Justice Is Gone

A girl attending camp has competition for the lead role in a play. When her enemy gets the part, a ghost convinces her that it can get her the part as lead role.

                 Justice is Gone

                      By McKenzie Morgan 8B

     Cassandra �"Cassie for Short- had always thought there was something strange about Theatre Jacksonville. She had always taken an interest in theatre, so when she was eight she began to spend her summers at the Theatre Jacksonville day camp. She went to a standard public school her whole life so she yearned for summer each school year. When summer came around she couldn’t wait for camp to start. She loved the idea of the theatre. She believed that one day, if she worked hard enough, she would become a famous actress, or play write, or whatever else appealed to her, but she was young and naïve.  Now she was older, about 14. Although she was older, she still had the same unrealistic ideas of her future.

     Cassie was a devoted performer; she was the best at what she did; until about this year when Jade Alexander showed up. It was strange though, Cassie had never met her before but she looked so familiar. There was something other worldly about how familiar she was. But to everyone else Jade was just another great performer.

      One day, during auditioning for a skit with her friend Andy, naturally, Jades audition was just a little better. Jade swiftly criticized Cassie’s singing as soon as possible. That was the last straw for Cassie. Tired of always being one up’d by Jade, she stepped out of the room unnoticed. Of course nobody notices when I’m gone. She thought bitterly. I bet they would know if Jade was gone. She left through the doors to the auditorium and sat, letting silent salty tears stream her face. She took a moment to assess the situation. When she thought she’d had enough of feeling miserable for herself, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. One of the lights that hang on the wall like a torch was lightly flickering on and off. This startled Cassie, but she turned her head towards the light on the staircase. Oddly enough, the lights weren’t even on. She passed this off as a trick of the eye. Soon enough, camp was over for the day and she was enveloped in the crowd of kids and counselors.

     Camp the next morning was the same for Cassie. Stretching and warming up in dance class, warm-ups and practicing the lines for our song for showcase. Then around the time of lunch Cassie noticed she’d left her lunch within her mother’s car. Great she thought pessimistically. Scrounging for some money in her lint filled jean pocket she found about a dollar and seventy-five cents. She left the costume room, or rather lunch room, and towards the stairs to the snack shack. At the top of the stairs peered down the slight spiral to notice the lights…yet again…flickering. She inhaled the surprisingly brisk air and calmly exhaled. Just a loose light bulb needing to be tightened a little, she thought to herself. She slowly walked down the stairs, step by step. Surprisingly enough the lights quit flickering by the time she made her way down. Cassie exhaled in annoyance at the excruciatingly long line for snacks. When she finally made it to the counter she became even more annoyed by the fact that all the good snacks were sold out. Purchasing a bag of Cheese-its and water she decided to ask about the light. “Could you please tell maintenance to replace the light bulbs on the staircase? They keep flickering on and off.” She explained in sheer annoyance. The drowsy looking college student sporting a JU Dolphins Rowing shirt’s eyebrows rose at Cassie’s statement.

      “I just replaced them. I haven’t even noticed them flickering,” the girl said with a yawn. “Thanks,” Cassie said, only to turn around and roll her eyes in disbelief. Suddenly some counselors from other teams walked into the lobby.

      “Lunch time’s over,” a medium height woman counselor with chocolate brown curls snapped. Cassie rushed back to her team all the way up the velvety red staircase for her next segment of the camp day.

     “Where were you?!” Andy asked in a hushed tone. “Snack line was a monster,” Cassie explained.

      “You better hide that, unless you want to get in trouble,” Andy reminded her, referring to her small snack. Right, no food outside of lunch room, Cassie remembered, tucking the food into her pocket. She turned to the counselor at the station, eager for a new lesson. When our activity finally began, Jade made a note to tell the counselor I was eating.

      “Don’t you know? There’s no food or drink allowed other than during lunch time?” Jade explained with a smirk while the counselor “confiscated” Cassandra’s lunch.

     At the end of the day while Cassie was walking down the stairs chatting with her friend Andy, she caught a glimpse of something. There was a shadow of a tall man with a bowler hat on its head. “Did you just see that?!” Cassie shouted to her friend as she abruptly stopped on the staircase, trying to catch her breath from the shock of whatever it was she just saw.

