Beth, or himself? He wasn’t sure.
Putting on his headphones, he dropped onto his bed and closed his eyes. A few minutes later, he sat up and plucked at the strings of his guitar. He would try everything he could think of to stop thinking about Beth and Hunter. So far, nothing had worked.
His phone jangled. Kellen glanced at the screen. Luke.
“Hey,” Kellen said, wanting to be left alone with his misery.
“Dude, where are you?” Luke demanded.
“Nowhere. Just home.”
“Get over here.”
He didn’t have to ask where here was. He could hear the Hall of Horrors’ shivery music in the background.
“Naw,” he told Luke. “I’m just gonna chill.”
Luke’s voice took on an edge. “Man! This is all about Beth, isn’t it?”
“No,” he lied with a fake laugh. “No, it’s not.”
“I’m looking at them right now. Wow, I think they’re kissing!”
“Really?”
“Gotcha!” Luke laughed.
“You’re so not funny. I’m serious, dude. It gets old, know what I mean?”
“Fine,” Luke replied. “Just fooling with you. But whatever.”
The next sound Luke heard was a beep as Kellen hung up the phone.
Luke couldn’t believe his best friend had just hung up on him. Maybe they’d been cut off. “Hello? Hello?” Turning off his own phone, he mumbled, “Fine. Whatever. Have a nice night.”
He spotted a churro vendor wheeling his cart around the side of one of the tents. “Yo, churro!” He trotted after the man. “Hey! Hey! Customer here.”
The vendor stopped and faced him. It was Dr. Hysteria.
“Whoa!” Luke said, startled. “Are you a one-man show? So you run the place and you sell churros? You probably sweep up, too, right?”
Dr. Hysteria laughed and handed him a churro. “On the house.”
“All right! Thanks.” Luke took a bite.
“Are you all by yourself this evening?” the showman asked.
Luke answered with his mouth full. “Yeah. I guess so.”
“And where might all your friends be?”
“Well, we kinda had—”
“Had a falling out?” asked Dr. Hysteria.
Luke nodded.
Dr. Hysteria walked back toward the street. “Come with me.” He dropped his arm around Luke’s shoulders like they were best buddies. “You can bring the churro.”
“Where are we going?” Luke asked.
Dr. Hysteria nodded to a door marked VIP ENTRANCE. “You are a very important person,” he said.
“I am?” Luke said.
“You are to me,” Dr. Hysteria said, leading him through the door. They headed down a long, dim hallway. Bloodred curtains hung over doorways, but they didn’t stop at any of them.
“I’ve been watching you,” Dr. Hysteria went on.
“You have?”
“You’re funny,” Dr. Hysteria said. “But your friends don’t laugh. They don’t appreciate you. It’s because they’re jealous. Yesterday, you made a joke when the banshee flew overhead. You said, ‘I didn’t know your mom worked here.’ ” He waved a hand. “It’s not funny when I say it.”
“It was just one of those ‘yo mama’ jokes.”
“You’re far too modest.” Dr. Hysteria stopped in front of a dark curtain.
Luke looked around. Next to t
he curtain was a bright yellow sign with big red lettering: DR. HYSTERIA’S MAGIC THEATER. Below was a picture of Dr. Hysteria.
Dr. Hysteria pushed back the curtain and gestured for Luke to enter. Inside was a small theater with four rows of folding chairs. Down in front, there was a stage edged with fancy blue and yellow designs.
“It may be just one of those ‘yo mama’ jokes,” Dr. Hysteria said as they walked to the center aisle, “but it’s the way you say it that makes it funny. Your delivery. Say it.”
Luke looked at him, unsure. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had asked him to do one of his jokes again.
“Yo, Kellen, I didn’t know your mom worked here,” he said.
Dr. Hysteria laughed. “I love the ‘yo, Kellen.’ Do it again.” His face became very serious. “The whole thing.”
“Yo, Kellen,” Luke said, getting into it big-time, “I didn’t know your mom worked here.”
Laughter came from the stage.
Lightning seemed to flash across the curtain. The light swirled wider and wider. Luke looked across the theater, where a vision of himself in the future appeared. He was doing stand-up comedy onstage in front of a cheering audience. They were laughing themselves silly. A hip-hop beat played in the background, and Luke began to rap.
“I’ll get big yuks and megabucks
To pay me my money gonna need dump trucks
I can do slapstick, I can be pretty
Can make a face … Don’t need to be witty.”
“Very entertaining,” said Dr. Hysteria appreciatively.
Luke’s smile grew wider and wider as his stage double went on:
“I got my clown on, no frown on
That’s no sass—’cause I get laughs like matter gets mass.”
Luke laughed, impressed with himself.
“Very clever,” added Dr. Hysteria.
“I got more jokes than a forest got trees …”
Beside him, Dr. Hysteria’s eyes narrowed. But Luke didn’t notice. He was totally lost in the lines that seemed to just flow from him. He loved being onstage.