The Show Must Go On! Read Online Free PDF Page B

startled, and for the moment, speechless.
    â€œI’d quit now if I were you,” Tiffany said as she brushed past Bree. Then she stopped and turned back toward her. “But fortunately, I’m not you.”
    Bree watched Tiffany disappear into the driving rain and darkness, stunned and confused. She got onto the late bus for students who were involved in after-school activities, her mind still reeling from the bizarre encounter with Tiffany.
    Was that a threat?

    After dinner, Bree hunkered down at her desk and dove into what felt like a week’s worth of homework. As she plowed through her math and science assignments, she wondered how Megan had managed to be in all those school plays, for all these years, while remaining a straight A student.
    â€œHave a good day, Superstar?” Megan asked, poking her head into Bree’s room, startling her.
    â€œPretty good,” Bree said. She was not about to share all that had happened with Tiffany that afternoon. Megan would probably say that Tiffany was right. I’m not giving her any reason to put me down again. I’m sure she’d love to see me flop . . . or even better, quit.
    â€œWell, be sure to let me know if you need any acting tips,” Megan offered.
    â€œYeah, right, Megan,” Bree replied sarcastically. “You’ll be the first one I’ll go to.”
    Megan shrugged and closed the door.
    After another hour of homework, Bree began to feel sleepy. She had gotten a good chunk of her assignments done and felt satisfied. Slipping into bed, she read for about five minutes before drifting off to sleep.
    In her dream, Bree found herself sitting in the front row of the school’s auditorium. The props and scenery for The Last Sleepover were set up on the stage. “How did I get here?” she wondered aloud.
    A crowd of people filed into the auditorium and took their seats.
    â€œWhat am I doing sitting in the audience?” Bree wondered. “I should be backstage, or up on the stage, or . . .”
    At that moment she noticed that something was wrong. Glancing around at the people entering the auditorium, she realized that they looked strange. What are they all wearing? And what’s with that hair? They all look like they stepped out of another era.
    Was it an eighties theme night at the school? But why would they do that on the night of a performance? And why would they ask the audience to also play dress-up? None of it made any sense.
    The lights went down and the actors made their way onto the stage in the dark. Dim stage lights set the mood, and the play began.
    RACHEL: Nice, Carrie. The place looks like it was decorated by a wrecking ball!
    CARRIE: Cute. You know we only moved in a few weeks ago. My family and I haven’t had a chance to fix it up yet. I just couldn’t wait to have my first sleepover. It helps to make it feel like home.
    LAURA: Yeah, if your home’s been condemned!
    That’s the scene we just rehearsed today, Bree thought. Then she focused on the girls up onstage. Okay, now this is officially weird. Even the actors have hairstyles from another era.
    As the play continued, Bree grew more and more confused.
    (SUDDENLY LIGHTNING FLASHES AND THUNDER RUMBLES.)
    LAURA: Eiii!
    CARRIE: Laura?
    LAURA: Sorry, I’m just a little afraid of thunder. I—
    (THE THUNDER SOUNDS AGAIN . . . LOUDER THIS TIME. LAURA SCOOTS OVER NEXT TO CARRIE. SUDDENLY THE CHANDELIER OVERHEAD FLICKERS ON AND OFF, AGAIN AND AGAIN.)
    RACHEL: Okay, now I’m officially creeped out. I—
    CARRIE: Look!
    (CARRIE POINTS TO THE CHANDELIER. A FLASH OF LIGHTNING REVEALS THAT THE CHANDELIER IS SHAKING.)
    Bree heard a sharp snapping sound that seemed to be coming from overhead. Looking up, panic flooded through her as she realized that a stage light had broken loose and was plunging down from above. The light was headed right for the girl playing Carrie!

CHAPTER 6
    â€œLook out!”