      “I didn’t see anything, why do you seem so upset? What did you see?” Andy asked with a confused expression.

       “I-It was a suspicious looking shadow, with a bowler hat,” Cassie stated timidly.

      “A shadow? It’s probably nothing, no offense, but shadows aren’t the scariest things ever.” Andy said with a giggle.

      “I’m serious! Eh, but your probably right. I mean it could have been anything” Cassie said feeling embarrassed.

     A few weeks had passed but Cassandra still noticed strange occurrences rarely happening around the staircase, mainly just the lights soft flicker. Today, she was late, and by the time she got to the Theatre, it was already time for the second segment of the day. Thrusting open the door to the art deco building, she opened her eyes and was greeted by the same shadow. The shadow now had a three dimensional property to it. Cassie was paralyzed with fear.  She couldn’t move or speak. The shadowy figure waved her over to the staircase.

     In a hypnotizing fear Cassandra fallowed the ghosts hand and joined the apparition at the stairs. She was shaking, half from fear half from the chill that ran up her core, eyes wide in surprise. She almost gained the courage to emit a scream; surely she would be heard if someone was upstairs. But the ghost shushed her, emitting another icy chill up Cassie’s spine. “T-t-tell me what y-you want, p-please I won’t do anything to you,” Cassie begged, still shaking and stuttering.

     The ghosts shadow mouth drifted open in an icy shaking voice that travelled all around Cassie in a fog; it explained “Let’s make a deal.” Cassandra’s eyes popped open bigger than ever. What does it mean by that? She thought.

      “I only wish to do what you tell me. I can make your wishes come true.” The ghost explained, as if reading her thoughts. “If you accept.”

      Cassie could almost hear the smirk in the ghost’s voice. “I accept” was Cassie’s only answer. At that moment, the ghost suddenly vanished.

      The next day was a very important day for Cassandra. It was the day that they decided who got what part.  She sat anxiously next to Andy, nervously waiting for the counselor to tell the room of kids what roles they got. Cassie watched, completely focused as the drama counselor retrieved a paper from a folder. “I have right here a list of roles I will cast you in for the showcase. This does not mean anyone is better than anyone else. You all have done great in this team; I don’t want to hear any bragging or complaining.” The counselor explained to the room of teens, waiting for the results. “The roll for main character is Jade, and understudy will be Cassandra for that role,” He announced while proceeding to assign roles. Cassie was shocked. Not only was she just an understudy, but she didn’t get the role of the main character. Jade suddenly showed up this year and she was already getting main roles.

     By the time of lunch, while no one was around she tried to find the ghost at the stairs. Nothing was in sight. Not even the lights were flickering. But she tried to speak to the ghost anyways “Hey… you said you would do what I asked. Will you please convince the Drama counselor to give me the lead? Please?” Alexandria pleaded, only to receive no answer.

     The next day in Drama, something remarkable happened, whether it was coincidence or not, Alexandria’s prayers had been answered when the counselor said “There has been a change of roles, the lead will be Cassandra, and the understudy will be Jade.” At this Cassandra wasn’t shocked. More relived that she got the role and that she wasn’t completely insane for believing what she’s been seeing is true. “It’s amazing how that worked out,” Andy said. Yeah, Cassie thought, amazing.

    Soon the day of the showcase finally came. Cassandra was the first one there, sitting alone in the dressing room. Suddenly she turned around to see Jade. “Jealous that you didn’t get the part?”

     Jade did something strange at that moment. She began to peel off her skin and the clothing with it. That’s when realization dawned on Cassandra. Jade had a remarkable resemblance to Justice. Justice was a girl that went missing six years ago. She recognized her from camp. Justice would now be about in her twenties. Justice hadn’t aged as Jade.

     Under the skin of Justice was the same apparition seen on the stairs. The man in the suit and bowler hat, except now you could point out the scars and fine details. Suddenly Cassandra realized that the ghost was coming towards her. Cassandra was stuck; still not comprehending what was happening when the ghost wrapped its icy hands around her vulnerable neck and choked her to death, her last thoughts being Justice is gone.

 

Author's Note

Another crappy story for school. Tell me what you think, and point out any grammatical errors. Please give me tips. I don't even know what's up with the picture I chose.