Phantom of the Auditorium Read Online Free PDF

the mask in my locker or the note, right?”
    “Shut up and let me finish my math,” he said, staring down at his textbook. “You’re not making any sense.”
    “Oh. Well. I guess the
real
Phantom did it, then,” I said.
    He ignored me. He was scribbling equations in his notebook.
    What a phoney baloney!
I thought.
Zeke did it, and he knows it.
    For sure.
    After school, I led Brian to the auditorium. I practically had to drag him up on the stage. He was so shy!
    “Ms. Walker, are there any parts still available?” I asked. “Brian is really interested in being in the play.”
    Ms. Walker glanced up from the script in her hands. I saw that she had scribbled notes all over the script. She studied Brian.
    “I’m really sorry, Brian,” she said, shaking her head. “You came to school a few days too late.”
    Brian blushed. I’ve never seen anyone blush so often.
    “There aren’t any speaking parts left,” Ms. Walker told him. “They’ve all been given out.”
    “Do you need a stand-in for anyone?” Brian asked. “I’m a very fast memorizer. I could memorize more than one part.”
    Wow
, I thought.
He really
is
eager to be in the play.
    “Well, we really don’t need any more stand-ins,” Ms. Walker told him. “But, I have an idea. You can join the scenery crew if you wish.”
    “Great!” Brian exclaimed with real enthusiasm.
    “Go see Tina over there,” Ms. Walker told him, pointing to the group of kids meeting at the back wall of the stage. Tina was busily pointing out where she wanted the scenery to go, motioningdramatically with both hands, making everyone follow her all around the stage.
    Brian seemed really happy. I watched him trot over to find Tina.
    I took a seat in the auditorium and concentrated on my script. I was in practically every scene. How could I possibly memorize my whole part? I sighed and slouched back, slinging my feet over the seat in front of me.
    I was memorizing my third line in the play, which went,
“What proof do you have that this man might be dangerous?”
when all the lights suddenly went out.
    A total blackout! I couldn’t see a thing.
    Kids started to shout. “Hey! Who turned out the lights?”
    “I can’t see!”
    “What’s happening? Turn them back on!”
    I sat straight up when I heard the shrill scream.
    A terrifying scream — like an animal howl — that ripped through the darkness and exploded over the auditorium.
    “No! Noooo!” I heard Corey Sklar moan.
    And then I heard someone else cry out, “It’s coming from up on the catwalk!”
    Another shrill wail rose up over the frightened cries of my friends.
    “Turn on the lights!” I heard Corey plead. “Please — turn on the lights!”
    Other frightened voices called out, “Who is screaming?”
    “Somebody — do something!”
    “There’s someone up on the catwalk!”
    The auditorium lights flickered back on.
    Another long howl from above the stage forced me to raise my eyes.
    And I saw him. A blue-and-green-masked creature wearing a shiny black cape.
    Gripping a long, heavy rope, he came swinging down from high on the catwalk.
    As he swung down to the stage, he threw his head back and laughed a horrifying evil laugh.
    I jumped to my feet and stared in amazement.
    The Phantom!

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    The Phantom landed hard on his feet. His shoes hit the stage floor with a
thud.
    He let go of the rope and it flew away from him.
    The blue-and-green face glanced quickly around the stage. Tina and her scenery crew stood frozen against the wall, staring at him in horrified silence. Ms. Walker appeared stunned. She had her arms tightly crossed over her chest.
    The Phantom’s cape swirled around him as he stomped one shoe on the stage.
    He’s short, I realized, standing and staring from down in the second row of seats. He’s about Zeke’s height. Maybe an inch or two taller.
    Or maybe he’s
exactly
Zeke’s height — because he
is
Zeke!
    “Zeke! Hey — Zeke!” I called.
    The ugly masked face peered out to the