by Laura DeLuca
Despite the distance between them during the school year, the bond between the four friends had only grown stronger. They always reunited on their vacations and had even spent the previous summer backpacking through Europe. They got to visit Stonehenge, Blarney Castle, and they saw Phantom live onstage in London. It was an amazing experience, but one that put a serious strain on their finances. If Rebecca and Justyn planned to pay the rent for their off-campus apartment, they were going to have to put in a lot of hours during their summer break. They had both acquired jobs waiting tables in the mornings, Rebecca serving breakfast at a diner and Justyn at the local country club. For the evenings, Justyn had lined up something pretty spectacular. They were going to be performing at a dinner theater in a little tourist town called Cape May. They had even managed to get Tom and Carmen a few of the smaller parts. Rebecca was really excited about it. Not only was it their first paid acting gig, it was also one last chance for the four of them to perform together.
“Are we there yet?” Carmen whined from the backseat.
“It’s only a little farther,” Justyn promised. “Try to have patience, okay, Carmen?”
Carmen pouted as she sat back against the ancient leather of Justyn’s Mustang. The years definitely hadn’t mellowed Rebecca’s best friend, and the forty-minute ride in the cramped two-door was wearing on her nerves, at least until Tom started to entertain her with a little two-tongue tango. They were heading to Cape May for their first rehearsal of Hyde, and they were all a little jittery about it. Even Justyn, normally calm and collected, tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to burn off some nervous energy.
The dinner theater was going to be a drastic change from the routine they had grown accustomed to in college. They only had two weeks to rehearse and get familiar with their parts and co-workers before the show would begin. Then they would have a live performance every Wednesday through Sunday until their vacation ended. But what made Rebecca really anxious was the fact that the rest of the cast were all veteran professionals who had been working at the dinner theater for years. Some of them had been performing onstage for decades. Rebecca had only participated in drama clubs, and she felt like a novice in comparison. As Justyn turned off the Parkway onto Exit Zero, which marked the southernmost tip of New Jersey, she had to wonder how the others would feel about the young usurpers coming in for one show and stealing the two main roles.
Rebecca started chewing her fingernails as they crossed over the bridge. She tried to distract herself from her nerves by admiring the view. They passed dozens of docks filled with luxurious houseboats and yachts. After taking a right-hand turn around a small circle, they found themselves magically surrounded on either side by majestic Victorian houses painted in a wide array of pink, yellow, and blue pastels. The bright colors and elaborate gingerbread trims were reminiscent of old-fashioned doll houses. They seemed almost too perfect for anyone to actually live in, despite the modern vehicles parked in their driveways.
As they got deeper into the city, private homes were replaced with huge bed and breakfasts that had once been the mansions of the elite. Everything in Cape May had the air of the aristocratic. It was beautiful but a little congested. The large buildings were all on top of one another, and the streets were so narrow it was almost impossible for two cars to squeeze through at the same time. Rebecca definitely wasn’t looking forward to fighting the summer traffic to get to work on time. It wasn’t even Memorial Day, and already the town was overflowing with tourists. They passed by a little sidewalk mall bustling with patrons, and they were stuck at the pedestrian walkway a full ten minutes. Then they got trapped behind a horse-drawn buggy clip-clopping along. It made their progress so painfully slow, even Justyn started to get annoyed and turned down a side street at the first opportunity.
“Oh my God, do we actually have to cross the Atlantic to get to this place?” Carmen came up for air long enough to complain. “This is taking forever, and it’s way too hot in this car, Justyn.”
“Yeah, dude,” Tom agreed. “Why don’t you roll the windows up and turn on the air?”
“I’d have to turn on the defroster with you two steaming things up back there,” Justyn teased. “Besides, we’ll be there in a few minutes. I want to enjoy the fresh air before the humidity sets in.”
