Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Author:Laurie Faria Stolarz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Disney Hyperion eBook
Published: 2014-07-07T16:00:00+00:00

I’M PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON here who isn’t completely enamored with Justin Blake and/or his work, and yet watching him on the overhead TV screen just now, and listening to whoever it was dressed as the Nightmare Elf say that we need to face our fears…it felt like they were talking directly to me.

The others seem excited to be here. Garth smiles for the camera as he poses with a wooden cutout of one of Justin Blake’s characters (some girl with a big floppy hat and bell-bottom jeans). Shayla hams it up, squealing and giggling extra loud, as she plays that game where you slam a mallet as hard as you can, trying to get a puck (in this case, the Nightmare Elf) to jump up and ring the bell at the very top. She doesn’t manage it on the first couple of tries, but then Frankie takes a crack at it, sending the Nightmare Elf soaring; the elf’s head slams against the bell, causing the latter to ring and the elf’s tongue to stick out from the impact.

Natalie, on the other hand, has the hood of her jacket up now, even though it’s at least eighty degrees. She’s repositioned her scarf, too, so that it covers her mouth and chin. A pair of oversize sunglasses conceals her eyes. I gaze up at a video camera, noticing that she’s positioned away from it. Being videotaped must bother her—the idea of seeing herself later on film. I don’t want to be videotaped either—don’t want to risk that my parents’ killer might one day recognize me in a movie.

“So, what do you think?” Parker asks, standing at my side.

“I’m not really sure what to think. I didn’t ask to be in a movie.”

“What’s wrong? Don’t want to be a reality star?”

I wish I could read his mind to know if he’s thought about last night, because it’s been on my mind all day. He was so incredibly sweet, staying in my room, and then holding me when my anxiety got too big.

“Hey, come check this out!” Shayla says. She’s moved farther into the park, past a merry-go-round with evil-looking horses. There’s another ride tucked behind it, but only the back side is visible: a yellow house with a picket fence.

I wonder if it’s mine.

“It’s the greenroom,” Shayla shouts. “Come on!”

Movie screens light up around the park showing films by Justin Blake. I look back at the house, eager to get away from it. I follow the others to where Shayla is. It’s a lounge area, set up with patio sofas and chairs. There are food coolers positioned about, as well as a couple of portable refrigerators. “Seven chairs,” I say, nodding toward a dining area, reminded of Taylor’s absence.

“Over here,” Frankie says, calling us to one of the rides. “Check it out. This ride goes underground.” He points out where a tunnel burrows down into the ground and then comes out several yards later.

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