Chapter 2 The Great Victor Dare Jack shrieked and spun around The room was empty except for Jack and a few floating cobwebs He turned back to the mirror and only his own face peered at him The door from the hallway creaked open and Jack yelled again Jack Light spilled in from the hallway as his dad walked in with a box full of cleaning supplies Are you all right Jack cleared his throat Fine I fixed the fuses His dad pulled the string hanging from the light over the kitchen table The light was still dim as if the effort of pushing back the shadows was too much I know this old 11
place can make you jumpy but you’ll get used to it You’ll see Jack considered telling his dad about the man in the mirror but he knew his dad would think he imagined it How did you like your room his dad asked as he began cleaning the kitchen I haven’t checked yet Jack picked up his cardboard box and carried it into the small bedroom The dim ceiling light left plenty of shadows Every inch of the bedroom walls were covered with theater posters Posters were layered over posters until some only showed bits and pieces A glaring eye peered from between two posters advertising musicals In another spot a sagging poster revealed the word beware behind it Jack froze Fear stuck in his throat like half-chewed bread as he stared at one of the posters A thin man with a hawk nose and a moustache glared down at him A white scarf fluttered around 12
the man’s neck The actor’s name was printed in big letters Victor Dare Jack recognized that face It was the one from the mirror He backed out of the bedroom somehow unwilling to turn away from the piercing eyes Dad Have you ever heard of Victor Dare His dad looked at him over the open fridge door Sure He was the closest thing Dareville had to a star Thirty years ago the old guy disappeared one night from the middle of the stage during a show What happened to him His dad shrugged before turning back to the fridge He never turned up It’s a big mystery Jack sat in one of the kitchen chairs Did anyone ever think the theater was haunted His dad chuckled Every empty building is supposed to be haunted But I think the only things haunting this one are cobwebs and mice 13
