Graveyard Slot by Michelle Schusterman (classic children's novels .TXT) 📕

at a school desk, but you’re traveling around the world hunting ghosts! How’d you manage that?

O: My aunt is the producer on P2P. I grew up in Portland with my other aunt, but last summer Aunt Lidia asked if I wanted to start traveling with her and the show starting in the fall.

S: Wow! And you were okay with leaving your home, your school—all your friends—behind?

O: Yes. Definitely.

S: So you were at Daems Penitentiary with the crew a few weeks ago, but you weren’t a cast member yet. Why do you think Fright TV decided to add you to the show?

O: Because of my charm and good looks? Just kidding. I think it’s because of Kat’s blog. It started getting really popular with some of the fans, and the network noticed.

S: I’ve read her blog! Very interesting stuff. I especially loved that video of the two of you, the one with the Ouija board . . . so fun to get extra content like that! Can we look forward to any more of those?

O: Yeah, definitely! In fact, I have some news about that.

S: Ooh, an exclusive! Do tell!

O: Starting next week, I’ll be hosting a web series on Kat’s blog called the Graveyard Slot. Every Sunday at midnight, we’ll post a new video with even more behind-the-scenes footage!

S: How exciting! So we can expect one this Sunday?

O: Yup! There’ll be one for each episode. Maybe even more. We’re heading to China for the next episode, but I think we’ll be in New York for a few days before that . . . seems like a good place for a bonus video!

S: Fantastic! You and Kat have been such a great addition to the show. Although I have to tell you, not everyone seems to be on board. I don’t know if you saw Rick Wallace’s recent review of the Brazil episode over on Mixed Bag, but he thinks this is just Fright TV’s desperate attempt to draw in a younger audience, and it’ll alienate the adult viewers they already have. To quote Rick: “If I wanted a scary tween experience, I’d just talk to my daughter and her friends about whatever boy band they’re currently obsessed with. Stop dumbing down your shows just for ratings, Fright TV.”

O: Oookay . . . Well, I didn’t see that review, but some of the other cast members were worried about that, too, so I’m not surprised.

S: Really? Like who?

O: Um . . . it doesn’t matter, because after the last episode, I don’t think they’re worried anymore. And it’s kind of funny that Rick Whatshisname takes ghosts seriously, but not kids. If an adult is embarrassed about being into something kids are into, that’s their problem. Besides, just because a show—or a band, or whatever—is popular with kids, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s dumb.

S: Ha! Great point. Maybe Rick should give his daughter’s music a shot, too.

O: He should. Oh, I think my flight’s about to start boarding.

S: Aw, too bad. Maybe we can schedule a longer interview later? I’m sure our Rumorz readers have tons more questions for you!

O: Definitely!

S: Great! Thanks again, Oscar! Looking forward to seeing more of you and Kat on P2P.

I’D been sitting on the sofa in the hotel lobby for over an hour, running down the battery on my phone. Jamie and Hailey were supposed to arrive any minute, and I was just a little bit excited to see them. But the new comments on my last blog post were doing a nice job of distracting me, because there were over twenty of them. Each and every one from kbold04. The first one said:

kbold04: i know u wont publish my comments but that doesnt mean u wont read them so let me tell u sumthings

The comments that followed were . . . mean. Really mean. Vile, even.

For some reason, I couldn’t stop reading them. After a few minutes, without allowing myself to think too hard about why I was doing it, I’d taken a screenshot of every single comment before deleting them from my blog. Then I’d spent the next hour going over the screenshots one by one, letting each ugly word burn into my brain.

The elevator doors slid open, and Dad and Jess stepped out. I stuffed my phone in my pocket, hands shaking. If Dad saw those comments, he would totally lose it.

“Wild jungles of Brazil?” Dad was saying, staring down at Jess’s phone. “Well, that’s inaccurate. Not to mention ignorant.”

Jess gave a humorless laugh. “Keep reading.”

“Hey, Dad,” I called, hoping I sounded normal. “Have you seen Oscar? He’s supposed to meet me down here.”

Dad and Jess exchanged a glance. “Yeah, he’s upstairs talking with Lidia. He might be a little late.”

I frowned. “Is everything okay?”

“He’s fine. Kat, did you know about this interview?”

“What interview?”

Before Dad could respond, someone squealed behind me.

“Kat!”

I spun around as Hailey Cooper came barreling through the doors, curly brown ponytail flying behind her. Grinning, I braced myself as she tackle-hugged me, squeezing my ribs so hard I could barely breathe. “Hi!” I managed to squeak.

“I saw you on TV!” Hailey cried, bouncing up and down on her toes. “Mom actually let me have a viewing party on a school night! A bunch of my friends came—it was seriously, like, half the sixth grade at my school, and some seventh- and eighth-graders, too. Even Natalie Blackwell came, which was just, oh my God—anyway, most of them had never seen a single episode of P2P but they totally loved it and—”

I tried to keep up with Hailey’s excited chatter while glancing at the entrance every other second. When Jamie finally came in, dragging two suitcases, I felt a huge smile stretch my cheeks.

“Hey, Kat!” he exclaimed, hauling both bags over. “Forget something, Hailey?”

“Oh yeah,” Hailey said sheepishly as she took her suitcase from her brother. Jamie hesitated, then gave me a quick hug. I pictured my last e-mail to him and suddenly felt embarrassed about the heart eyes. Flirting online was a lot easier than it was in real life.

I helped Jamie and Hailey move