Short Story: The Ghosts Of Brierwood

The Ghost of Brierwood
Book Synopsys

When five 5th graders from Brierwood elementary are assigned the entertainments section of their school’s fall festival, the children decide to put on a play that will be remembered for generations. But putting on the play will come with more challenges than expected. The children must take on the task of preparing the school’s old abandoned auditorium for the play.
With an auditorium that looks like something out of a horror movie, filled with decades of ghostly tales and years of disuse, the children have their hands tied. But when strange things start taking place inside the auditorium and their friends disappear one by one, they must get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the auditorium, if they
wish to put on their play in time for the Fall Festival. Will they solve the mystery in time, or will it be too late and their friends claimed by the strange happenings inside the auditorium?
Brierwood Elementary 5th grade class was tasked with providing the entertainment for the school’s fall festival.
Abby, a smart blond girl, Javier, a tall Hispanic boy, Andre, a slim African American, Kimi, a small Japanese girl and Seth, the class’s science geek, walked towards the school’s auditorium.
“I don’t know about this.” Murmured Andre, slowing down as they neared the auditorium.
The building sat alone at the back of the school. It looked dilapidated and forlorn. Its discolored walls were crumbling in places and covered with moth and vines. Some of the upper windows were broken and the wind whistled ominously around it. “Andre, chill.” Said Abby. “Nothing’s going to happen to us.”
“Yeah, no need to be a frighten cat.” Laughed Javier, who was a bit of a joker. He ran ahead, eager to prove to Andre there was nothing to fear. He pushed at the auditorium’s doors, which refused to open. Taking a step back, he ran forwards again, intending to slam the doors open with his body.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew, howling as it went. The doors flew open with a loud bang. Javier tumbled inside the darkened auditorium and disappeared from sight as the doors quickly closed behind him.
“Javier!” Abby and Kimi called out. They ran to the doors and started pushing on the metal handles, but the doors refused to open.
“I told you, that place is hunted.” Whimpered Andre, hanging back.
Seth shook his head. Laughing, he walked forwards to help the girls. “There’s no such thing as ghosts.” Just as Seth arrived at the doors, Javier opened them from inside, smiling brightly. “Heya guys!” He greeted and rubbed some dust off his hands on his already dusty pants.
The girls smiled relieved and Seth fist bumped him. “Come on Andre, nothing to fear!” Seth called out and watched as Andre slowly walked up to the open auditorium doors.
“Couldn’t another class get this task?” Andre whined, hesitating by the door, his eyes darting everywhere as if expecting something to jump at him at any second.
To keep the doors from closing again, the girls placed a few heavy chairs against them.
Andre stepped inside, looked around and shivered.
“I really don’t like it here.”
With the doors propped open, the auditorium was cast in a soft twilight glow that didn’t reached the corners. Shadows danced on the floor, walls and ceiling. Spider webs hung from the light fixtures and a rat squeaked in the distance.
“Remind me again why we are in here?” asked Kimi looking around, her tiny footsteps leaving prints in the dusty floor.
“Because we want to put on the best play this school has ever seen.” said Seth, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.
The group walked slowly to the stage and climbed the creaking stairs.
A shadow moved swiftly across the floor, as if floating in midair. When the sun filtered through again, the children’s footprints were gone.
“This place is so awesome!” Javier exclaimed, running a hand over the wall and finding the light switch for the stage’s lighting.
When the lights came on, the children gasped and threw hands over their eyes to cover them from the glare of the spotlights.
“Well, at least the lights work.” Grumbled Andre. As soon as he said so, all the lights started to blink and brake with a pop.
“Oh great. You just jinxed them.” Said Abby looking
around.
Seth laughed, “Stop being so scared. Ghosts don’t exist, it’s scientifically proven.” He carefully walked across the stage and almost bumped against a wall. Running his hands along that wall, he found the light switch for the rest of the auditorium.
The lights came on, a number of them were broken, leaving patches of darkness throughout the auditorium.”
This will be perfect! “Kimi exclaimed, rubbing her hands excitedly. She earned a puzzled look from Andre.
“We can use the broken lights to our advantage, to create an even spookier atmosphere for the play.” She said, walking around the auditorium and stopping from time to time with a thoughtful expression in her face.
“Speaking of play… What play are we going to do?” Wondered Javier, going backstage.
“Leave that to me!” Abby exclaimed, her eyes shining brightly. She opened her backpack and rummaged around. Seconds later, she pulled out a notebook.
“I present to you…” She said, opening the notebook with a dramatic flourish, “The legend of Jack-O-Lantern!”
The children gathered around her to look at the play script she had written. Smiles formed on their faces as they read it. If they could whip the auditorium into shape before the fall festival, they could really put on a memorable play that future 5th grader classes would talk about for decades.
Sitting on the edge of the stage, they assigned specific roles to each other. Abby would be the play’s director. Seth would be in charge of lighting. Kimi would create the costumes and be the stage manager too. Andre would be producing the music and sound. Lastly, Javier would handle the scenery and choreography. “I can’t wait to get started!” Javier said, jumping up.
Suddenly, the stage creaked and groaned. The floor beneath Javier gave way and he disappeared through a
hole.
The children gasped and peered down the hole.
“Javier?” Abby called out worriedly.
Hearing no reply, Kimi said, “Javier, this isn’t funny.”
Holding their breath, they waited for a sound, a reply, but nothing came from Javier.
They exchanged wide eye looks and jumped up when the doors slammed shut, making their hearts beat fast.
“Who did that?” Wondered Andre, turning pale.
“The wind… maybe?” Thought Kimi.
Seth shook his head, “The wind isn’t blowing now.”
“This place is hunted and now the ghost has Javier!” Shrieked Andre, running to the doors and trying to open them.
“I don’t think it was a ghost.” Reasoned Seth, looking around for anything Out of place.