Ghost in Wonderland, Part 1

It's not easy being the new kid.

**Ghost in Wonderland, Part 1** is the first episode of the Ghostwriter revival on Apple TV+. It premiered on November 1, 2019 with the next 6 episodes with the service.

## Synopsis

Ruben moves to a new town where he encounters strange characters at school.

## Plot

We begin the series with a breathtaking view of the city, and our focus shifts to Village Books, the local bookstore. It's a quiet evening. A mysterious golden haze sphere gracefully glides into the bookstore. It hovers in the air, emanating an enchanting glow, but suddenly, it abruptly switches off its light, leaving an air of intrigue.

In the halls of the school, we meet a young boy named Ruben. He's sitting against the lockers, enjoying a bowl of soup during lunchtime. With his skateboard by his side, he immerses himself in an anime graphic novel. However, an adult approaches him, reminding him that skateboarding and eating in the hall are not allowed. Ruben assures her that he's content eating alone, but reluctantly, he is forced to move to the cafeteria. At the other end of the hallway, another young boy and his group of friends are seen. In a sudden twist of fate, as the boy runs across the hall, he trips over Ruben's skateboard, causing him to fall and break his right arm. Ruben introduces himself as he offers the injured boy an icepack, showcasing his kind-hearted nature.

Later, Ruben engages in a lively discussion about the popular anime Naruto with his best friend, Kai, through a video call. Eventually, Kai asks Ruben how life in the city is treating him. Ruben begins complaining about his experiences, particularly how he inadvertently hurt Curtis. As the conversation progresses, they touch upon the topic of Ruben's grandfather, who also caused him pain. Kai playfully points out that Ruben's emotional journey mirrors that of Naruto's character. Just then, Ruben's mother enters the room, warmly greeting Kai and reminding Ruben to open up and meet new people. In a defiant tone, Ruben declares that everyone he encounters is not his type and elaborates on how he inadvertently hurt Curtis.

Following his mother's instructions, Ruben heads downstairs to assist his grandfather with the store. It's a request he doesn't particularly appreciate. As he enters the bookstore, a young girl walks in, cheerfully greeting Ruben's grandpa and referring to him as "grandpa." Ernesto, Ruben's grandpa, asks Chevon for her review of the book "How the Mind Works," seeking some guidance regarding her college major. Chevon, perceptive as always, notices the energy surrounding Ernesto since his grandma's passing, but she doesn't appear too concerned. Sarcastically surprised by Chevon's presence, Ruben remarks that Ernesto has lent her a book, reminding her that it's a bookstore, not a library. As Ernesto leaves, Ruben confronts Chevon, pointing out that he is not her grandpa but rather calls her "grandpa" since she doesn't have any grandparents. Chevon reminds Ruben about the soup incident, revealing that the teachers were discussing it in the teachers' lounge. She also extends an invitation to Ruben, encouraging him to join her friend group for lunch, but he declines, stating that they are always engrossed in geometry proofs.

As Donna and Curtis stroll past the bookstore, they notice that the door mysteriously swings open, drawing them inside. Donna needs a new book, and Ruben, feeling uneasy in Curtis's presence, attempts to hide. Eventually, they all gather in one room, and to Ruben's surprise, a chair mysteriously blocks his path. Tripping over the chair, he accidentally spills juice from Donna's bottle. In a peculiar turn of events, a gust of wind from the seemingly supernatural entity known as Ghostwriter blows through the room, causing the spilled juice to form the word "Hello" on the floor. Confused by the situation, they all decide to leave.
Back at the apartment, Amy persuades Ernesto to consider improving the bookstore, but he dismisses her proposal. Seeking guidance, Ernesto turns to Ruben, who voices his negative opinions about the idea. However, Ernesto remains steadfast, asserting that the store's unique charm lies in its character. Undeterred, Amy continues to advocate for the improvement of the bookstore. Just then, Chevon enters the room, carrying a dessert. As they indulge in the apple pie, Chevon and Ernesto begin reminiscing about Grandma, whose recipe they used for the dessert. Curious about Ruben's day, Ernesto asks him, but Ruben, remembering the juice incident, claims that not much happened.

At school, a bake sale is taking place, and Jake enters the cafeteria, catching Curtis's attention. Curtis questions him about his injured shoulder. Meanwhile, Ruben is quietly enjoying his meal when his fork mysteriously gets snatched away. As he reaches for another fork, Donna enters the scene. A student erases a line off the board, only to witness a mysterious message ("Come together") magically appear. Curtis, Ruben, and Donna notice the message and discuss its meaning. Curtis asks Jake if he sees the messages too, but Jake remains oblivious. Donna approaches Curtis, inquiring if he can see the message as well. Ruben joins the conversation, confirming that he, too, sees it. Together, they search for others who might be able to see it and notice Chevon. They approach her, but she denies seeing the message, attributing it to stress-induced hallucinations. They reluctantly agree that stress is the likely cause, and eventually, the message vanishes.

Back at the bookstore, a particular book emits a mysterious glow.