Finally, about twenty minutes after entering the city limits, Justyn pulled his black Mustang into the parking lot of a large building with an elaborate sign that read Tamilio’s Dinner Theater. Beneath the logo was a smaller announcement that declared: Coming in June - Hyde, starring New York School of Performing Arts sensations Justyn Patko and Rebecca Hope.
Rebecca felt her heart flutter with excitement as she read the words. It was a far cry from having her name in lights on Broadway, but it was a pretty good start.
As the four friends climbed out of the car and stretched their cramped legs, they couldn’t help but take a moment to admire the view. The restaurant was conveniently situated on Beach Drive, and as the name implied, the shoreline in its all-natural beauty was directly across the street. Already the sand was lined with umbrellas and beach towels as the sightseers enjoyed the May sunshine, even though the temperature had hardly reached seventy-five degrees. The location of the restaurant not only afforded a great sunset view, but also the advantage of free advertising. The tourists walking along the boardwalk couldn’t help but notice the majestic white mansion which was by far the largest and most beautiful structure on the street, if not the whole city. Add to that, the theater’s reputation for fine dining and exceptional entertainment, and it made for a sold-out performance practically every night of the season.
“Did you know Tamilio’s is one of the oldest houses in Cape May?” Justyn told them. “It dates back to around the time of the civil war. Before it was converted into a restaurant, it was a mansion complete with ballroom and horse stables.”
“Who cares?” Tom rolled his eyes. “I’d rather be hitting those waves than hanging out in some creepy old mansion.”
“Well, perhaps you’ll find this more interesting,” Justyn continued mysteriously. “The building was originally owned by a doctor whose wife allegedly came to ill ends. They found her butchered body in the wine cellar, but never captured her killer. The doctor went mad with grief and hung himself from the chandelier in the ballroom shortly afterward. And that’s only one of the mysteries surrounding this place. It’s rumored to be haunted by more than one restless spirit. During the day, it’s one of the main stops on the Cape May Ghost Tours.”
Rebecca shivered. “If you’re trying to talk me out of working here, you’re off to a terrific start.”
“Why, Becca,” Justyn smirked as he shut his car door, “here I thought you’d be enthralled by tales of an honest to goodness theater ghost.”
Rebecca shook her head but still smiled when he snaked his arm around her waist. “You’re more than enough phantom for me, thank you very much.”
Carmen snorted. “You guys don’t really believe all that junk, do you? All the ghost stories in this town are just another ploy to reel in the tourists and make a quick buck.”
Rebecca would have loved to agree, but she remembered feeling a strange presence when she stopped at the theater during spring break to audition. Back then everything had been winterized, with the tables covered in old sheets and the windows shuttered tight. But even now that it was open and ready for the summer, the converted mansion was still a little spooky with its looming cathedral-like steeples. However, the cheerful owner Fernando, who rushed out to greet them with a huge smile on his round face, was definitely not frightening at all.
“Justyn! Rebecca!” he exclaimed, reaching out his hand in greeting, “I’m so excited to have you here! You two are probably the closest thing to celebrities who will ever step through these doors.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Justyn said modestly as he shook the older man’s hand, “but we certainly are excited to be here.”
“So are we,”
Tom added.
“Of course, I didn’t mean to ignore you!” Fernando apologized to Carmen and Tom. “It’s wonderful to get some fresh young blood on the stage. Carmen, I’m counting on you to lead the chorus in their dance steps. Really, only one of my other girls has any experience, but she has one of the character roles and won’t be doing much dancing.”
“I’ll do my best.” Carmen swallowed hard as they followed Fernando to the back entrance. She suddenly looked as nervous as Rebecca felt. Carmen was a fabulous dancer, but no one had told her she was going to be the head choreographer, so Rebecca understood her reluctance. Luckily, the dance numbers were pretty simple. Even Rebecca, who was about as uncoordinated as humanly possible, was able to manage the simple steps involved.
