“All right!” Mrs. Amberson called. “We’re going to run Spencer and Eric’s fight first just to get the mechanics down. Let’s clear some space for them.”

Oh, no. The plan was still rolling on to its horrible conclusion.

“Scarlett!” she said. “Scarlett, where are you? We need you to read Hamlet’s lines while he gets changed.”

She was barely aware of stepping out on the stage and taking the script Paulette was holding out in her direction. Spencer had stopped circling and was staring in her direction, brows furrowed. She turned away from him as much as she could. Eric appeared a moment later, buttoning up his shirt quickly and rolling his sleeves. He didn’t look in her direction.

“Okay,” Mrs. Amberson said, slipping her a subtle wink. “We’re going to work out the mechanics of the fight. The important thing is that you just stay still while they work, okay?”

This was all just noise to Scarlett. She went over and stood in the spot that Mrs. Amberson was pointing to. Eric and Spencer got into position behind her. Spencer was still studying her out of the corner of his eye. He knew something was going on, and that made her panic more.

“And…go!” Trevor said.

Eric immediately grabbed Spencer by the neck to drag him over to her. Spencer rolled out of this, tripping Eric expertly in the process. He landed right below her. Eric was literally at her feet. What was happening? Why were her ears ringing?

“What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?” he asked.

Scarlett’s mind faintly registered that she should be looking at the page. The words swam in front of her.

“Compounded it with dust,” she read. “Whereto ’tis kin.”

Her voice was a squeak.

“A little louder,” Mrs. Amberson directed.

“Compounded it with dust,” she read again, not really much louder. “Whereto ’tis kin.”

Spencer made an escape off to the side, and Eric bounced up from the floor to catch him. They slapped each other around a little on the other side of the stage, giving Scarlett a chance to get her balance. All she had to do was make it a few more minutes…

The smack startled her again.

Spencer was flipped over backward onto his face. Same trick as ever. Everyone in the room broke into laughter, except for her.

“Now, Spencer, get up!” Trevor yelled. “Get over there, turn him around, and hit him.”

This part may have been new, not that she cared. Her job was to stand still and let the world spin around her. Then she could go and puke and curl up into a ball and die.

Spencer pulled himself up and strode over as directed. Scarlett saw him move Eric into position, and Eric responded like a partner in a dance, turning himself so that his body would block the trick. He drew his right arm back dramatically, the comic buildup to the punch. Something unusual passed over Spencer’s face—something Scarlett had only seen a handful of times before.