Chapter 1 Welcome to Dareville Jack Watson stared up at the old brick building that loomed over him The narrow windows at the front of the building were mostly broken One was covered with warped plywood Someone had spray-painted the outline of a cartoon ghost on the plywood The sign over the doors read EVIL COMMUNITY THEATER His dad followed his gaze and chuckled Looks like the Dareville Community Theater could use a new sign Among other things Jack muttered shifting the cardboard box of books in his arms 4
Look on the bright side his dad urged I’ve got a job and it comes with a place for us to stay Jack’s dad was big on looking at the bright side in gloomy situations Jack preferred to look on the reality side As bad as the old building looked it was probably worse inside He sometimes wondered why his dad couldn’t get a job looking after a mansion Jack imagined spending the summer before fifth grade splashing in a private pool He would sit in a poolside chair and reread his favorite mysteries while sipping cold lemonade A job like that would be all bright side You wouldn’t even have to look for it They trudged to the stage door where his dad fiddled with the old locks Jack stepped up to a window near the door A thin board covered part of the window but Jack could see glass behind it He tried to make out shapes in the dark interior Just as Jack’s dad coaxed the lock to turn and pulled open the door sudden movement flashed 5
by the window Jack jumped back with a shout He tripped over his own feet and fell on his rear His box landed beside him and split open spilling books out on the cracked pavement Are you all right his dad asked as he bent to pile Jack’s books back into the torn box Something moved inside Jack and his dad looked toward the open door Sunlight spilled into the room beyond revealing an old wooden crate and a lot of dust The thick dust showed no sign of footprints Some of the windows are broken his dad said Maybe a stray cat got in I don’t think so Jack said His dad scratched his head Maybe it was a trick of the light as I opened the door Maybe Yet Jack was certain it wasn’t light or a cat It was a person Someone was in the old theater Someone tall and thin and fast 6
Jack didn’t bother arguing with his dad He gathered the rest of his books and followed his dad inside the old theater I’ll need to check out the whole building for safety his dad said But let’s get you settled in the apartment first The dim light from the windows lit the way to a set of wooden stairs The apartment is on the basement level Jack’s dad said The stairs groaned under their feet with each step When they reached the bottom his dad used the light from his cell phone to find a switch Jack heard the click of the switch but the darkness never lifted Several more clicks followed then a sigh There must be something wrong with the lights I’ll check the fuses You can wait in the apartment There’s a lantern Jack followed the firefly glow of his dad’s phone through what felt like a maze The air felt thick and faintly damp The thick coating of dust 7