“Come in, come in!” Fernando gestured them through the double doors after a few awkward moments of silence. “The rest of the cast are dying to meet you. I’ll tell you, it was a stroke of good luck when I ran into Darlene at that café. I almost didn’t recognize her in her fancy getup, but my wife Maryann, she knew her right away, even though it’s been almost twenty years. Who would have thought it was such a small world! You know, your father and I once shared the stage back in college.”
“Definitely a wonderful coincidence,” Justyn agreed.
As Rebecca watched Fernando push his glasses up his nose, she wondered how the conservative man had come to be friends with Justyn’s eccentric family. Fernando was rather on the short side with a balding pate of salt-and-pepper hair and a sweet smile. But it was his khakis and dress shirt that really made him the polar opposite of the exotic and beautiful Darlene. She worked primarily as an EMT but also had a little side job as a Gothic belly dancer at an Indian restaurant called the Kairo Café. Fernando and his wife had taken a ride down to Atlantic City and stopped there completely by chance. When they realized who she was, the three of them got to talking. As soon as Fernando found out Darlene’s son was an actor, he suggested—or more appropriately, insisted—Justyn try out for a role in his summer production.
Fernando continued to prattle on about his college years before lapsing into the colorful history of the theater as the group followed him through large doors and into the guest lounge. Along the way, he pointed out all the elaborate paintings and fine architecture of the Victorian building with real pride in his voice. They passed a walk-in freezer and several storage closets. A few rooms had been made into dressing areas and were filled with costumes and props from dozens of previous shows. Most of it was pretty boring, and Rebecca found herself trying to stifle a yawn.
“This hallway here is one of the only parts of the house that hasn’t been converted from the original design,” Fernando was saying. “We even left the original artwork in place.”
Rebecca only half listened to Fernando’s guided tour until they stepped in front of a row of old family portraits. She was instantly drawn to the image of a woman with her blond curls pulled atop her head, wearing a pastel-blue Victorian gown. Her face was youthful and pretty, but there was also sadness in her deep-set eyes. Something about them drew Rebecca into their depths.
“Who’s this?” she asked as soon as Fernando stopped to take a breath. “She looks so real—it’s like she could step right out of this painting.”
“Many witnesses have claimed she has done just that.” Fernando chuckled. “This woman is Grace Hamilton, the doctor’s murdered bride.”
“Eww.” Carmen crinkled her nose in distaste. “Why do you keep some dead lady’s picture on your wall? That’s just creepy.”
“You wouldn’t want to displease the spirits, would you, Carmen?” Justyn teased.
“Whatever.” Carmen turned up her nose. “I already told you I don’t believe in that st—aghhh!”
Carmen let out a little screech when Tom grabbed her waist and then ducked before she could hit him. “Thought you didn’t believe in ghosts, babe?”
The others laughed, and Carmen muttered curses in Spanish, but Rebecca still had a hard time casting her gaze away from the portrait. Grace’s pupils appeared to follow her even after they turned the corner. Shaking off the eerie feeling it gave her, Rebecca tried to concentrate on the rest of the tour. It felt as though they walked down the passageway forever before they arrived at the deserted kitchen. The massive chrome appliances were all polished to a shine, and the pots hanging above the range looked as though they’d never been touched. However, it wouldn’t be long until there was a string of cooks passing gourmet meals across the line.
“Come this way,” Fernando instructed. “Just a few more stops and then we’ll head to the theater.”
They continued to follow Fernando across the ancient creaking floorboards to a foyer that had been converted into a mini bar. He then led them down into a creepy underground wine cellar where thousands of bottles of spirits lined walls of cement and concrete. A few times along the way, the lights flickered grudgingly, as though protesting the presence of the newcomers, but Fernando told them it was only old wiring. Finally, they came to the main dining area that had once been a Victorian ballroom. Scattered across the floor were about forty round tables, currently bare of candles and utensils. At the head of the room was the large platform where Rebecca and her friends would be spending the better part of their summer vacation.