The next day, an anthropomorphized rabbit appears, unsettling both Ruben and Chevon. Strangely, everyone else seems oblivious to its presence. Donna and Curtis also notice the rabbit and realize that only they and Chevon can see it. Donna suggests that the rabbit might be a manifestation of the ghost who sent the previous messages or perhaps the rabbit itself is the ghost. The school bell rings, signaling the end of the day, and they agree to reconvene in the hallway after school.

The rabbit continues to disrupt Ruben and Chevon during a test, persistently babbling about a queen. Chevon, growing frustrated, loudly demands that the rabbit leave her alone, capturing the attention of the entire classroom. Ruben quickly intervenes, providing an excuse that he asked for an extra pencil because his broke.
As Curtis receives his test results, the rabbit appears once again, distracting him and revealing his disappointing grade of a D.
Donna, engrossed in a science exercise, also encounters the rabbit, who pesters her about the queen. Despite appearances, Donna's attempts to cuddle the rabbit's ears appear to others as if she's merely touching empty air.

After school, they gather to discuss the rabbit's unusual behavior. When Ruben opens his locker, he finds a mysterious message on his whiteboard, stating, "Begin at the beginning." Perplexed, he insists that he didn't write it. Chevon quickly realizes that the message refers to the first message they encountered at the bookstore, indicating that they need to return there. As they prepare to leave, the principal stops Curtis and informs him that Mr. Saunders revealed Curtis's recent test grade to her. Curtis promises to improve, but until then, he is suspended from the basketball team.

In a moment of desperation, Curtis lies to the group, claiming that the principal was discussing his shoulder injury, and as a result, he won't be able to play in the upcoming game. Ernesto approaches them, recognizing Curtis, and invites them upstairs, where Amy has prepared a fresh pot of soup.

While contemplating the meaning of the messages, Ernesto reveals that the quote is his favorite from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. As they delve into the book, they discover that the pages are blank. Donna suggests that the ghost released the rabbit from the book, prompting Ruben to question why the ghost always communicates through writing. Curtis theorizes that they are dealing with a ghostwriter. Suddenly, another message appears, simply stating, "School," indicating that they need to return to the school.
At school, two rolls of toilet paper mysteriously create a path leading the kids to the auditorium. To their astonishment, they find the White Rabbit setting up a tea party set, accompanied by the appearance of the Mad Hatter.

## Special Guest Cast

* Neil Patrick Harris as The White Rabbit (voice)

## Co-Starring

* Pay Chen as Principal Lily Fong
* Luca Villacis as Jake Simms
* Nicola Correia-Damude as Amy Reyna
* Richie Lawrence as Kai
* Jay Santiago as Grandpa Ernesto Reyna
* Michael Brown as Mr. Saunders
* Josh Cruddas as The Mad Hatter

## Quotes

It's not easy being the new kid.

I'm glad you're not eating lunch alone at your locker anymore.

**Chevon:** Now I don't know what my major should be in college. I was thinking Data Science, but now maybe Psychology.
**Ernesto:** How old are you again?
**Chevon:** Twelve.
**Ernesto:** You have time.

**Chevon:** Your energy level has changed since Grandma's death? Not a good sign.
**Ernesto:** That's it. No more psychology books for you.

**Chevon:** Two of the history teachers were talking about it in the teachers' lounge.
**Ruben:** Why were you in the teachers' lounge.
**Chevon:** They let me use the microwave.

**Donna:** We used to spend hours looking at books here when we were little.
**Curtis:** Yeah, I know, but I'm not little anymore. I'm getting older by the minute.

You don't have to whisper. It's a bookstore, not a library, remember?

**Ruben:** How's your arm.
**Curtis:** This one's pretty good.

**Ruben:** It's dusty and cold and some of the floorboards are uneven.
**Ernesto:** It has character.

**Ernesto:** If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
**Amy:** I *just* said that it was broke.

**Chevon:** Grandma's famous apple pie. She gave me her secret recipe.
**Ruben:** Wait a minute. Don't you have a family?
**Chevon:** Yes, Ruben, I do. But *they* don't appreciate homemade dessert.
**Ernesto:** Homemade? But Grandma didn't make her own crusts.
**Chevon:** I know. That's her secret. Store-bought.

**Chevon:** Maybe I do see it. But there's a logical explanation.
**Donna:** It's a ghost.

Please tell me that's your pet rabbit.

I know you're unhappy with your grade but crumpling it up is not gonna change it.

[whispering] I have no idea what you're talking about, but you're adorable.

**Curtis:** Not to brag, but I'm kind of the best player on the team.
**Chevon:** How is that not bragging?

**Donna:** Maybe we need to reenact what happened yesterday.
**Ruben:** So does that mean I need to hurt Curtis again?

**Chevon:** Yeah, except for "Begin at the beginning."
**Ernesto:** "And go on till you come to the end, then stop."

Well, why does he communicate in this way? Why always in writing?

**The Mad Hatter:** Well, this is a surprise.
**Ruben:** You're telling me.

## Trivia

* When The White Rabbit crumbles up Curtis's test paper, it is shown in reality as Mr. Saunders can see the crumbled test paper.
* When Donna is seen cuddling The White Rabbit's ears, it is observed that she is actually touching air.
* *Alice's Adventures in Wonderland* is one of Tess's favorite books.
* This is the first episode/story arc to feature an animal from a book.