Angelica Pickles stands at center stage, clutching her script. Her knees knock together, but she tries to put on a brave face as she prepares for her big monologue. Suddenly, a chilly draft whispers across the stage, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. From the corner of her eye, she spots a wispy, pale figure gliding behind the curtains.
Angelica Pickles stumbles over her lines, her eyes wide with fear as the ghost hovers near. She drops her script and backs away, nearly tripping over a stage prop. "Wh-who's there? Is that—Is that a real ghost?" Her voice wavers, echoing in the cavernous space.
Angelica Pickles races down the corridor, her heart pounding in her chest. She ducks into the janitor’s closet, pressing herself against the mops and buckets, but the ghostly presence seems to follow her, flickering at the edge of her vision. "Go away, go away, go away!" she whispers, squeezing her eyes shut.
Angelica Pickles stares upward in horror as the ghostly figure waves, its form twisting with the clouds. The playground feels vast and empty, the swings creaking in the wind. Angelica dashes behind the jungle gym, crouching low and wishing she could disappear.
Geo Umizoomi[/@ch_2], a small, friendly boy with a helmet and a reassuring smile. The classroom is warm and colorful, filled with posters and building blocks. Angelica’s cheeks are flushed from running, and she clutches her chest as she tries to explain.]
"Angelica, are you okay? You look like you saw a ghost!"
"Geo, I did! There was a ghost on stage—and then one in the sky! They chased me all over the school. I hid everywhere, but they wouldn’t leave me alone!"
"Don’t worry, Angelica. Let’s figure out who—or what—these ghosts really are."
Angelica Pickles laughs nervously, her fear replaced by relief and a hint of embarrassment. Geo Umizoomi pats her on the back, proud that she faced her fears. "I guess not all ghosts are scary after all. Sometimes they’re just friends in disguise," she says, smiling at her classmates as the curtain falls.