They found the rest of the Hyde cast waiting beside the stage. The parts had already been assigned, and Justyn and Rebecca had spent most of the spring trying to memorize their lines in between Phantom performances and studying for finals. Justyn had even grown his hair out for the dual role of Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. They had their parts down cold, but this was the first time they’d be practicing with the rest of the troupe. In fact, it was the first time they were meeting the cast at all. Fernando set about making the introductions while Rebecca shuffled her feet from side to side and fiddled with the ammonite necklace Justyn had given her. She wasn’t sure why, but she had the distinct feeling more than one of her future co-workers were giving her the once-over, and their expressions definitely weren’t friendly. The flickering lights above the stage only made their faces look more sinister.
“Hello, everyone!” Fernando began, “I’m so excited to finally introduce you all to Justyn and Rebecca, the future Broadway stars I told you about. They will, of course, be playing the lead roles of Dr. Jekyll and his fiancée Emma.”
Already a few people huffed and rolled their eyes. Rebecca wasn’t sure if it was for their benefit or simply because of Fernando’s over exuberance. Rebecca and her friends nodded to the crowd and got a few brief waves in response, but also a few nasty scowls. In particular, there was one dark-haired guy wearing a wife-beater, revealing the torso of a Greek God. He looked like he would be more at home in the mob than on the stage. A fedora certainly wouldn’t have appeared out of place on top of his kinky curls, and he was glaring at Justyn as though he were planning his next hit. A gorgeous blonde with her curly hair pulled back in a tight ponytail was sitting on the edge of the stage beside him, filing her nails and looking thoroughly bored with the whole affair. Toward the back of the set, a few younger cast members were already doing warm-up stretches. Rebecca assumed they were part of the chorus line Carmen would be joining.
“I’d also like everyone to say hello to Tom and Carmen,” Fernando continued. “Tom will be playing the role of Dr. Jekyll’s friend and attorney John.”
“Whaz up, everybody?” Tom said with a cheerful wave. “How’s it going?”
The guy in the wife-beater snorted. “Looks like that kid should be hanging ten instead of hanging out on a professional stage.”
“Now, Steve, we talked about this already,” Fernando said, annoyed. “You’re one of my best actors, and you’ll be the star again come September for our fall show. But you know I wanted to try my hand at a musical at least once before I retired, and these kids have the voices to help me pull it off.”
Steve was still glowering, and Tom didn’t look very happy either, but Fernando had already moved
on with the introductions. He came to a pretty girl who looked to be in her mid-twenties. She was sitting Indian style on the stage but rose to shake their hands as they approached. Her thick hair was so long it reached the small of her back, and the ebony waves surrounded a heart-shaped face with a dark tint that declared an ethnic descent. She gave them a small smile, but her deep brown eyes seemed melancholy. Even before he announced it, Rebecca already figured out what role she had acquired. She was the perfect choice to play the sulky prostitute who falls in love with Dr. Jekyll, only to die at the hands of a jealous Hyde.
“This is Victoria Diaz. Victoria will be playing Lucy,” Fernando told them, confirming her guess. “The ummm … lady of the night.”
Rebecca was smiling and shaking Victoria’s hand when again there was an odd crackling sound. The lights above them blinked and sputtered one last time before very abruptly going out altogether. There weren’t many windows in the dining area and the ones that were there were covered in blinds. The room was suddenly plunged into almost complete darkness, with the exception of the glowing exit signs. Rebecca couldn’t help but reach for Justyn’s arm as her eyes tried to adjust to the shadows. She felt a sudden panic rising in her chest, but it wasn’t until a cold hand slithered along her shoulder that Rebecca screamed out in fear.
Chapter Two
“Afraid of the dark, little girl?”
Steve chuckled under his breath, and Rebecca was glad it was too dark for him to see her cheeks flush. She was also grateful the chilly fingers against her skin had vanished, but they left behind a trail of gooseflesh. She had to assume it was her imagination playing tricks on her. There wasn’t anyone standing behind her. Her back was practically against the wall, but she still clung to Justyn’s arm. He squeezed her hand in reassurance and gave her a half-smile.
