The Show Must Go On! by P.J. Night Page A

“All this so-called crazy stuff can be easily chalked up to coincidence.”
    â€œBut here’s the other thing,” Bree continued. “I went to the library and found out that the girl playing Carrie thirty years ago did die on opening night. And, get this. Her name was Gabrielle!”
    â€œYeah, so . . .”
    â€œDon’t you see, Lis? It’s all happening again. It’s connected. There’s something not right about this whole play. Tiffany was right!”
    â€œSay it louder. I love when people say that,” Tiffany said, stepping up behind Bree. “What was I right about?”
    â€œThe girl who died thirty years ago,” Bree replied. “How’d you know?”
    â€œSomething I overheard my parents talking about ages ago. I told you the play was haunted,” Tiffany said. “You should quit before something happens.”
    â€œAre you threatening her?” Melissa asked.
    â€œI’m just saying,” Tiffany replied casually, walking away.
    â€œI can’t believe she’s still trying to get your part,”Melissa said, seemingly more upset at Tiffany’s words than Bree was.
    â€œI’m starting to wonder exactly what I believe, Lis,” Bree said softly, not quite sure if Melissa even heard her.
    â€œOkay, everyone, the break is over,” Ms. Hollows announced. “Places onstage, please.”
    Once again, Bree tried her best to shrug off her unease and put her mind back into the play.
    The girls took their places for a key scene in the show. In the story, the sleepover was well underway. Carrie suggests they play a game.
    CARRIE: The game is called “The Witch’s Body.” It’s kinda creepy and kinda goofy.
    (CARRIE PULLS OUT A LARGE PLASTIC BAG BULGING WITH ITEMS INSIDE IT.)
    CARRIE: This is the story of the witch who was so old that her body began to fall apart. And it just so happens that I’ve got the body parts right here in this bag!
    (CARRIE SHAKES THE BAG MENACINGLY AT HER FRIENDS. THE OBJECTS RATTLE AND MAKE SQUISHING SOUNDS.)
    RACHEL: Body parts? Gross!
    CARRIE: That’s where the game part comes in. I’m going to pick a body part from this bag and put it in this smaller bag.
    (CARRIE TAKES A SMALL PLASTIC BAG AND PUTS IT NEXT TO THE LARGER BAG.)
    CARRIE: Everyone will take a turn reaching into the small bag and feeling a body part. Then you have to say what body part it is and what the object REALLY is. Okay, now, everyone close your eyes.
    (CARRIE REACHES INTO THE LARGE BAG AND PULLS OUT ONE OF THE ITEMS. THEN SHE PUTS IT INTO THE SMALL BAG.)
    RACHEL: I’ll go first!
    (RACHEL SHOVES HER HAND INTO THE BAG.)
    RACHEL: EWW! I feel something round and wet and squishy. And it’s bigger than my hand. Wait. Wait. I know. It’s the witch’s heart!
    CARRIE: You got it. Okay, now what is it really?
    RACHEL: A—a peeled tomato!
    CARRIE: Two points for Rachel. Okay, Laura, you’re up.
    (SOUND EFFECT: TAP. TAP. TAP. THE GIRLS ARE ALL STARTLED BY A TAPPING NOISE AT THE WINDOW.)
    RACHEL: What was that?
    LAURA: Sounded like someone tapping on the window.
    CARRIE: Yeah, but we’re on the second floor. How could someone be up here?
    LAURA: Maybe it was just the wind blowing a tree branch against the window.
    CARRIE: Totally. Let’s get back to the game.
    (CARRIE PULLS ANOTHER “BODY PART” FROM THE BIG BAG AND PUTS IT INTO THE SMALL ONE. LAURA REACHES INTO THE BAG.)
    LAURA: I feel two little round squishy things. I know. I’ve got the witch’s eyeballs.
    CARRIE: Great!
    LAURA: And I know what they really are. They’re peeled grapes!
    CARRIE: Another two points. Excellent. I—
    (SOUND EFFECT: TAP! TAP! TAP!)
    CARRIE: Did you see it? Did you see it?
    RACHEL: See what?
    CARRIE: The face! There was a face in the window.
    (LIGHTNING FLASHES, REVEALING THE FACE OF A LITTLE GIRL WITH DARK, SUNKEN EYES AT THE WINDOW. CARRIE IS THE ONLY ONE TO SEE